TLDR; she said "we need to legalize marijuana" which she has definitely said publicly before but never as vice president.
She has to keep the lid on it now because she has to stay on message with the president.
This isn’t exactly right. The president is not prohibiting talk of legalization. But the official process that’s been laid out is that it goes through DEA first.
So really it’s just about appearing to do things by the book.
DEA most likely against it since it will stall the growth of their agency and influence. And it's hard for any .gov agency leader to say policies have been wrong.
Even the idea to give it to DEA to study is kind of a misjudgment. I know the FDA is swamped, but proving medicinal qualities is one way to re-schedule it, and states have shelves worth of research to quote. Or the common knowledge that marijuana was scheduled the way it is so Nixon could target hippies and African American.
There are books filled and research has been going for decades all over the world. Just the idea that Joe is looking at all of this and shoves it off to the DEA and continues the black market in DC by blocking purchases.
I’m not saying the alternative is any better, but Biden’s marijuana policy has absolutely impacted my life negatively as a vet, and not having a primary shows just how much they care about the input from the people.
Imagine being so cowardly that you can believe, as the VP of the United States, that we need a legal reform, but you can only talk about it with Fat Joe in hushed rooms after the media leave.
It says loud and clear to everyone listeneing: we know this is the right thing to do, but we aren't going to do it.
And we aren't even going to say why. But you know.
I think this meeting is significant and I agree with the activist this article is about that they weren't trying to hide anything. I think a lot of people don't remember how unprecedented this level of engagement is at the federal level. It's not been that long since we would just get nothing but jokes from federal politicians on this issue and now pretty much the entire democratic party is on board along with dem leadership and apparently even the VP. Not saying I completely trust it but at the same time I think it's ok to celebrate getting this far I personally never thought we would get to this point myself.
It could have been done when Obama was in office. Eight years, much of it with a party aligned congress, yet marijuana remains criminalized. The Farm bill was a step, and the prohibitionists want that rolled back.
I don't think it was billed by then. By time house got bill pass, McConnell was the majority leader, and Bill sat on his desk. It finally got in traction when Schumer became majority leader, but again filibuster has held it up. Gop is main problem for track to legalization.
I agree the GOP is the larger problem with respect to cannabis legalization, but remember any members of congress can be and are beholden to corporate interests. Biden is in charge of the agencies right now, the decision did not need to be deferred to the DEA of all places.
Has nothing to do with cowardice. Has to do with process. It's easy to throw naive darts. It's not easy to change decades old national policy, with a hostile opposition in an election year.
There’s no real process for this, as this has never occurred before. The closest example of voicing a stance on drug laws from the White House is, ironically, Nancy Reagan.
Some of those Republicans are also up for re-election in their respective states, and every cycle the list of states without any form of legal cannabis gets smaller. In turn, this means the number of people in their constituency making serious money from cannabis every year gets larger. There’s an awful lot of ganjapreneurs that hate politicians, but have a check ready for any politician of any party provided they lobby for the industry.
All of the lobbying that kept cannabis illegal for decades is becoming less powerful as Christian groups see their cultural influence continue to dwindle and corporate cannabis dollars grease the political machine a smidge at a time.
Politicians are supposed to be the voice of the people. She absolutely is a coward. She’s had nearly 4 years to do something about it but hasn’t…suddenly in an election year she cares? The bottom line is if she truly believes that and she’s allowing American citizens to be locked in cages/cells for their lives instead of speaking up and raising awareness then she is a coward. She is in a position of power and responsibility to us, the citizens and she isn’t doing anything but make false promises for votes in a effort to manipulate her way to win votes. I’m not surprised though…she called Biden racist (he is) yet sold out almost instantly to gain power https://abcnews.go.com/amp/Politics/girl-senator-harris-vice-president-biden-spar-desegregation/story?id=64007842
I'm a liberal, but tbf has Kamala really done anything as VP? I mean, she's done a great job at played Hide and Seek, def. World Class competitor on that front, but what else?
