cannabisnews.com: Hillary's Uninspiring Drug Reform Plan





Hillary's Uninspiring Drug Reform Plan
Posted by CN Staff on April 14, 2008 at 19:47:43 PT
By Ellen Komp, AlterNet
Source: AlterNet
Washington, DC -- Remember when we elected Bill Clinton to give us health care and got a comprehensive crime bill instead? It looks like Hillary is following in her hubby's footsteps. In an April 11 speech in Philadelphia, Ms. Clinton unveiled her "Solutions For Safe & Secure Communities" plan, which will provide 100,000 new cops and invest $1 billion in federal monies for local law enforcement or prevention programs.
By many accounts a brilliant legal scholar, Hillary's solutions to the drug problem are surprisingly stale. A new Drug Market Elimination Grant will aim at closing overt drug markets and lowering homicide rates and she will "make sure that federal government law enforcement -- including the FBI -- has the resources it needs to serve as an effective partner with states and local communities, including developing and sharing intelligence on drug trafficking and gangs that operate across state and national borders." Like that's worked so well in the past.Hillary would also reverse the funding cuts to the Byrne Justice Assistant Grant program, federal monies that fund drug task forces throughout the country. A major motion picture with Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton to be released this year will dramatize one of those task forces in Tulia, Texas, where in 1999, a drug sting operation resulted in the arrest of 46 people, 40 of whom were black. After such abuses were nationally reported, taxpayer groups successfully urged the Bush administration to zero out the grants. However, Democrats put back the pork for their districts and this year, even more monies are sought, to the tune of $906 million. The Senate, lead by the usually liberal Russ Feingold, has already passed the measure and the House will vote on it soon.Bill Piper, Director of National Affairs for the Drug Policy Foundation, which has been advocating for reform of Byrne grants for four years, points out that what is seen as free money for states actually costs local jurisdictions, since bulking up law enforcement means more drug-related incarcerations for which locals must pay. Also, since task forces are funded by federal grants or asset forfeiture instead of local budgets, they aren't always responsive to local mores and policies, Piper says, making for a "rogue cop" environment. "A lot of Democrats are disturbed by the fact that 1 in 100 Americans are behind bars, but then they turn around and vote for programs like the Byrne grants," Piper lamented. He did point out that the money can legally be funneled into treatment programs instead, and that DPA itself got a $500,000 grant for youth methamphetamine prevention in New Mexico.Hillary would also beef-up drug courts and home monitoring programs for drug offenders, as well as requiring a 40-hour work week for prisoners. "Prison work programs should be designed to avoid any adverse impact on the labor market," she writes without detailing how she will pull that one off.To her credit, Hillary would eliminate the mandatory minimum for simple possession of crack cocaine and eliminating the disparity between crack and powder cocaine. This hard-fought reform won at the US Sentencing Commission after a decade of work by human rights advocates, has been attacked by the Bush Administration's attorney general Michael Mukasey. Clinton would also "Take on the Continuing Menace of Meth" by working with foreign governments to police trade and smuggling in meth precursors. This, if effective, would reverse the damage done by the Reagan administration, which sided with the pharmaceutical industry against regulation of ephedrine, meth's main ingredient.Another good idea is Hillary's plan to "Go After Corporate Criminals With the Same Force as Individual Criminals." She would direct the new Attorney General to conduct a 90-day review of all Deferred Prosecution Agreements and report to her on how to strengthen prosecution efforts against corporate wrongdoers. But when it comes to prescription drug companies, who are among her major campaign contributors, Hillary would merely "enlist the private sector to crack down on online prescription drug sales to kids." She will "ask credit card companies to prohibit -- and police -- the use of their services for illegal drug sales to minors. And she will call on search engines that profit from ads for these illegal drugs to provide warnings about the dangers and the illegality of purchasing these drugs. At the same time, she will strengthen penalties against fly-by-night online pharmacies that prey on children." Since prescription drug abuse is the fastest rising sector among teenagers, these pronouncements are rather lame.Last week, Hillary told Oregon's Willamette Week, "I don't think it's a good use of federal law-enforcement resources to be going after people who are supplying marijuana for medicinal purposes." She stopped short of her earlier pledge to end US Drug Enforcement Administration raids of medical marijuana establishments in states where it is legal, but said this would not be a high priority in her administration. So we might see a slight softening on some levels in America's longest war, the 100-year drug war, but overall we will still see more money spent on failed policies if Hillary moves back to the White House in 2009.Note: We are likely to see more money spent on failed policies if Hillary moves back to the White House in 2009. Source: AlterNet (US)Author: Ellen Komp, AlterNetPublished: April 14, 2008Copyright: 2008 Independent Media InstituteContact: letters alternet.org Website: http://www.alternet.org/URL: http://www.alternet.org/rights/82371/Drug Policy Alliancehttp://www.drugpolicy.org/CannabisNews Justice Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/justice.shtml
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Comment #23 posted by FoM on April 16, 2008 at 14:45:57 PT
Thanks Hope!
