Legalize pot? Not change Obama can believe in

Legalize pot? Not change Obama can believe in


Thu Mar 26, 4:23 pm ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters)


Legalizing marijuana is not the kind of change President Barack Obama can believe in --
at least not as a remedy for the ailing U.S. economy.


On Thursday, Obama tackled the issue head-on, only half-jokingly, at an online townhall meeting where
he noted that the idea was a favourite among the 3.6 million people who voted on more than 100,000
questions submitted on the White House website.

"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 and job creation," he said to laughter at the White House event.

"And I don't know what this says about the online audience," Obama said, tongue-in-cheek.
"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 to grow our economy," he said before
moving back to a more sober discussion of unemployment and healthcare reform.

"Thank you for clearing that up," said Jared Bernstein, Vice President Joe Biden's chief economist,
who was acting as moderator.

Many of the questioners suggested that regulating the marijuana industry could yield large tax revenues.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was later asked whether Obama, who admitted in his
autobiography to experimenting with drugs in his youth, was leaving some wiggle room on the issue.

"The president opposes the legalization of marijuana," Gibbs told reporters, emphasizing his seriousness.
"He doesn't think that's the right plan for America."

As for where the new administration stood on medical marijuana, he said to ask the Justice Department.

Gibbs suggested that marijuana advocates may have had a hand in stacking the deck by mobilizing supporters
to send in questions and to go online and vote repeatedly for them.




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That figures.

The one good idea someone comes up with and this idiot is against it.

BMG wrote:

That figures.

The one good idea someone comes up with and this idiot is against it.

i'm surprised, i though he would have jumped on this one

KK wrote:

BMG wrote:

That figures.

The one good idea someone comes up with and this idiot is against it.

i'm surprised, i though he would have jumped on this one

Yeah, one more thing he could tax the hell out of.

Yeah, one more thing he could tax the hell out of.[/quote]


he'll come around. just wait till he has to start cutting checks for all he has committed