The campaign is over, you can quit gallivanting around the country on your phony "town hall" meetings and speeches now. How about you quit wasting money on these useless trips of yours

7/29/2009 12:31:48 PM

This is what Presidents do when they give a shit.

7/29/2009 12:35:31 PM

Naw

7/29/2009 12:37:00 PM

Why don't you listen to the majority of americans that want to legalize weed?
Why don't you end the war in Iraq?
Why are you continuing so much Bush bullshit?

7/29/2009 12:38:46 PM

change takes time! Especially when you have an incompetent majority. Please continue to hope.

7/29/2009 12:40:51 PM

The President visits different parts of the country in non emergency situations? The fuck you say.

7/29/2009 12:42:35 PM

when threads like this are made, you know the repubs are reachin'.

7/29/2009 12:51:17 PM

maybe he should take multiple trips back and forth from texas.

7/29/2009 1:06:20 PM

What's this garbage about reducing drug patents from 12 to 7 years? Why bother making drugs then?

Deal with the wholesalers, not the drug companies. How about using this healthcare reform to negotiate lower drug prices for everyone?

Fix the FDA, don't make new rules that you aren't going to enforce.

These people clapping for every word make me laugh.

7/29/2009 1:18:10 PM

Quote :

"Why don't you listen to the majority of americans stoner college kids that want to legalize weed?"

haha

7/29/2009 2:52:01 PM

A real president goes gallivanting around the country CLEARIN' BRUSH.


ROCK FLAG AND EAAAAAAAGGLEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

7/29/2009 3:12:18 PM

7/29/2009 4:18:03 PM

Quote :

"change takes time!"

7/29/2009 4:53:57 PM

Quote :

"Why don't you listen to the majority of americans stoner college kids that want to legalize weed?" haha "

Nice try....

Quote :

"Scarce law enforcement and prison resources, a desire to neutralize drug cartels and the need for new sources of revenue have resurrected the topic of legalizing marijuana. Proponents say it makes sense to tax and regulate the drug while opponents say that legalization would lead marijuana users to use other illegal drugs. Would you favor or oppose the government's effort to legalize marijuana?"

7/29/2009 5:56:06 PM

Here is what Obama had to say when he was in Raleigh today.


[Edited on July 29, 2009 at 6:08 PM. Reason : .]

7/29/2009 6:06:34 PM

I was really hoping I wouldnt have to hear "town hall" again until 2012.

7/29/2009 7:26:15 PM

It's kind of eerie how he does a poor southern accent in the beginning.

7/29/2009 9:18:29 PM

Quote :

"Why don't you listen to the majority of americans that want to legalize weed?"

Two things about the Zogby poll:

1) The question you quoted was hardly unbiased. It needlessly included three reasons in favor of legalization and offered a single shitty one against it. Don't get me wrong, I agree with you, but that is some shitty polling.

2) The "yes" portion of 52% is not really impressive. Although the subject is being discussed more now than it has been in the past, legalization/decriminalization still ranks pretty low on the list of major discussion topics today. If it became a major topic, the advertisements and punditry would start, and I have a feeling that the combined money and influence of alcohol companies, the religious right, and other anti-marijuana elements will vastly outweigh the money and influence of people who care strongly enough about legalizing marijuana to give money and influence to that cause.

---

That said, I've got broader issues with this particular attack on Obama. It's not like his office has the power to legalize marijuana. Congress has to do that, and even a solidly democratic majority isn't exactly unanimous in its support for legalization/decriminalization. He could put an enormous amount of effort into trying to cultivate their support...or he could work on economic recovery and health care. And while you no doubt dislike his thoughts on both of those issues, you can't deny that Americans care far more about those issues than they do about pot.

7/29/2009 9:43:34 PM

Speaking of gallivanting around the country...I've always wondered how much the office of the presidency costs the US taxpayer--the travel, the secret service, etc.

7/30/2009 1:32:06 AM

But you wait until now to wonder aloud.

7/30/2009 8:22:53 AM

Quote :

"It's not like his office has the power to legalize marijuana. Congress has to do that, and even a solidly democratic majority isn't exactly unanimous in its support for legalization/decriminalization. He could put an enormous amount of effort into trying to cultivate their support...or he could work on economic recovery and health care."