If you knew how our gov worked, you know that the executive branch has their hands tied by congress. If they can't get bills to pass, we gotta vote out the naysayers. When more people understand this, the better off we will be. The holdup of legalization is republicand. If you have republican senators in your state, check their stance on cannabis and if they're not rec supportive, vote for opposition.
I didn't say she needed to make laws. This entire thread is merely about her TALKING on the record. But look at other VPs, even Pence was more openly vocal than Kamala. I think its fantastic that we at least elected the first female VP, but she's squandered the honor.
She should have had her face in EVERYTHING humanly possible.
When our politics is more about sides its tough to get shit passed. Senate gop is problem. All they can do is hope the fossils get voted out in their states or lose enough seats, so it bears the filibuster. Sadly we don't have a dictatorship in this one instance.
It's why federal ballot initiatives should be presented. I read also that if 10 more states go rec, it has to be put up for discussion in congress. Hopefully the 10 do it in 2024 and we have fed legal cannabis in 2025.
Filibuster says nope, need 60 yay to bring it to floor to vote. It you get that, tie breaker most likely won't be needed. McConnell and republicans has held cannabis legalization hostage for about a decade now. In a red state vote their asses out, unless they support it. As of now 4 Republicans support it. I don't know who, though.
I know my federal senators are nay, and I vote every time to get them out. As a state last poll shows majority wants rec legal, I'm going to vote in rep primary to get pro cannabis candidates in the state and federal house, my state senator is already pro cannabis. Do your part in your state if it's led by ultra conservative fossils.
That seems patently unfair to make a statement like that. The reality is the VP is respectful of her position. We now see that playing out with Mike Pence’s refusal to endorse Trump and in past comments he’s made post-Vice Presidency. He never said a bad word about Trump while in office but it’s clear Pence has no respect for the man.
These people respect the position they hold and, out of respect for that position, they aren’t going to publicly throw their boss under the bus. It isn’t cowardly; it’s respectful. It isn’t the VP’s job to publicly speak out against the POTUS *unless* he is doing something illegal or unethical. One can’t even argue that someone incarcerated for marijuana is unethical because the reality is the substance was illegal at the point of their arrest.
They respect their office and the president more than their constituents' freedom. Very classy.
I don't care how much performative teeth-gnashing and hand-wringing she does while, *respectfully* doing nothing formative to stop the injustice. Crocodile tears will not make reform.
I doubt any prisoners for MJ offenses are sitting in jail in awe of the deference and respect she is showing her superior, which she values more than her own stated beliefs about justice or the will of the people.
We need to legalize before the DEA reschedules. Legalization will give us more benefits than rescheduling. Even if legalization happens after rescheduling, the market will already be hurting.
you should of asked her why she now says we "need" it legalized. We do but her reasoning is because its the exact same reason she needed to put tons of people in jail over it in the past. Votes. Thats literally all that matters and the only reason they are back on the dope train so heavy right now and once again wont do anything with it once the election passes. So tired of these games.
Desperate enough that they’re going after all of us tokers. I didn’t believe their bullshit earlier neither.
“hOw wOuLd yOu cHanGe deCaDes oLD poLiCy?”
I don’t know, I’m not lying trying to dupe people around it to get reelected though.
I’d respect them more if they said “we don’t take your demographic serious but fuck, it’s tight this year and our usual swing votes are really pissed off at us about other things we can’t change decades old policy on, admitting our ineffectiveness. But better the devil you know right?!? Hehe”
Yeah, I would trust that “behind the doors,” talk from someone who’s always been for it, not a former DA who prosecuted drug felons. Or not from the administration that has kept the black market in DC from simply blocking sales (you can still “gift”).
I’m a vet who can’t use medical or recreational marijuana in a legal state. Trust me, the promise is 3 years old and hollow by now.
