Senator Kerry graded on Medical Marijuana

[Key West]

I know some have seen thise but since the election is near I wanted to let people here know where the candidates stand.

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Name: Sen. John Kerry (D-MA)

In short: Kerry would stop the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) raids on seriously ill medical marijuana patients as president. Kerry has previously said he favors federal legislation to allow people with cancer, AIDS, and other serious illnesses to have medical marijuana, with their doctors' approval.

What Kerry has done: Kerry recently co-authored a letter asking the Drug Enforcement Administration to approve a proposal from the University of Massachusetts Amherst to manufacture marijuana for FDA-approved medical marijuana research. In the October 20 letter to DEA Administrator Karen Tandy, Kerry criticized the National Institute on Drug Abuse's "unjustified monopoly on the production of marijuana for legitimate medical research." The letter also notes, "Federal law makes clear that the ... bulk manufacture of Schedule I and II substances must be provided `under adequately competitive conditions.' ... The current lack of such competition may well result in the production of lower-quality research-grade marijuana, which in turn jeopardizes important research."

Kerry has neither cosponsored nor voted on legislation directly addressing medical marijuana.*

What Kerry has said: During a Kerry town hall meeting in Henniker on September 20, Granite Staters for Medical Marijuana (GSMM) asked Kerry, "Would you stop the raids, as president?" Kerry responded by saying simply, "Yes."

At an August 6 event hosted by his campaign, GSMM's Linda Macia asked Kerry, "On the day you take office, will you stop the DEA raids?" Kerry offered to "clarify" his earlier remarks, saying, "My personal disposition is open to the issue of medical marijuana. I believe there is a study underway analyzing what the science is. I want to get that scientific review" before making any decisions. He said he would "put a moratorium on the raids" pending this review, but he didn't commit to any long-term action to protect patients from arrest.

On July 2, responding to a question from Linda Macia, Kerry said, "I'm in favor of" medical marijuana. Kerry added that he wanted "a full analysis of it" and continued, saying, "I've been in favor of its prescription, its prescription for people. We even passed a bill in Massachusetts to allow that to happen."



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What Kerry has said about marijuana decriminalization: When responding to a question in Rolling Stone magazine about whether he favored marijuana decriminalization, Kerry said, "No, not quite. What we did in the prosecutor's office was have a sort of unspoken approach to marijuana that was almost effectively decriminalization. We just didn't bother with small-time use. It doesn't rise to the level of nuisance, even. And what we were after was people dealing with ****** and destroying lives, and people who were killing people. That's where you need to focus." He also addressed recreational marijuana use by saying, "I've met plenty of people in my lifetime who've used marijuana and who I would not qualify as serious addicts -- who use about the same amount as some people drink beer or wine or have a cocktail. I don't get too excited by any of that.

[irish fox]

i really really hope kerry wins

[PinkZeppelin]

kerry is hairy

[ee99ee]

While the medicinal use of marijuana is a very important issue to me, there are many more important issues that need to be considered when casting a vote. It's not possible to find a president who is going to be perfect and see everything exactly as we see. I think this election is more about damage control than anything, personally -- which candidate is going to do the least amount of damage over the next 4 years? While I'm neither a republican nor a democrat (I'm libertarian), I think Bush will be the safest bet.

The beauty of our country is that we can choose. Long live democracy.

[Key West]

I still don't get after the debates, the proven corruptness in the white house, the out and out lying to the American people and yet some still think "that" is whats best for America.

Some I guess are afraid of change even when it can only be better.

[cinbad64635]

Whatever Kerry has said about the drug issues is irrelevent. He is a liar! plain and simple he will say whatever to whomever to ensure he has your vote. we cannot let him into office. I truley believe it will be our downfall. I don't like Bush either but when it comes to the lesser of 2 evils I think Bush is too the safer bet. Kery is gainning the upper hand in this election and Bushes approval rating was down as of this morning. Its not looking good for us folks. Who cares if smoking pot is legal if we are in a nucleor holocost.

[420]

a ton of people who support cannabis don't vote...then there's the population who can't vote, because they have a marijuana related felony... Hump

the old people in old folks homes, who have nothing to do, but vote, still remember reefer madness and believe that shit... and the children that they raise, sometimes, grow up believing it too....Rollin

all we need to do is create awareness and vote...voting should be mandatory and non violent drug offenders should be able to vote... Slayer

[Key West]

what? Bush my friend is the one who allows nuclear waste to sit unprotected all over the world. How the hell can Kerry be any worse?

[cinbad64635]

It is very easy to point out Bushes mistakes. Kerry does it everyday on the tv and in the papers. But lets take a look at Kerry's reputation for a moment. He hasn't spoken the truth about anything since this election started. How can you beleve anything he says at least we know what Bush is about. his mistakes are all on record, maybe he will learn from them. Kerry is a con man and we have no idea what hes capible of.

[Key West]

^^^please. Go join the herd you little sheep. Rollin

[420]

all i care about is the cannabis issue...hemp, medicinal and recreational...
once that is under control, the stress will drop, violence will stop, crime will stop, we will all be smoking the goodness we grow...to hell with schwag.... Slayer

[flashfyre]

I don't understand how anyone can be "pro bush". From a strictly mainstream conservative republican point of view, there are three "scary" things about Kerry---taxes, the war in Iraq, and the global war on extremists. Let's talk about these issues.

