cannabisnews.com: Inside Politics: Flip-Flop No. 2
Inside Politics: Flip-Flop No. 2
Posted by CN Staff on August 09, 2003 at 08:40:31 PT
By Jennifer Harper, The Washington Times
Source: Washington Times
Medical marijuana fans are accusing presidential contender Sen. John Kerry of flip-flopping on the issue to the point where he now essentially embraces the Bush administration's position. The Massachusetts Democrat said Wednesday he'd put off any final decision on medical marijuana because there's "a study under way analyzing what the science is."
But Aaron Houston of the Granite Staters for Medical Marijuana said that just a month ago Mr. Kerry seemed to endorse medical marijuana use, and when asked about the content of his mysterious study, said, "I am trying to find out. I don't know." Mr. Kerry did say his "personal disposition is open to the issue of medical marijuana" and that he'd stop Drug Enforcement Administration raids on patients using the stuff under California's medical marijuana law. Mr. Houston said that rang hollow. "I was embarrassed for the senator," Mr. Houston said. "He seemed so afraid to take a clear stand that he hid behind a study he knows nothing about — and which may not even exist." Mr. Kerry could end up endorsing the same policy as Attorney General John Ashcroft, who shepherded the DEA policy against medical marijuana users, Mr. Houston said — leaving Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich as the most medical marijuana-friendly presidential candidate. The Ohio Democrat has promised to issue an executive order allowing its use. Source: Washington Times (DC)Author: Jennifer Harper, The Washington TimesPublished: August 7, 2003Copyright: 2003 News World Communications, Inc. Website: http://www.washtimes.com/Contact: letters washingtontimes.comRelated Articles & Web Site:Granite Staters for Medical Marijuanahttp://www.granitestaters.com/NORML's Weekly News Bulletin -- August 7, 2003 http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17017.shtmlSome Advice for Democratshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16967.shtmlDemocratic Candidate Backs Medical Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16448.shtmlDemocrat Kucinich Endorses Medical Pot Use http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16441.shtml
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Comment #18 posted by Jose Melendez on August 10, 2003 at 11:07:18 PT
make them speak OUT!
Forget, hell. (grin) If we want this on the front burner, it's up to us to get it there. We've all got email, most have phones, but faxes really do work, especially legible, polite and brief. The pen IS mightier . . .Washington, DC
John Kerry for President, Inc.
519 C Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
tel: 202 548-6800
fax: 202-548-6801 Des Moines, Iowa
John Kerry for President, Inc.
1500 Locust Street
Des Moines, IA 50309
tel: 515.288.5504 Manchester, NH
John Kerry for President, Inc.
195 McGregor St., Center Entrance
Manchester, NH
tel: 603-622-9100
fax: (603) 622-9110 Massachusetts HQ
John Kerry for President, Inc.
197 Portland Street, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02114
tel: 617.367.1551
fax: 617.523.2033 Campaign Email Address
info johnkerry.com
Prohibitionists click here
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Comment #17 posted by Robbie on August 10, 2003 at 08:15:15 PT
Two things
JohnTyler: that's incorrect. The person who was accused of killing innocents in Vietnam was Bob Kerrey...not John Kerry.Virgil: Keep up the good work! :-)johnwayne: I have to agree. If Dennis Kucinich becomes the Democratic party candidate, you should vote for them as people interested in drug policy reform. Other than that, FORGET about them. Sad to say, but true. As a whole, drug-law reform will NOT be a priority for either of the two corporate parties.
got democracy?
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Comment #16 posted by goneposthole on August 10, 2003 at 05:55:26 PT
mac and only mac
I was seriously considering buying PC because my mac was crashing too much. However, it was my dialup service, and not my computer. I switched to cable modem and, voila, the crashing ceased. Cable internet rocks.
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Comment #15 posted by Jose Melendez on August 10, 2003 at 04:34:38 PT
windows are broken by default: just get a mac
Sorry for all the typos, delete 13,14 if possible... If you really want inexpensive computers, buy a used mac. It just works. The initial cost of an operating system is only a fraction of the total cost of ownership. Linux is stable, but is way more complicated to learn...I just bought a powermac 200 mHz for $80 plus monitor, the keyboard and mouse cost $1 each a Goodwill...
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Comment #12 posted by mayan on August 10, 2003 at 03:25:29 PT
Unrelated?
It seems our good friend George Soros is very serious about getting the "moron" out of office! 10 million dollars is probably like pocket change to Mr. Soros, but the cause will definitely accept it!Soros Pledges $10 Million to Help Defeat Bush:
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=3248441
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Comment #11 posted by john wayne on August 10, 2003 at 01:55:16 PT
see, it's not just bush, clinton, reagan, carter..