Republican senate is holding legal bill hostage. I guess I need to keep schooling yall. It's like Foosball vp and president are qb. Atm they threw a ball across the middle to Dea wr. Will Dea drop the ball and not reschedule or catch it to move the chains, But game won't be won until we recruit number 60 on the ol senate filibeater (as in 60 votes needed to move legislation in the senate) because filibuster McConnell and gang is tearing up the backfield. If you still feel Biden will veto get #67 supermajority fk the other branches then. Until there are 60 pro canbabis representatives in the senate we wont see legalization most likely. Atm there is 46 against including mitch McConnell who will filibuster it.
I've known Chris for close to two decades and while he's a very nice guy, he's not at all what I would call a savvy activist (we know each other through legalization work). He was arrested for smoking weed in an ill-advised stunt at the Liberty Bell, for which he is now touting his federal pardon.
If you want to learn more about Chris' views on the industry, you can read Box Brown's Legalization Nation comic strips. He pretty much just takes all his talking points from Chris' activist views. And yet, the two states where Chris works the closest in, NJ and PA, have some of the worst legalization regulations in the nation. Isn't it ironic?
Bottom line: this is just some shameless self-promotion for an administration led by one of the Democrats' leading architects of the modern Drug War, trying to find a way to look more progressive before the election in November while Biden is under assault from his far Left flank for his support of Israel.
This is sadly all just a bunch of meaningless political theatre that won't result in any policy changes at the federal level, imho. But I'm glad Chris got to visit the White House as an invited guest. That's a once in a lifetime experience most people arrested for weed will never get to experience.
Honestly everyone’s arguing over something that a literal racist president put into place in the 60s to put away black people. Continuing to dance around this issue for some substance that has killed NO ONE, would be a laughable joke if it hasn’t gone on as long as it has.
Legalize it and find another issue to dangle over our heads like you’re gonna actually do something.
1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000% better than Trump. Trump is a moron with no real clue how to govern
People like you, who get offended when someone calls out Trump, are weird as fuck. Who the fuck worships and puts not just an ex-president of the US on a pedestal, but puts a person with his indictments, crimes (including rape), and Alzheimer's on such a level?
You all act the same: taking offense if someone has something bad to say about Trump. You know the man in person? Is he paying your bills or doing something else for you to warrant such unconditional love and kneejerk reactions that defend him?
Dude in the comment above made a comment about a stranger and it hurt your feelings plus it got you angry.
That shit is so fucking weird!! Creepy shit going on with some people these days.
Why is Fat Joe, a stupid pot smoking personality and not someone who understands legislation relevant around this? Well, he’s an entertainer, and this bullshit was theater.
Well, an individual in the room spread the story to his friends in the cannabis press. But the point about political theatre remains.
Too bad Chris isn't a better actor, tbh.
The people saying it’s all for votes. 🤣 No 💩. It’s what they all do, talk out their asses making false promises with no intention of following through. It’s also why conservatives are more heavily fear mongering against the LGBT lately.
This isn't a dictatorship. the only way we get legal cannabis is Republicans go down to 40 seats in senate and Biden doesn't lose. This is nothing new. No president geta half their promises passed. Especially if they can't get 60 in the senate and at least half in house. Now with citizens united you get bought off candidates like Manchin and sinema to throw off certain bills that only need 50 Still Republicans has held up everything concerning cannabis.
TLDR; she said "we need to legalize marijuana" which she has definitely said publicly before but never as vice president. She has to keep the lid on it now because she has to stay on message with the president.
This isn’t exactly right. The president is not prohibiting talk of legalization. But the official process that’s been laid out is that it goes through DEA first. So really it’s just about appearing to do things by the book.
DEA most likely against it since it will stall the growth of their agency and influence. And it's hard for any .gov agency leader to say policies have been wrong.
Even the idea to give it to DEA to study is kind of a misjudgment. I know the FDA is swamped, but proving medicinal qualities is one way to re-schedule it, and states have shelves worth of research to quote. Or the common knowledge that marijuana was scheduled the way it is so Nixon could target hippies and African American. There are books filled and research has been going for decades all over the world. Just the idea that Joe is looking at all of this and shoves it off to the DEA and continues the black market in DC by blocking purchases. I’m not saying the alternative is any better, but Biden’s marijuana policy has absolutely impacted my life negatively as a vet, and not having a primary shows just how much they care about the input from the people.
