"Pot-Hating Bush Holdover Unanimously Confirmed To Head DEA"

[Xicano]

The U.S. Senate has unanimously confirmed Michele Leonhart, a Bush-era holdover who has overseen dozens of federal raids on medical marijuana providers and producers, to head the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

"Ms. Leonhart's actions and ambitions are incompatible with state law, public opinion, and with the policies of this administration," said Paul Armentano, deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). "It is unlikely that we will see any serious change in the DEA's direction under Ms. Leonhart's leadership."

Leonhart had served as interim director of the agency since November 2007. President Barack Obama nominated Leonhart in February 2010 to serve as the agency's permanent director, NORML reports.

Numerous drug policy reform groups, including NORML, Marijuana Policy Project, the Drug Policy Alliance, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, and others had opposed Leonhart's confirmation, arguing that her actions as interim DEA administrator violated the Obama Administration's pledge to allow science, rather than politics, rhetoric and ideology, to guide public policy.

The federal medical marijuana raids overseen by Leonhart took place in states that have enacted laws legalizing the use and distribution of cannabis for medical purposes, and are inconsistent with an October 19, 2009 Department of Justice memo recommending federal officials no longer "focus... resources... on individuals whose actions are in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws providing for the medical use of marijuana."

Even after the DOJ memo instructing federal prosecutors to no longer target legal medical marijuana providers, the DEA, under Leonhart's "leadership," continued to raid individuals and collectives operating under state law.


http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2011/01/pot-hating_bush_holdover_unanimously_confirmed_to.php

[WillyT]

1. Fucking Great...

:mad::nuke::mad:

:puke:

[Blue_In_AK]

5. You took the words right out of my mouth, WillyT.

Somewhat moot up here since the cops hardly ever arrest anyone unless they've got a major grow going on, but still...

[RegieRocker]

2. Planned

There is no hope they just want you to think that there is

[tabasco]

3. Another turncoat move by a Democratic president

I don't think I can take much more of this shit.

[Common Sense Party]

20. "Turncoat" in what way?

What made you think Obama was going to legalize?

[Xicano]

32. Oh for fucks sakes stop tying to inject a strawman

No where did tabasco or the article in the OP make mention about "legalize". They're talking about Obama's turn coating on his promise to stop the federal raids/arrests on medical marijuana dispensaries and medical users.

Link

[tabasco]

34. Did I say anything about legalization?

Why do you make stuff up like that?

I expected Obama to institute gradual changes to more rational drug laws. The "war on drugs" is a fucking disaster, like Prohibition.

Obama's appointment of this fucking idiot means full-speed ahead with the goddamn disaster.

[givemebackmycountry]

4. Hey Michele Leonhart, I'm sparking one up right now in honor of your recent appointment.

Why not join me?
I'll open a bottle of bubbly, we'll take a few tokes, and have some fun.
You need to lighten up a little.

We continue to go backwards on this.

[Mark Maker]

6. Unanimously confirmed you say. Couldn't even scare up one

Senate vote in opposition.

I thought Bush was out of office.

[walldude]

7. So she's been fighting the WAR ON DRUGS for 10 years

and is losing to the people on drugs.


Great choice really. Next they'll put a military contractor as White House Chief OF Staff.... oh wait...

[TheKentuckian]

8. YAY!!!!!!!!

:sarcasm:

[progressoid]

48. It's Changetastic!

[MindPilot]

9. Obama should just put an "R" after his name and be done with it.

Jesus H Fucking Christ on a pogo stick, can this administration go any farther to the right?

[Common Sense Party]

21. Because the ENTIRE Democratic party LOVES drugs!

And if you don't, you must be a Repuke!

The world really is that simple, eh?

[paulk]

23. you're missing the point

"The federal medical marijuana raids overseen by Leonhart took place in states that have enacted laws legalizing the use and distribution of cannabis for medical purposes, and are inconsistent with an October 19, 2009 Department of Justice memo recommending federal officials no longer "focus... resources... on individuals whose actions are in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws providing for the medical use of marijuana.""

[eridani]

26. The entire Democratic Pary HATES the War on Some Drugs

And so do quite a few Republicans and independents.

[dreamnightwind]

24. wrong

It isn't that Dems have to love drugs. It's that they should support allowing a huge segment of the population to exercise this choice (pot) without criminalizing them. There's simply no legitimate argument against this, unless you're advocating prohibition against the real killer, alcohol, first.

It's another "punch the hippie" operation, originally of course it was about punching the blacks, and about securing large profits for the non-hemp paper industry. It's also about pretending to be tough on crime. Our politicians are all too happy to be tough on crime, so long as the "criminals" are powerless individuals.

[Warren DeMontague]

28. No, sane people all over the political map realize the drug war is a sham and a fucking waste.

OTOH, various assorted cretins, idiots, nimrods, authoritarian control freaks, retrenched reflexive status-quo defenders and many who personally benefit from the drug war gravy train-- of all party affiliations-- still think it's a good idea to spend $40 Billion a year, for instance, to throw consenting adults in prison for smoking a relatively harmless plant.