Tax cuts...okay unless you are a drooling moron, you know that Kerry is going to cut everyone's taxes who earns under $200K a year. People earning over $200K will pay more taxes...they will have their rates restored to the clinton era tax levels. He will also close a huge number of tax loopholes...like the one that allowed Bush to pay $89.00 (eighty nine dollars) in taxes last year. I sure as hell wish I paid only $89.00 in taxes last year. From a taxation point of view, Kerry is a frickin' godsend to the vast majority of Americans. Okay, if you're using a loophole, your taxes will skyrocket...but you should be paying those taxes in the first place!

And if you know anything about finances, you know this war is financed. People, the deficit has grown to record levels in record time. There is no historical precedent for the financial crisis we face. There are two ways to deal with it--pay it off soon, or pay it off later. If taxes need to go up to pay off the deficit, do it. I personally would rather pay my share today than finance it over the next thirty years, to the extent it's possible--because of the massive interest. Do the math, research this...we've got to pay this shit off, as soon as possible, let's do it while we're young. The other way is to pay three times the amount, over time...

Some of the rhetoric I've been hearing is absurd. What is it with Bush? "You can run, but you can't hide"--meaning Kerry can't hide from his record. Sure, Kerry has flip-flopped numerous times over the years...but <i>that's the way congress works</i>. Bush has never served in congress; only as a governor. He either vetoed or signed; never created. Senators go through several iterations of (for,against) votes while legislation is modified. That's the way the legislature works...look at any long term senator's record, it's how they do business.

And this stuff about Kerry cutting funding for this or that military program--holy shit, a huge number of weapons programs were cut back in the early 90's. It was a bipartisan vote. In the DOD and as a representative, V.P. Cheney pushed for all the cuts that Kerry voted for!

And the idea than democrats are somehow weak on defense...well, if you have access to a base military newspaper, go read it. Legislation just passed congress for a new round of base closures...nearly 25% of all military bases. Kerry and the democrats wanted the closures slowed down by two years because we are at war...Bush said if it's slowed down he will veto the bill. Kerry says he'll veto the bill without the extensions, if he is elected. That's rock solid support for the troops, and their families, and their jobs, from a DEMOCRAT.

And who won world war II? Roosevelt? Truman? Both were democrats, and they used the best and brightest in America to kick the living shit out of our enemies, worldwide. They maintaned strong alliances and formed new partnerships overseas. It was a huge team effort...other nations, americans of all political pursuasions. The nuclear weapons that forced Japan to surrender were invented by a democratic administration! Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld...none of them are combat veterans...they are "chicken hawks"...unlike Kerry, who has been "in the shit"....and no matter what Bush says, Kerry will support the troops, both now and when they come home.

What Bush has done in Iraq has made us weaker. We damn near stand alone, and that makes us a target. Bush is cutting support for the troops at home--now and in the future. My tax refund was $300. I'd give that back in a second to be out of this expensive war, and off this huge, jobless recession, not for me, but for the the americans and troops that are getting fucked right now.

They say you can tell when Bush is lying...his lips are moving:

1) No WMD in Iraq.

2) No link to Al Qaeda in pre-war Iraq.

3) Claimed we would be treated as "liberators". Instead, few Iraqis want us there.

4) Claimed the "fighting was over". It isn't.

5) Claimed "If we just find Saddam, the resistance will crumble". It didn't.

6) Claimed "If we just capture Saddam's sons, the resistance will crumble". They're dead; it hasn't.

7) Claimed that "The insurgents are from outside Iraq". Actually the vast majority of the "insurgents" are Iraqis, native born, lived there all their lives.

8) Claims "We got a bad guy...so the world is safer". BFD, there are a huge number of "bad guys" all over the world...are we going after every one of them? And will we use false evidence every time? There are more Al Qaeda in Iraq now, way more, than any time under Saddam. Saddam was a secular, military dictator, and hated overly religious people. He usually had Al Qaeda killed when he caught them snooping around for weapons in Iraq.

9) There are rumors that Colin Powell, a great military leader of the gulf war, tore his office apart and had to be restrained when he found out the administration put him in front of the UN with what they most probably knew was bogus information ("yellow cake" documents; "centrifuge tubes", "chemical trucks") I'm guessing he was on the verge of making Bush his bitch.

10) Speaking of Blacks, Bush mentioned that "he met with the congressional black caucus" during the last debate. This is hilarious; actually during the invasion of Haiti the CBC kept demanding an audience with Bush and Dubya kept refusing to return their calls. The CBC then rented a BUS (oh the irony) and rode to the White House and were on the verge of starting a demonstration when Bush finally let them in. This is not how our government is supposed to work, folks--the President should always be accessible to the congress, and vice versa!

Unless you are a real political insider, familiar with history, you might not realize that Clinton was one of the most fiscally conservative presidents in recent history. Now that the Democrats have lost a lot of liberals/lefties (they left to form the green party) they have no reason not to continue a somewhat rightward shift.

