Pot Laws Pose Dilemma For GOP Presidential Candidates

[Webster]

MSN News: Pot Laws Cause Dilemma For GOP Presidential Candidates

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's response in a recent radio interview to a question about legal marijuana was in keeping with his tough-on-crime persona.

A former prosecutor and potential presidential candidate, Christie has long been a staunch opponent of pot, at one time lambasting tax revenue generated from the sale of legal recreational marijuana as "blood money."

"I will crack down and not permit it," he told radio host Hugh Hewitt, who had asked whether legal marijuana sales in Colorado and Washington state should be allowed. "Marijuana is an illegal drug under federal law. And the states should not be permitted to sell it and profit from it."

Christie's comments put him on the conservative end of the divide over marijuana among both declared and likely Republican candidates for president, one that goes far beyond whether they've ever inhaled. Each of the current and prospective members of the GOP field opposes full legalization of marijuana, although they differ somewhat on medicinal use.

But if the candidates are hewing to the views of Republican voters on the question of legalization, they are running against the tide of opinion in the country overall, a conundrum the party faces on a host of social issues, including same-sex marriage.

A recent Pew Research Center survey found that 53 percent of Americans supported legalizing marijuana, compared with 44 percent who are opposed. The political divide was stark. Only 39 percent of Republicans favored legalization, compared with 59 percent of Democrats and 58 percent of independents.

Still, there was some nuance among Republicans: When asked whether the federal government should enforce its anti-pot laws in states that allowed marijuana use, 54 percent said it should not, while 43 percent said the government should enforce federal marijuana laws.

That result points to one of the central dilemmas confronting the party's voters and candidates on the issue of marijuana: They favor a weaker federal government and giving more power to the states in general, but when it comes to pot, a substantial bloc of the party wants the federal government to rein in the states.

...read more: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...emma-for-gop-presidential-hopefuls/ar-BBjFd1N

Thoughts?

 

[Nebulous]

Thoughts on him not being in favor of marijuana legalization? ...that's his prerogative I suppose.

 

[Webster]

Thoughts on him not being in favor of marijuana legalization? ...that's his prerogative I suppose.

Its' a balancing act of sorts for the various GOP candidates: go the Christie route and you run the risk of offending legalization supporters who might vote Republican on other issues but are turned away by the anti-pot message. Go the Rand Paul route (as mentioned later on in the article) and while you might attract libertarian-minded folks, you risk pushing away those less supportive of cannabis.

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

He is just another progressive posing as a democrat. He just needs to put his name on the democrat ticket.

 

[Webster]

He is just another progressive posing as a democrat. He just needs to put his name on the democrat ticket.

That said, is he right to attack marijuana or is it a political screen?

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

Well I am not against legalizing pot. As I have said many times make it legal when the laws are actually really tough on the offenders who abuse a substances that hurt other people. But since our justice system is weak on these offenders with no real desire to change and get tough on them I will never support the legalization of pot. So on this issue we are in agreement. But progressives are tricky in this manner they have a few key issues people can latch on to for people to support like say gun rights all the while the real dangers of what they believe such as big spending government programs everyone forgets about.

 

[+paradox]

another lying, crooked politician that only worries about himself and his votes than the public...