[meow mix]

30. no, but most love people. except you obviously

just toss em in prison huh... fuckin hater

[Richard Steele]

31. The world is complicated. Your view of it is simple. Different.

nm

[Xicano]

33. More like the Democratic party doesn't like being lied to

and doesn't like the idea of the federal government going after people prescribed a medication which helps them. That's number one. Number two, most people in the party understand prohibition doesn't work, and it only makes things worse. Therefore is an enormous waste in more ways than one and infringes upon one's right of autonomy over their own body - the most basic facet of freedom.

n/t

[SOS]

39. "drugs"

That's a pretty broad category.

44% of Americans favor making cannabis legal:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/123728/u.s.-support-legalizing-marijuana-reaches-new-high.aspx

The world is not that simple.
Lumping a relatively benign herb like cannabis in with drugs like angel dust or meth is the oversimplification here.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[somone]

10. Brilliant and gutsy chess move there

as usual

[prodigals0n]

15. This guy can't even figure out how the pieces move.

Total capitulation isn't brilliant.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

11. He did the equivalent at BATF

Too bad there is not the equivalent of the NRA for pot smokers

[frylock]

12. knr

same shit, different president.

[shanti]

13. what is WRONG with obama???

he needs to be following the direction of jerry brown, our new governor here in cali. all of his appointments have been dems, AS IT SHOULD BE! :grr:

[Warren Stupidity]

14. hopeless

[GReedDiamond]

16. Obama is in charge of "The War On Drugs"...

...just like all of his predecessors (in the "current" reign of status quo war on drugs policy, back through Tricky Dick Nixon).

Before that we're talking Harry Anslinger and the whole "Reefer Madness" crowd. Which was (surprise!) a bunch of corporate fucks in the early part of the 20th Century who knew they would profit big by taking cannabis/industrial hemp outta the picture.

Plus, they had the extra added benefit of being able to use hysterical anti "marihuana" propaganda to whip up racist sentiments against people of color -- the menace of crazy, hop-headed negroes and mexicans out raping yer white wimmens and childrens.

Cut to 21st Century, Obama -- Change? Not likely.

The really sick fuckin thing is, even ex-CAGovernor (I love the "ex" part!) Ahhhnold is more of a "progressive" on cannabis reform, than is Obama.

Edited for clarity.

[somone]

17. Yep, it is true that the Ahhnuld is way ahead

Truly disgusting.

Change and Hope, my ass.

[shanti]

18. well...

i wouldn't give GAS any credit at all. he was sparking up WAY before he became governor, so he was always attuned to that direction. he also said nothing until he was well on his way out. still, am glad he is GONE!

[GReedDiamond]

19. Yeah, I know...

...it may potentially serve his own best interest.

[AsahinaKimi]

22. Kinda like having Virginia Foxx to head Higher Education

and Bachmann on intelligence committee..The world is turning upside down.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

27. I'm sick and tired of these Bush minions continuing to attempt to destroy America

[Warren DeMontague]

29. Legalize it, Regulate it, Tax it. Fucking enough already.

The good news is, like full equality for GLBT citizens, it WILL happen. They can't stop it.

[tuckessee]

35. No surprise there. Obama & Biden are rabid drug warriors.

Biden seems to be fine with the notion that casual drug users should be shot.

When then current LAPD Chief Gates said before Biden's Senate Judiciary Committee in 1990 that "casual drug users should be taken out and shot" all Biden could do was smile and nod in gleeful agreement.

[DainBramaged]

36. Obama’s failure is that he won’t challenge this Republican narrative

and continues to alienate his base....

[xchrom]

37. ?!?! oy -- why appoint a bush hold over? -- so strange. nt

[notesdev]

43. Not strange at all

IIRC the very first appointment made by Obama was to hold over a Bush defense official.

[tekisui]

38. Another step backwards. Unsurprising from this Administration.

[niyad]

40. colour me so not surprised.

[piratefish08]

41. 11 Dimensional Chess.

Bravo, Mr President.

Bravo.

[Tsiyu]

42. It would be interesting to know

Leonhart's connections to the unregulated, heavy-lobbying, For-profit prison industry - the one that makes we Little People criminals for essentially nothing.

Same with Congress. How many are profiting off the War on (Some) Drugs?

It's rather amazing to see how the thought of more $$$ (you can stuff those $$$$$ in your casket when you croak I suppose because those $$$ aren't doing any good here on earth ) makes grown people abandon any sense of justice, any common sense and every concept of civil liberties for their fellow humans.


It's a blatant and ugly Class War they fight from "on high."

[old mark]

44. K&R...Sadly, looking for some progressive policies, and finding very few in the "Democrats" now.nt

[Ichingcarpenter]

45. 'Shit happens'

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=130860&mesg_id=130870


I wonder when it happens to her kids?

[felix_numinous]

46. Great.

The majority of Americans have a very different view on cannabis legalization, this apparently does not matter.

[RavensTown]

47. This is a disgrace!! Where's the change I voted for?

Not a SINGLE damn Senator votes against the PROVEN failed War on Drugs...let's just accept that they know this is a racket now and aren't willing to kill the money machine.

[reggie the dog]

49. the sad part is

that the president and many of the senators and reps from either party have all smoked weed themselves and often for many many years even if they have quit today (i bet many still smoke today) and they have also likely done cocaine yet they want to lock us up for doing the same thing so that the cia can get it's black ops money