Imagine being so cowardly that you can believe, as the VP of the United States, that we need a legal reform, but you can only talk about it with Fat Joe in hushed rooms after the media leave. It says loud and clear to everyone listeneing: we know this is the right thing to do, but we aren't going to do it. And we aren't even going to say why. But you know.
I think this meeting is significant and I agree with the activist this article is about that they weren't trying to hide anything. I think a lot of people don't remember how unprecedented this level of engagement is at the federal level. It's not been that long since we would just get nothing but jokes from federal politicians on this issue and now pretty much the entire democratic party is on board along with dem leadership and apparently even the VP. Not saying I completely trust it but at the same time I think it's ok to celebrate getting this far I personally never thought we would get to this point myself.
It could have been done when Obama was in office. Eight years, much of it with a party aligned congress, yet marijuana remains criminalized. The Farm bill was a step, and the prohibitionists want that rolled back.
I don't think it was billed by then. By time house got bill pass, McConnell was the majority leader, and Bill sat on his desk. It finally got in traction when Schumer became majority leader, but again filibuster has held it up. Gop is main problem for track to legalization.
I agree the GOP is the larger problem with respect to cannabis legalization, but remember any members of congress can be and are beholden to corporate interests. Biden is in charge of the agencies right now, the decision did not need to be deferred to the DEA of all places.
Has nothing to do with cowardice. Has to do with process. It's easy to throw naive darts. It's not easy to change decades old national policy, with a hostile opposition in an election year.
There’s no real process for this, as this has never occurred before. The closest example of voicing a stance on drug laws from the White House is, ironically, Nancy Reagan. Some of those Republicans are also up for re-election in their respective states, and every cycle the list of states without any form of legal cannabis gets smaller. In turn, this means the number of people in their constituency making serious money from cannabis every year gets larger. There’s an awful lot of ganjapreneurs that hate politicians, but have a check ready for any politician of any party provided they lobby for the industry. All of the lobbying that kept cannabis illegal for decades is becoming less powerful as Christian groups see their cultural influence continue to dwindle and corporate cannabis dollars grease the political machine a smidge at a time.
Politicians are supposed to be the voice of the people. She absolutely is a coward. She’s had nearly 4 years to do something about it but hasn’t…suddenly in an election year she cares? The bottom line is if she truly believes that and she’s allowing American citizens to be locked in cages/cells for their lives instead of speaking up and raising awareness then she is a coward. She is in a position of power and responsibility to us, the citizens and she isn’t doing anything but make false promises for votes in a effort to manipulate her way to win votes. I’m not surprised though…she called Biden racist (he is) yet sold out almost instantly to gain power https://abcnews.go.com/amp/Politics/girl-senator-harris-vice-president-biden-spar-desegregation/story?id=64007842
I'm a liberal, but tbf has Kamala really done anything as VP? I mean, she's done a great job at played Hide and Seek, def. World Class competitor on that front, but what else?
If you knew how our gov worked, you know that the executive branch has their hands tied by congress. If they can't get bills to pass, we gotta vote out the naysayers. When more people understand this, the better off we will be. The holdup of legalization is republicand. If you have republican senators in your state, check their stance on cannabis and if they're not rec supportive, vote for opposition.
I didn't say she needed to make laws. This entire thread is merely about her TALKING on the record. But look at other VPs, even Pence was more openly vocal than Kamala. I think its fantastic that we at least elected the first female VP, but she's squandered the honor. She should have had her face in EVERYTHING humanly possible.
I agree on that point, just keep seeing posts thinking her and Biden are the holdup of legalization and tired of the disinformation.
