Saturday, March 28, 2009

Obama and Pot

From Barack Obama's online town hall meeting on Thursday:



Transcript

THE PRESIDENT: Three point five million people voted. I have to say that there was one question that was voted on that ranked fairly high and that was whether legalizing marijuana would improve the economy -- (laughter) -- and job creation. And I don't know what this says about the online audience -- (laughter) -- but I just want -- I don't want people to think that -- this was a fairly popular question; we want to make sure that it was answered. The answer is, no, I don't think that is a good strategy -- (laughter) -- to grow our economy. (Applause.)

So -- all right.

I don't think that's a very complete answer at all.

Obama acknowledged that it was a popular question. Why didn't he take it seriously?

He's joking. Thankfully, he wasn't mocking Special Olympics participants or laughing about joblessness and the economy, but he still was joking around and being rather flippant.

Legalizing pot would create jobs. That's undeniable, yet Obama says that it's not a good strategy to help grow the economy.

OK. Why not?

He doesn't explain.

"No" is an inadequate answer.

3 comments:

no-tilt boogie views said...

Well, 38 years ago in college, I tried it, but I never inhaled.

I am not surprised that so little time was spent on the topic other than mentioning it as a high (excuse the pun) numerically ranked question.

You criticize the president for his limiting attention here, you kick the dead horse of the Special Olympics gaff that never was going anywhere, and OMG, he can actually joke around. But this uppity "black," man is inadequate because he didn't answer that question to your satisfaction. How dare he decide what he wants to say, he's only the President. Desperate grasping at straws, I say.

What kind of criticism would he have gotten from you if he had said he was in favor of legalizing marijuana? You fail to say where you stand on the subject after bringing it up. A totally inadequate answer I say.

I believe it would create jobs and if taxed (and regulated) would stop the flow of billions of US dollars out of the country. free up space in our prisons for violent criminals, cut costs of law enforcement and help put an end to the impetus of Mexico's drug violence. BO could have said that he was in favor of "just," industrial hemp, (fabric and bio-fuel). Job creation for sure.

Simple view here, I certainly disagree with the President about the potential value of hemp in stimulating job growth. Is this somehow a proof of inadequacy, absolutely NOT. It is proof of being smart enough to not stick himself into a larger scope of wrath for the moment, when there are bigger fish to be frying. Yes.

Anonymous said...

The Special Olympics crack would never enter the mind of a quality individual.

This rationalization of and making excuses about Obama's BS is making some people turn into pretzels. And, manufacturing straw men and then railing against them as a method of propping Obama up is lame, lame lame.

Blind faith in your leaders will get you killed, in Afghanistan, maybe.

Mary said...

The Special Olympics crack would never enter the mind of a quality individual.

Exactly. NEVER.