Or he could simply sign a presidential order that the DEA wont raid in states with medical laws. Its gonna take baby steps, but it is one step he promised on his campaign.


http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/03/31/dea-marijuana-raid-kills-buzz-from-obama-administrations-new-po/
this was the most recent raid I could find, March 09.

7/30/2009 9:41:01 AM

^He absolutely could do that. But I wasn't responding to someone saying, "Why don't you sign a presidential order that the DEA won't raid in medical marijuana states." I responded to someone saying, "Why don't you legalize marijuana."

Quote :

"Speaking of gallivanting around the country...I've always wondered how much the office of the presidency costs the US taxpayer--the travel, the secret service, etc."

I'm sure it's enormously expensive.

We could make the President live in project housing in the not-so-fancy part of DC, and we could force Congress to live in a tent colony and hold votes under bridge overpasses. That would save us a lot of money. Most people, I think, would rather be represented by someone at least somewhat prestigious.

7/30/2009 10:25:01 AM

Didn't he already order the Fed to stop investigating medical marijuana users?

7/30/2009 10:26:16 AM

Quote :

"But I wasn't responding to someone saying, "Why don't you sign a presidential order that the DEA won't raid in medical marijuana states." I responded to someone saying, "Why don't you legalize marijuana."

Actually, I said: "Why don't you listen to the majority of americans that want to legalize weed?"
I just want Obama to acknowledge the issue. Right now, state and local governments are afraid to even talk about it. With Obama merely acknowledging the issue as being valid... or perhaps giving at least some merit to the actual idea of decriminalization, other politicians could be less afraid to touch the issue themselves. "baby steps" indeed, but important ones.

Quote :

"If it became a major topic, the advertisements and punditry would start, and I have a feeling that the combined money and influence of alcohol companies, the religious right, and other anti-marijuana elements will vastly outweigh the money and influence of people who care strongly enough about legalizing marijuana to give money and influence to that cause."

Probably.
But still... BRING IT!

7/30/2009 10:45:50 AM

Quote :

"Most people, I think, would rather be represented by someone at least somewhat prestigious."

And just like a politician you've dodged the subject and added in something that you think most people will agree with. I'm pretty sure the point is that town hall meetings and the like are huge wastes of money.

Does he really need to take these trips? No. How much does it cost? Too much.

Then again he went to Africa too. I'm sure that's been on his list for a while now.

Quote :

"Go to the mother land as president of the united states done"

That sure helped the US, I'm glad he went.

7/30/2009 10:47:57 AM

Oh for fuck's sake enough about legalizing weed. There are much bigger problems to work on right now.

7/30/2009 10:49:02 AM

like legalizing weed?

7/30/2009 10:49:28 AM

^You got it.

7/30/2009 10:50:38 AM

Quote :

"With Obama merely acknowledging the issue as being valid..."

Fair enough. And I'm not sure what to make of him dismissing the issue out of hand. On its surface I agree with you, it seems pretty dumb. Broaching the subject would be a big step.

On the other hand, I don't know what kind of shitstorm would come from him bringing it up. You don't need to be a political genius to imagine the Fox News headlines from him so much as saying, "It may be time to consider a meaningful national discussion about the possible pros and cons of legalizing marijuana.

PRESIDENT: "LEGALIZE MARIJUANA"
BARACK OBAMA "PRO" POT
And Rush Limbaugh, "President Barack Hussein Obama said today that marijuana was crucial to having 'meaningful discussions.'"

Then, even if all he was trying to do is admit that the subject could be discussed, we've got a whole shitstorm around marijuana and everybody starts ignoring his central issues. Drugs are a more interesting subject than health care and carbon emissions. People like drugs. There is violence related to drugs. Maybe when insurance companies start running armed cartels and truck emissions make people high, these subjects will be able to compete. Now, not so much.

Marijuana legalization is a good thing to bring up when the country is totally mired in talking about stupid bullshit. Just wait until flag burning or some human vegetable or whatnot dominates the news again, then come out to the podium and say, "Let's talk about legalizing weed."

Quote :

"And just like a politician you've dodged the subject and added in something that you think most people will agree with."