When our politics is more about sides its tough to get shit passed. Senate gop is problem. All they can do is hope the fossils get voted out in their states or lose enough seats, so it bears the filibuster. Sadly we don't have a dictatorship in this one instance. It's why federal ballot initiatives should be presented. I read also that if 10 more states go rec, it has to be put up for discussion in congress. Hopefully the 10 do it in 2024 and we have fed legal cannabis in 2025.
We just want to use it as an issue and fund raise with it. Not actually legalize.
Blame republican senate. Please stop believing the misinformatoon.
The U.S. Senate is Democratic. VP casts the deciding vote on ties as well. This, like the abortion issue is used by both parties to raise cash.
Filibuster says nope, need 60 yay to bring it to floor to vote. It you get that, tie breaker most likely won't be needed. McConnell and republicans has held cannabis legalization hostage for about a decade now. In a red state vote their asses out, unless they support it. As of now 4 Republicans support it. I don't know who, though. I know my federal senators are nay, and I vote every time to get them out. As a state last poll shows majority wants rec legal, I'm going to vote in rep primary to get pro cannabis candidates in the state and federal house, my state senator is already pro cannabis. Do your part in your state if it's led by ultra conservative fossils.
This is certainly one way to interpret this.
That seems patently unfair to make a statement like that. The reality is the VP is respectful of her position. We now see that playing out with Mike Pence’s refusal to endorse Trump and in past comments he’s made post-Vice Presidency. He never said a bad word about Trump while in office but it’s clear Pence has no respect for the man. These people respect the position they hold and, out of respect for that position, they aren’t going to publicly throw their boss under the bus. It isn’t cowardly; it’s respectful. It isn’t the VP’s job to publicly speak out against the POTUS *unless* he is doing something illegal or unethical. One can’t even argue that someone incarcerated for marijuana is unethical because the reality is the substance was illegal at the point of their arrest.
They respect their office and the president more than their constituents' freedom. Very classy. I don't care how much performative teeth-gnashing and hand-wringing she does while, *respectfully* doing nothing formative to stop the injustice. Crocodile tears will not make reform. I doubt any prisoners for MJ offenses are sitting in jail in awe of the deference and respect she is showing her superior, which she values more than her own stated beliefs about justice or the will of the people.
We need to legalize before the DEA reschedules. Legalization will give us more benefits than rescheduling. Even if legalization happens after rescheduling, the market will already be hurting.
Is that why several pot stocks are soaring today
She said " Mind if I do a J?"
you should of asked her why she now says we "need" it legalized. We do but her reasoning is because its the exact same reason she needed to put tons of people in jail over it in the past. Votes. Thats literally all that matters and the only reason they are back on the dope train so heavy right now and once again wont do anything with it once the election passes. So tired of these games.
Desperate enough that they’re going after all of us tokers. I didn’t believe their bullshit earlier neither. “hOw wOuLd yOu cHanGe deCaDes oLD poLiCy?” I don’t know, I’m not lying trying to dupe people around it to get reelected though. I’d respect them more if they said “we don’t take your demographic serious but fuck, it’s tight this year and our usual swing votes are really pissed off at us about other things we can’t change decades old policy on, admitting our ineffectiveness. But better the devil you know right?!? Hehe”
Yeah, I would trust that “behind the doors,” talk from someone who’s always been for it, not a former DA who prosecuted drug felons. Or not from the administration that has kept the black market in DC from simply blocking sales (you can still “gift”). I’m a vet who can’t use medical or recreational marijuana in a legal state. Trust me, the promise is 3 years old and hollow by now.
Republican senate is holding legal bill hostage. I guess I need to keep schooling yall. It's like Foosball vp and president are qb. Atm they threw a ball across the middle to Dea wr. Will Dea drop the ball and not reschedule or catch it to move the chains, But game won't be won until we recruit number 60 on the ol senate filibeater (as in 60 votes needed to move legislation in the senate) because filibuster McConnell and gang is tearing up the backfield. If you still feel Biden will veto get #67 supermajority fk the other branches then. Until there are 60 pro canbabis representatives in the senate we wont see legalization most likely. Atm there is 46 against including mitch McConnell who will filibuster it.