> "a study under way analyzing what the science is."Any demo that would win the white house is going to spout the same double-talk as the chimp-meister.Do not, repeat, do not vote for the brown Republicrat or Demopublican pols. (In honor of the anniv. of Woodstock.)
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Comment #10 posted by Virgil on August 09, 2003 at 21:45:52 PT
California and the Largest Minority Rule
The Largest Minority Rule is the white man's way of controlling everything. The LMR says that a plurality of voters determines the winners and does not require a runoff to produce a majority. For a country that espouses such ideals of democracy, this is a national sham/shame as most of the world's countries have many parties and demand a majority of a voter support. The LMR is what holds the country from evolving in the true spirit of democracy.The country has too many groups with too many ideals for improvement to be herded into two parties. I have said this all before, but California could be enlightening to many people. There could be hundreds of candidates and all that is needed to win is a plurality. The lower the percentage of the leader, the more this will stand out and with good journalism, the country might see we are all betrayed by the Largest Minority Rule.The only qualification for being an Extemist is to demand a majority to declare a winner of an election. Now how extreme is that? In this country, the MAN will call it everything bad including extreme.
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Comment #9 posted by WolfgangWylde on August 09, 2003 at 20:57:16 PT
Two things...
...#1: Democrats are not our friends. They do NOT represent any hope for ending Cannabis Prohibtion. More people were arrested for violating marijuana laws under Clinton than under Reagan and Bush Sr. COMBINED. And the doofus had the cojones to say that marijuana should be decriminalized AFTER HE LEFT OFFICE. I repeat, Democrats are not our friends: Get over it.#2: On a brighter note, it hardly matters WHAT happens in the U.S. anymore. We are no longer leaders in the world as far as the Drug War goes. Western Europe, and parts of the Middle East and Eastern Europe have had enough of dancing to the U.S. tune, and are quickly abandoning the U.S. led Drug War. If nothing else, we can be amused watching America trying to keep the lid (no pun intended for us oldsters) on.
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Comment #8 posted by rchandar on August 09, 2003 at 19:18:59 PT:
kerry on medical marijuana
when, when will it ever change--when will politicians realize the inhuman cruelty and license to butcher innocent people of their actions?when will it stop? when will we know that the day of reckoning for the evil prohibitionists--usually cruel bastards who don't mind killing nonviolent offenders--will come?all i can say, is this is an evil and nonkindred world. for some measely scrap of paper law, people are being killed just because they want to be healthy. what could POSSIBLY be good about a world in which EVERY COUNTRY has outlawed marijuana?tell me, please.what could POSSIBLY be good about a world where a PLANT is a criminal possession, where politicians are gutless and readily seem to ENJOY frying people like us?please tell me. i'm not that bright, you know......but i don't want to live in a drug-free world,
...and i sure as hell don't want to go to a drug-free heaven.so just send me to hell and tear out my organs. maybe i'll save someone's life, posthumously. --an angry, disillusioned
voice
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Comment #7 posted by Virgil on August 09, 2003 at 14:47:07 PT
The battle is engaged
The Republicans act like the Borg in that uniformity of thought and action binds the whole. It can easily fall apart and with the widespread agony, the crossing of the church-state line, and an unbelievable debt and global condemnation, the Borg/neocons have plenty to fear.Another month of vacation from Smirky Boy is not helping. All the states that got by this year by depleting their rainy day funds will really have a crunch next year. The situation is explosive from this corrupt government and more so on its misadministration. The battle is engaged. We just need to eliminate some ignorance and vote.The biggest fraud going is a paperless voting machine. We need to nip this in the bud. The best article I have read on this no-brainer issue just came out- http://www.yesmagazine.org./26courage/pibel.htmAnd for goodness sake call for the impeachment of Bush and be active on the WWW.
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Comment #6 posted by Lehder on August 09, 2003 at 13:06:31 PT
your vote
A Democratic president would be the butt of relentless, idiotic right-wing invective from his first day. The Republicans will still control the media and, with the FCC ruling in favor of monopoly, their stranglehold on content will only tighten. Further, with continuing murders of key congressional challengers and thoroughly corrupted local elections - all the easier to subvert as people are focused on the main event - both houses of Congress are likely to remain Republican. Already, CO, NV and UT have cancelled their primary elections so as not to give exposure to Democrats. There could easily be another impeachment over private behavior or contrived personal charges. It's doubtful that a Democrat would even be able to do his job. And if a GB remains in office - look out.Sorry, people, but this American disease is going to end in violence, nuclear war, genocide. The best that can be said about running to Vancouver is that it's a first step to Ellesmere Island, and from there you might be able to slip under the ice cap.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on August 09, 2003 at 10:33:05 PT
Swampie
I've wondered where you been. I hope things get better for you soon. Hang in there. I'm glad you are getting CNews!