I don't think most people disagree with town hall meetings held by the person who they elected to be in charge of government. Nor do I think they disagree with trips abroad for the person they elected to represent them to the world.

Quote :

"Does he really need to take these trips? No. How much does it cost? Too much. "

Based on what? In theory, the town halls allow ideas to be discussed and exchanged and refined. In practice, they allow him to sell policy to the people, which is what he has to do if he wants to enact those policies. People elected him to enact policies.*

Trips abroad are made in large part because the President is the head of state. He's our number-1 top-dog representative to the world. He can better perform that job if he actually goes to the world and represents us.

It's pathetic how only a few relatively extreme libertarians ever really stick to their guns on stuff like this. Everyone else changes their minds with each change in administration.

Clinton: He's wasting our money on stupid trips!
Bush: I have no problem with his extended vacations. He's doing a fine job from their.
Obama: He's wasting our money on stupid trips!

Quote :

"That sure helped the US, I'm glad he went."

The developing world is critical to one of his biggest issues: the environment. Africa is part of the developing world, and they have to be brought on board to pass effective climate change measures. Africa is also becoming a battlefield for the competing interests of the United States and its (arguably) biggest rival, China.

7/30/2009 4:12:38 PM

Hey, Republican18

7/30/2009 7:43:18 PM

Quote :

"It's pathetic how only a few relatively extreme libertarians ever really stick to their guns on stuff like this. Everyone else changes their minds with each change in administration."

Who the fuck is this village of strawmen that populate your head, and why the fuck are you off your medication again?

7/30/2009 8:13:02 PM

Ah yes. Let's have Obama at least acknowledge legalization of weed during discussions of Healthcare reform. Certainly, certainly, Republicans wouldn't be devious enough to form a tenuous link between the two to try to taint any legitimacy this reform has .

One thing at a time people. Or we could take Willy's approach to things and somehow always bring the topic back to legalization.

"What? NC Textiles are down? Sounds like legalization is the solution here!"

7/31/2009 11:15:44 AM

Quote :

"Who the fuck is this village of strawmen that populate your head, and why the fuck are you off your medication again?"

hahah village of strawmen populating your head. this must go in the quot thread.

7/31/2009 11:18:34 AM

Quote :

"Or we could take Willy's approach to things and somehow always bring the topic back to legalization"

I mentioned three things: marijuana, the iraq war, and old bush policies. Then, ncsuallday, GrumpyGOP and others steered the conversation towards weed -- not towards the war... not towards bush policies... towards weed.
But no... It's my approach.

7/31/2009 11:24:34 AM

president ron paul will sit quietly in the dark all day in a rented apartment in arlington, eating only ramen, this of course after he legalizes weed.

7/31/2009 1:58:59 PM

^
What?
(Have you ever considered that you have an unhealthy obsession with bashing Ron Paul/Ayn Rand/anything libertarian?)

7/31/2009 2:01:14 PM

Quote :

"when you have an incompetent majority."

agree, and you know who the majority is right now.........

[Edited on July 31, 2009 at 3:40 PM. Reason : ........]

7/31/2009 3:40:03 PM

Quote :

"The campaign is over, you can quit gallivanting around the country on your phony "town hall" meetings and speeches now. How about you quit wasting money on these useless trips of yours"

He's been doing more of them with the health care debate, and soon will be addressing a joint session of congress which hasn't been done (not counting state of the unions - & the first year version that presidents give in the place of state of the unions since they haven't been there a year yet) since the Bush admin's response to 9.11. It should be interesting to see if any of this has any affect on the public's perception of the health care reform debate.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/02/obama.health.care/index.html

[Edited on September 2, 2009 at 10:45 PM. Reason : added link]

9/2/2009 10:40:58 PM

Quote :

"I mentioned three things: marijuana, the iraq war, and old bush policies. Then, ncsuallday, GrumpyGOP and others steered the conversation towards weed -- not towards the war... not towards bush policies... towards weed. But no... It's my approach."

Lots of people in here spend a bunch of time bitching about the war and Bush policies. Compared to that, relatively few spend much time bitching about marijuana.

So yeah, it's "your" approach.

9/2/2009 10:55:43 PM