Friedman says he'd legalize pot in Texas

[deadparrot]

AUSTIN, Texas - Kinky Friedman says he favors legalizing marijuana to keep nonviolent users out of prison. If Texas elects him governor, he says, he'll try to get locked-up pot users released to make room for more violent criminals.

"I think that's long overdue," Friedman told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday. "I think everybody knows what (U.S. Sen.) John McCain said is right: We've pretty well lost the war on drugs doing it the way we're doing it. Drugs are more available and cheaper than ever before. What we're doing is not working."

Friedman, the often irreverent singer, entertainer and mystery writer, is running as an independent in a bid to unseat Republican Gov. Rick Perry, and he's getting some serious attention.

He said he'd take a closer look at the use of the death penalty in Texas, wants to clean house on the state's board and commissions and would dump public school assessment tests, even if it costs the state federal money.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/governor_kinky

[keepCAblue]

1. Legalize pot, but criminalize abortion...

...I used to think this guy was just a colorful liberal, now I just think he's crazy. No thanks.

[Tace]

4. Good Point -- William F. Buckley Wants To Legalize All Drugs...

but I don't agree with many of his other views.

[rodeodance]

7. at least pot. so so so many lives in serious trouble because of insane pot

laws.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

16. Free the bud and lock up the uterus'

What a platform.

Kinky says whatever the crowd he's addressing wants to hear. Period.

[MADem]

17. Is that one of his platform points? I missed that in the article

I found this bit interesting, though:

"I don't mind being called a flip-flopper," he said, a description Perry's campaign has placed on him. "I think we actually could use a flip-flopper as governor because a flip-flopper is a human being open to change, and God knows change is what we need now."

He acknowledged that the Texas governor's authority is limited compared with executives in other states but said he would use the bully pulpit to cajole legislators. He doesn't trust them, he said, adding: "I do not trust the media either."

"Right now the lobbyists are leading us. We have a lack of leadership, a vacuum," he said.

One of the Texas governor's few powerful roles is in appointing state board members, and Friedman said he would replace as many as he could, including regents at the University of Texas and Texas A&M.

"You clean house," he said. "You get the old farts out of there. You put a bunch of young people in and you put a bunch of people who care about Texas. It's pretty simple."....

TX is a "weak governor" state anyway--the governor has NO authority compared to his peers in other states, and that does explain a bit why the Monkey sucks at leadership. He always assumed it was some other sumbitch's job....

[keepCAblue]

18. It was the subject of a DU post a couple days ago...

Apparently Kinky appeared on a radio talk show and was asked if the Texas legislature passed a bill outlawing abortion, would Kinky vetoe it or sign it into law.

Kinky said he'd sign it into law.


If anyone knows where that post is, please post it here.

[MADem]

19. Fascinating....surprising, but fascinating... NT

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. I don't think that can be done. The federal drug laws overrule

them. They have tried that in California.

[Anakin Skywalker]

3. He Ain't Gonna Win.

Ain't nobody gonna vote for some guy named Kinky, 'pecially in hea Texas!

[blue cat]

5. OK

but I'm still voting for Bell.

[Ezlivin]

20. I'll vote for Bell and smoke a bowl

Good combo I believe.

[bitchkitty]

28. LOL!

I was smoking one when I clicked on this thread.

[rodeodance]

6. hey Kinky---be our president.

[Poppyseedman]

8. A guy named "Kinky" who wants to legalize pot in one of the

reddest political states has a serious chance of winning the governors race as I have in being able to fly.

[jedr]

11. you may be suprised....

Last numbers I heard , he was doing fairly well considering the whole thing is a rouse....The only reason he wants to legalize pot is to keep him and his buddie, Wille Nelson, from having to watch over there shoulder.:evilgrin:

[whistle]

9. make room for more violent criminals like Tom Delay and

....other Texas republicans

[Phrogman]

10. Don't think Texans will vote for a Jew for Governor

Unless things have changed, I just can't see that happening at all.

[Freddie Stubbs]

21. They haven't been too inclined to elect a Democrat for Governor either

It has been 16 years since Texas has elected a Democrat as Governor.

[Kingofalldems]

22. What's your point?

We already know Texas is red. That said I can only surmise you are rubbing it in.

[Freddie Stubbs]

23. My point is that anti-Democratic sentiments among voters may be just as

much of a problem as anti-Jewish sentiments.

[Hestia]

25. uh, this is not an anti-Democratic state...

You'd be surprised at the numbers here who absolutely hate Bush. Probably 7-10 against Bush.
Bell just hasn't put his face out there enough here in Dallas and what ads I did see, wasn't very impressed with them. Saw Kinky at a fundraiser and was impressed with him, though he was throwing out slogans at that time, rather than a real platform.

The people I have met here are so anti-incumbent, that even die hard paleo-cons are willing to vote for Kinky. Part of his platform is putting Willie in as Energy Secretary and open up alternative energy funding, taking it away from Big Oil. That alone is speaking loud and clear to voters.

Maybe it is different in the rural counties, but Dallas, Collin, Denton & Tarrant counties are very anti-Bush. Don't count Texas out yet.

Must admit I have a Kinky sign in my yard.

[Freddie Stubbs]

29. It has been twelve years since any Democrat has won state-wide in TX

If Texans hate Bush, they have a funny way of showing it. Bush beat Kerry there by 23%.

[Freedom_from_Chains]

12. hmmm, I might have to consider moving to Texas.

[arewenotdemo]

13. Friedman might as well push for the legalization of his cherished

"Peruvian marching powder".

I stopped liking Kinky the day I discovered he slept with Imus AND the Cheerleader.

[MGD]

14. Kinky should run for the mayor of Austin, he'd fair better.

Outside of the Austin area, people will vote for God, guns and, above all else, lower property taxes.

Edit: (As mayor of Austin, he would probably have more power to affect Texas pot laws than as the Texas Governor anyways.)

[mitchum]

15. He's a huckster and a spoiler (writes really terrible books also)

[anotherdrew]

24. he might as well put the state back on the gold standard too

as long as he's going to be doing things he wouldn't have the power to do.

[Hestia]

26. But doesn't the real power lie with the states?

before narcotics were put on the Scheduled list? That was just in the 1970s, and wouldn't a majority in both the Senate and the House over turn that list? Especially hemp? From what I understand, he wants to decrimalize it, a) get pot smokers out of prison, b) industrial hemp for biodiesel, c) doesn't care about losing transporation funds due to the furor here over the I-35 & Hwy 69 NAFTA Corridor that Perry is pushing down people's throat's here.

Doesn't the state ruling of an ounce being a misdemenor (sp?) supercede federal law?

[anotherdrew]

27. it would just depend on the fed reaction

if they wanted to they could probaby prosecute him for failing to enforce federal law, I doubt it would come to that tho, more likely they'd make a deal, accept it and keep it as low key as possible.