I have the article posted now.http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23829.shtml
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Comment #22 posted by Hope on April 16, 2008 at 13:16:47 PT
There's a poll with that article....
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24126858/Should police and college administrators crack down on "420" celebrations?
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Comment #21 posted by Hope on April 16, 2008 at 13:08:02 PT
420
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24036484/Capitalist buzz builds around stoner ‘holiday’
Blunt efforts to make a buck off ‘420,’ once just a counterculture affair 
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Comment #20 posted by Hope on April 16, 2008 at 13:03:45 PT
That video
I've tried, and tried, and tried to get it to play. Is there, maybe, another direct link somewhere to the particular video that you speak of, Runruff?
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Comment #19 posted by FoM on April 16, 2008 at 10:53:23 PT
museman
I don't like Hillary at all either. I didn't like Bill either and didn't vote for him.
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Comment #18 posted by runruff on April 16, 2008 at 10:50:26 PT:
Hope and M Coleman.
OK, I just saw it again. I'm not hallucinating. His name is Bill Gillespie of the Policeman's Asso. said this. After the poor heavy set lady talks you will have a selection of small windows at the bottom of the screen. You will see a lady dressed in a judges robe. The article is called Almanac at the Capitol. Watch that for about a few minutes. It will come around to the lying LEO.http://www.minnesotacares.org/Ads_video.html
 
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Comment #17 posted by museman on April 16, 2008 at 09:21:07 PT
hillary again
The title is so apt. I've never seen a less inspiring politician. Take away the botox and makeup, then everyone might get inspired to vote for someone else.
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Comment #16 posted by museman on April 16, 2008 at 09:18:52 PT
runruff
The video you mentioned is not the link. it was in the menu below the video, but since it was a live feed of 'videos being watched right now' -I believe- the one you mentioned has become buried in other videos.I'd like to see bozo making a claim like that, it would make a good clip for future videos I'm making. -or yours for that matter.
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Comment #15 posted by Hope on April 15, 2008 at 21:24:55 PT
The video is different.
I think I don't know how to operate it. I've never seen one with seemingly other videos attached to it or something. Tomorrow, maybe I can get it to work right.
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Comment #14 posted by Hope on April 15, 2008 at 21:11:07 PT
Oh my gosh.
I thought maybe you meant some reefer mad politician was saying that. How in the world can anyone be so deluded that they'd believe that one cannabis plant could produce hundreds of pounds? It's terrifying that someone like that has so much power over others.I'll try again. 
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Comment #13 posted by Hope on April 15, 2008 at 21:06:02 PT
Runruff
All I can get on that video is Ms. Nicholson and a PBS blurb. When I try to click on any of the pictures that show up at the bottom, they only show up occasionally... I just get that PBS blurb then, then I get everything being "Non-responsive".I'll try again.
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Comment #12 posted by Hope on April 15, 2008 at 20:39:41 PT
Runruff
Reloading it. I thought I'd watched it. It must have skipped something when I saw it earlier.
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Comment #11 posted by runruff on April 15, 2008 at 20:30:16 PT:
Hope
Check out #6, the hyperlink. The cop on the news interview said that even the amount they were asking to be able to grow, 12 plants, was way too much for any one to use in one year! He said one or two plants produced hundreds of pounds of pot.I was being sarcastic.
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Comment #10 posted by Hope on April 15, 2008 at 19:53:27 PT
Comment 7 Runruff
I can't figure out what you're talking about. 
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Comment #9 posted by Hope on April 15, 2008 at 14:31:11 PT
Eldorado and Waco
From the very start... I've thanked God that they didn't pull a 
Waco at Eldorado. 