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Comment #4 posted by SWAMPIE on August 09, 2003 at 10:25:09 PT
Flip- Flon....Hmmmmm......
In my opinion,Kucinich,if he gets the strategy right can lead the pack,but its gonna take alot of suppporters to get him into the limelight where he can convince others of his abilities,and if he is given the time to think about what is needed to be done,instead of being a string-held puppet like GWB,he will persevere in his efforts.The whole problem with this situation is that nobody wants to/or is able to grasp the ring that is freedom.There are too many irons in the fire as a leader and if they only get half of them out before the meltdown and cool them they are doing as well as expected.This country has gone to Hell in a handbasket under this "selected govt",and the sooner we get them out,the better!We need them like we need a new hole in our bodies!On the bright side,at least we have real people challenging these a-holes,and if it turns out that they can't do anything either,then we will have to have a revolution to remove the warmongers and replace them with a simpler means of leading this great nation.Don't sell your guns yet! Aside to FoM,and all others who may have wondered where I have been,we haven't been able to afford a phone since we moved into a trailer,and now I have to go to the library to download the news to disc to read.At least I still can read My C News!!!!The internet is a wonderful tool.Hope I get a job soon....7 months and counting.......Maybe Peter Lewis will hire me,anyone got his address?
He is from the Cleveland area,and I could meet him if I could find him.I'll chech back next week if you have an addy....All the best to you all!
ONWARD THROUGH THE FOG!!!Swampie
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Comment #3 posted by Virgil on August 09, 2003 at 10:18:55 PT
Kuc all the way
Kerry showed his stuff with the Kerry Commission and its report that let the CIA slide with involvement of bringing cocaine into the country when he led the Senate Committee investigation of Iran-Contra around 1988.He is a plutocratic representative. It is not about Republican and Democrat. It is about restoring the public good as the goal of government and the more perfect union thing and getting rid of the plutocratic rule.We all know the media is going to attack Kucinich in every way they can. They will repeatedly say he is a dark horse or no horse at all. He is the only thinker in the whole lot of Democrats and the rest are but puppets.John Edwards is looking ridiculous. I noticed several months ago how he would hold his thumb on his right hand and use the mannerisms of Clinton. Now he must be studying Clinton tapes in order to have a polished style and draw on people's comfort that comes with familiarity. He is one big act and a sorry representative as most in Congress are.If Al Gore will lay the cover, where things are badly wrong then at least the Kucinich message will be sought by people of intellect. There is no reaching the far right as the bribes just keep coming from the misadministration and they have suspended thinking in the cause of preserving mythology.There has been a revolt against the strong-arm tactics of the pill industry. The Senate had a sell-out version allowing drug importation with the out that the FDA would have to certify the process safe by the FDA. It may have detailed that this certification would come after 1 year, but the last time the drug importation effort got legislation through, the FDA approval was denied of course, as everyone knew, while making Congress look like it did something.The House version was more thoughtful of the people's interest and passed with a big margin thanks to 85 Republicans supporting it. There is no FDA bullshit clause and it allows for importation from everywhere instead of Canada and maybe one other place the Senate approved. I could be wrong on that.Anyway, the pill companies overplayed there hand when they had one of their religious right puppet organizations have a mass mailing saying that drug importation would bring the abortion pill to America and easy to get as aspirin or something like that. The backlash of going to far infuriated Representatives and the pill company greed is to evident in lobbying and at the pharmacy counter. Plus they are messing with seniors and when pill prices come out of a small retirement check and it is a health-saving if not life-saving requirement, they will put their free time on blocking the pill company extortion and gaming of the system.Last week I had a talk at the kitchen table of a 77-year old man. I would think it safe to say, that he sees the situation a little differently today. He said he paid about $375 a month for his medicine. I said if you took all the pills you used in a year and poured them in a frying pan and melted them down you would have about an 8 ounce pancake- a $4000 pancake at that. Anyway, the system survives on ignorance and one thing we could do is to get some older people on-line. I told the man I could find him a computer for a $100 and Net Zero would give him 10 hours a month for free. The best thing the reform movement could do is get retired people on line. Lindows operating system is a Linux operating system that will run common Microsoft software like Office. Wal-Mart will be carrying it. This is worth a read- http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,111944,00.aspThe best thing to do for the country and the cause is to get a senior that is not on line, on line. Grow the culture. Grow the choir.
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Comment #2 posted by goneposthole on August 09, 2003 at 09:59:39 PT
all liars can do is lie
Ron Paul is the only one who will tell it like it is... Paul Wellstone could, too, but not anymore. Can't count on politicians for a single thing, except to lie all of the time. What else is new?
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Comment #1 posted by John Tyler on August 09, 2003 at 08:45:41 PT
Kerry
He may be OK, but he is not getting my vote. Bye the bye, didn't kill a bunch of villagers when he was in 'Nam?
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