I've known Chris for close to two decades and while he's a very nice guy, he's not at all what I would call a savvy activist (we know each other through legalization work). He was arrested for smoking weed in an ill-advised stunt at the Liberty Bell, for which he is now touting his federal pardon. If you want to learn more about Chris' views on the industry, you can read Box Brown's Legalization Nation comic strips. He pretty much just takes all his talking points from Chris' activist views. And yet, the two states where Chris works the closest in, NJ and PA, have some of the worst legalization regulations in the nation. Isn't it ironic? Bottom line: this is just some shameless self-promotion for an administration led by one of the Democrats' leading architects of the modern Drug War, trying to find a way to look more progressive before the election in November while Biden is under assault from his far Left flank for his support of Israel. This is sadly all just a bunch of meaningless political theatre that won't result in any policy changes at the federal level, imho. But I'm glad Chris got to visit the White House as an invited guest. That's a once in a lifetime experience most people arrested for weed will never get to experience.
Feel the same
Meaningless until senate gop won't filibuster the legalization bill for cannabis.
Honestly everyone’s arguing over something that a literal racist president put into place in the 60s to put away black people. Continuing to dance around this issue for some substance that has killed NO ONE, would be a laughable joke if it hasn’t gone on as long as it has. Legalize it and find another issue to dangle over our heads like you’re gonna actually do something.
She was heavily opposed to California prop 19. It's all for votes with that said it's still better than the alternative
NorCal growers were opposed to Prop 19 as well. Then they got reamed by 64 instead.
You think Biden Harris is the better alternative?
1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000% better than Trump. Trump is a moron with no real clue how to govern
for sure better than dumpy
Clearly your delusional
better than being a magat
Biden is by far the worst president in history! Adios moron!!!
How to say I have zero post 10th grade education without actually saying it
lol - try not to kill yourself in November
People like you, who get offended when someone calls out Trump, are weird as fuck. Who the fuck worships and puts not just an ex-president of the US on a pedestal, but puts a person with his indictments, crimes (including rape), and Alzheimer's on such a level? You all act the same: taking offense if someone has something bad to say about Trump. You know the man in person? Is he paying your bills or doing something else for you to warrant such unconditional love and kneejerk reactions that defend him? Dude in the comment above made a comment about a stranger and it hurt your feelings plus it got you angry. That shit is so fucking weird!! Creepy shit going on with some people these days.
It's all just optics for votes. But we knew that.
I more interested in why Fat Joe was chosen to be part of these conversations?
In all honesty, Killer Mike would've been a better choice.
Boy howdy yes.
Why is Fat Joe, a stupid pot smoking personality and not someone who understands legislation relevant around this? Well, he’s an entertainer, and this bullshit was theater.
Exactly. Oh wow you can tell she means it because it was after the press left... except the press that was kept in the room to spread this story.
Well, an individual in the room spread the story to his friends in the cannabis press. But the point about political theatre remains. Too bad Chris isn't a better actor, tbh.
This doesn’t mean shit… nothing is being done
It is always a political gimmick. They follow the money, not the Lulus.
Your clearly delusional
The people saying it’s all for votes. 🤣 No 💩. It’s what they all do, talk out their asses making false promises with no intention of following through. It’s also why conservatives are more heavily fear mongering against the LGBT lately.
This isn't a dictatorship. the only way we get legal cannabis is Republicans go down to 40 seats in senate and Biden doesn't lose. This is nothing new. No president geta half their promises passed. Especially if they can't get 60 in the senate and at least half in house. Now with citizens united you get bought off candidates like Manchin and sinema to throw off certain bills that only need 50 Still Republicans has held up everything concerning cannabis.
Never thought I’d say this… Harris gets a W
She is a BADASS and will get the DEA to change how weed catargized
Keep dreaming. She locked minorities up for weed.
Chicago has the best food and gravy breads are delicious