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Comment #8 posted by museman on April 15, 2008 at 11:35:42 PT
if hillary gets 'elected'
It will be the successful fulfillment of the rulers plans.It's all set up just like it was when slick willie was up against Bush Sr. -even up to a waco-like situation in texas (just this time nobody shot back at the feds).Bush/Clinton. Same/same. Republican/Democrat. Politician/Demon. Banker/Ruler. Richman/keeper-of-the-status-quo.There are no 'elected representatives.' I'm almost convinced there never was.America is waking up, but maybe not quick enough to roll away from assasins knife at our collective throats. Too many still slumber in the misplaced faith and trust in an evil government. That abomination is inhabited and entirely controlled by the wealthy elite, who are constantly attempting to convince us that their 'wealth' is anything other than filthy, bloody, corruption with an inevitable conclusion of soul death for those fools who have errantly embraced it.Time to take life into our own hands and screw the elitists and all their 'institutions'-which are 100% false,Oh, but the 'bills' got to be paid, and the posessions have to be secure, cars must continue to destroy our air, water, and climate (along with airlines, and the other 'transportation and supply' systems. Got to ensure that the limos can still escort the starlets to the Oscars, and everybody make sure that they got their digital converters ready so that the TV continues to blast its' propaganda into every possible home.If you ask me, americans deserve what they get. By the way I don't consider myself an 'american' any more. I am a human being, citizen of earth. I recognize no human authority on anything, except their own experience. And america has entered into world class criminality at his point, even accumulatively much further than Hitler ever did, In fact it seems they picked up exactly where the SS and the Nazi 'scientists' left off.Heil Amerika.
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Comment #7 posted by runruff on April 15, 2008 at 11:08:31 PT:
OMG!
Did you hear that lying bastard? Or could he possibly be that much of an uninformed moron?ONE OR TWO PLANTS CAN PRODUCE HUNDREDS OF POUNDS OF MARIJUANA! What strain is that, Sativa Sequoia? You cut it down with chain saws and haul it away with logging trucks? People climb right upon top of these 20 foot high buds and trim them with machetes and pruning sheersI personally know people who would pay big bucks for some of that seed!This guy went to the same school of politics as Hillary.
I wonder if he ever had to duck and dodge sniper fire while busting a pot garden?
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Comment #6 posted by fight_4_freedom on April 15, 2008 at 09:08:23 PT:
Check out the new TV commercial in Minnesota
http://www.minnesotacares.org/Ads_video.html
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on April 15, 2008 at 08:14:32 PT
gonepostole
Hillary has always been a Republican dressed up in Democrats clothes. I would not vote for her anymore then I would have voted for Bill. I would not vote this time if she gets the nomination. 
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Comment #4 posted by goneposthole on April 15, 2008 at 07:51:51 PT
She's a politician
it's an election year. She is supposed to lie to everybody and kiss everybody's butt, so what is new?If she would pledge to legalize cannabis, she would win by a landslide. That won't happen, so nothing else can be expected except the now stagnant status quo.Politicians are so woefully ignorant, you wonder how they can relate to anybody about anything.Ten billion per month in Iraq and Afghanistan will be spent until the cows come home.Get ready for the new depression, it's coming.
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on April 15, 2008 at 06:09:13 PT
Just a Comment
I honestly won't care if McCain beats Hillary if Obama is not the nominee. When I see her she reminds me of   an even angrier GB. When I saw her drinking in a bar on tv I thought of an angry grandmother who drinks and that isn't a pretty picture to me.When Obama called her Annie Oakley it made me laugh. He has a great sense of humor.
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Comment #2 posted by Sinsemilla Jones on April 15, 2008 at 04:01:05 PT
Liars don't lie, they misspeak.
Personally, I mistake little girls for sniper fire all the time.And I'm sure that if Hillary continues the DEA MMJ raids if she becomes President, it will only be because she misspoke about it during the campaign.And, though she might screw us over, isn't it nice to know she'll never call us bitter about it.(Sorry, smoking that sarcasm laced stuff again.)
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Comment #1 posted by runruff on April 15, 2008 at 00:02:27 PT:
Here we go again!
Beware of liars. They lie!She has already made her deals with the devil. Now she speaks to placate. To pander and garner votes. When she is in the white house[god forbid] she will retreat backward into the eighties just like her sold out husband did.ELO sang a song about her, it is called "Evil Woman"
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