Bummer - Barack Obama turns out to be just another drug warrior.

[FreeBillClinton]

"Kerlikowske’s earnest insistence that you can end the war on drugs if you stop calling it that gives you a sense of the chasm between rhetoric and reality in Obama’s drug policies, which by and large have been remarkably similar to his predecessor’s. With the major exception of crack sentences, which were substantially reduced by a law the administration supported, Obama has not delivered what reformers hoped he would. His most conspicuous failure has been his policy on medical marijuana, which is in some ways even more aggressively intolerant than George W. Bush’s, featuring more-frequent raids by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), ruinous IRS audits, and threats of prosecution against not only dispensaries but anyone who deals with them. “I initially had high hopes,” says Marsha Rosenbaum, “but now believe Obama has abdicated drug policy to the DEA.”

emphasis (bold) is mine.

Please leave your prejudices about the source behind and read this very important article.

http://reason.com/archives/2011/09/12/bummer

[villager]

1. "Abdication," more than "change," seems to be the issue with this administration...

n/t

[izquierdista]

3. I don't think he's even in charge

Remember, Cheney was proud of burying moles so deep in the bureaucracy that it would take a decade to ferret them out. And how many U.S. attorneys were changed in early 2009? Very few. I think a lot of the MJ prosecutions are being done by U.S. attorneys taunting Obama to countermand them while they wait for his 4-year term to be up.

Obama needed a heavy duty push broom to get rid of all the Republican agenda pushers that were in the government and he has only given it a light brush with the feather duster. The retention of Gates and the top brass in the military sent the message that there would be little change in direction there. They learned so well how to deal with a derelict leader when Dubya was out "clearing brush", that even if Obama wanted real change, he would have to ride their ass hard to get it.

[RaleighNCDUer]

5. it would take a decade to ferret them out

And that is assuming someone would be TRYING to root them out. Obama seem quite content for them to be there.

[RZM]

2. Who was really expecting anything different?

I don't remember Obama campaigning on better drug policy. I wish he would do something better, but I harbored no illusions that he would.

[Doctor_J]

4. Reason Rag should not be allowed at DU

though this particular article makes sense to many of us, Reason is a liberal- and dem-bashing that just happens to coincide with our views. It's not really journalism.

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. So we should shoot the message because we don't like the messenger? nt

[Doctor_J]

7. You should not post lie-riddled propaganda rags as sources

the gun culture frequently posts stuff from the Moonie Times. People here have posted "articles" from World Nut Daily, newsmax, and fox news. All of these "sources" are right-wing propaganda outlets, and everything they publish has severe right-wing spin. I personally believe that self-identifying dems who even read these sites are mentally ill - their self-hatred must be almost incurable. At the very least they should be banished for posting right-wing propaganda here. But regardless, you don't get to rifle through lie factories, find something you agree with, and post it as fact. If we allow this then we're not much different than fox nation.

[RaleighNCDUer]

8. So the truth is only the truth when it comes from approved sources.

The same article appearing in Mother Jones would be fine, but from Reason is RW propaganda.

Got it.

[Doctor_J]

9. Like I said, anything that comes from right-wing rags has that spin on it

and those who call themselves Dems who read such publications have deep-seated identity issues.

[RaleighNCDUer]

10. Telll the truth - either you didn't read the article

or you actually support the War On Drugs.

There is no such spin here - it is an examination of how the administration has acted in contrast to Obama's campaign pledges to de-emphasize the WOD.

Maybe the "Obama has failed" theme is what prompts this periodical to publish it, but the fact is what he failed to do is he failed to live up to progressive promises. Seems to me that would make their readers rather happy with him.

[FreeBillClinton]

11. I don't read Reason. I was linked to the article from another site.

I may not agree with most of libertarian doctrine, but they are more vocal about the insanity of our drug policy and the dangers of militarizing our police forces than any democrat I've ever heard.

Radley Balko, whose blog linked to the article, is now a writer for the Huffington Post. Does that mean we should all stop reading the Huffington Post too?