Vannevar Bush, co-founder of Raytheon, professor at MIT, grandfather of Dubya was hugely smart. Almost legendary. He was not so political; he was a fucking American--he thought about ways to make America better. A lot of people say a few of his ideas led to the internet. His son, George Herbert Bush, was a WW2 pilot, shot down, made it back. Kind of a goofball, not a great president, but not terrible. He got us through the gulf war without invading Iraq, with a huge coalition and very few casualities. We were out in record time. Now we get to George W. Bush, the grandson. Where does one start? The smirking, the lying, the awful language skills, a 'D' student for most of his life. Clearly something has gone very wrong in the Bush family..I'm guessing the brains passed straight past Dubya and whatever was left ended up in Jenna and Barbara! Use google or whatever to look up what GWB's former professor, Dr. Yoshi Tsurumi, has to say about Dubya...and be afraid, be very afraid.

The republicans...holy shit. Does anyone really want the neocons gaining a majority in all three branches? Right or wrong, anyone who has read my recent spat with l-smoke knows my opinion on that.

There is absolutely no reason for a conservative to fear Kerry...in fact, over time, he is a much better choice. He will do exactly what he claims--cut middle class taxes, boost the high-end taxes and close loopholes (it's doubtful anyone here will pay more taxes!). Kerry is a combat veteran and will support the troops now, and when he brings them home. Kerry will find a way to get us out of Iraq. I think I know how...it's actually fairly obvious. He's fucking smart...listen to him talk sometime. Well spoken, friendly, worldly. And we can't win this war alone--in Iraq, or the more general battle against extemists. Being separated from the rest of the world makes us a bigger, juicier target. We have to work with everyone in the world to stop extremism. We have to persuade all decent people to come to our aid, to be our ally, not cast them aside and fight alone, as Bush has done.

America will be much better off with Kerry, in every imaginable way--safer, financially smater, fairer. And let's not forget--the new federal eligablility laws allow even slackers to vote, even if they are not registered. Just show up at the local polling place with your ID and (as I recall) they will let you vote, and verify your eligibility later.

[420comic]

I voted for Kerry today. Early voting rules. I'm not a huge supporter of him, but he's a helluva lot better than Bush. I brought 3 friends with me, all of which voted for Kerry.

Florida's going to the democrats this election,
-Rhett
usfnorml@yahoo.com
Counter Culture Comics

[Thepurplem0nkey]

It is very easy to point out Bushes mistakes.

Yes, you know why? BECAUSE HE'S MADE SO FUCKING MANY OF THEM!!!!

He hasn't spoken the truth about anything since this election started.

Can you give a speciofic example, or are you just spouting off what you heard in a commercial? Usualy, when people of intelligence discuss important issues, claims are followed by evidence or examples supporting those claims. Here, let me give you an example. Observe:
PRESIDENT BUSH hasn't spoken the truth about why we are in Iraq (claim)
President Bush told our nation that IRAQ was in IMMEDIATE threat, because they had WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. It was IMPERRITIVE we enter Iraq to protect our nation. However, after entering Iraq (without the worlds support OR a clear plan of exit (which is still noin existant) I might add), it was soon learned that Iraq did not indeed have weapons of Mass destruction., KOREA< however, was starting up their nuculear program, and was blatently showcasing their progress to the world, brazenly and happily going about their business. If the BUSH campaign TRUELY was concerned with the safety of this country, from a hostile enemy with WMD's, then why did we go after soeone who MIGHT have them, when the UN was telling us they DIDNT have them, and completely ignore...THE HOSTILE FUCKIBNG NATION WITH WMD's???

That is an example of how people debate. Do you think you could possibly follow up your claims with some sort of evidence? That would be great.

How can you beleve anything he says at least we know what Bush is about. his mistakes are all on record, maybe he will learn from them

So let me get this straight. According to your logic, its BETTER to keep a SHITTY LEADER in power, because we know how he thinks and HOPE he learns from the mistakes (plural) he has already made, rather than vote for someone who has the ability, and desire, to CHANGE the policise that our CURRENT administration FUCKED UP? You would rather vote for some dipshit who has dragged this country into the depths that we are in now, SIMPLY BECUASE YOU KNOW WHAT HE'S ABOUT? Should we never elect ANYONE NEW, for fear they might be....DIFFERENT than the person currently in power? We ELECT NEW OFFICIALS IN THIS COUNTRY TO REPLACE THE ONES NOT DOING THEIR JOB, or as you put it, thos who "make mistakes". That is the PURPOSE of democracy. When we SEE a leader making mistakes, we weigh the mistakes with the consequences OF those mistakes, and replace him by voting for a NEW leader if the price is too high. When Clinton got his cock sucked by an intern, that was a personal mistake, and he was impeached. When Bush trampled our reputation and integrity to the eyes of the world by killing American forces, still to this day, by invading a nation based on false accusations, in the FACE of the UN inspectors who said there were NO WMD's, that wasnt a mistake, THAT WAS AND STILL IS A FUCKING TRAVESTY. People are DYING because of the mistakes your glorious leader is making. Getting blow jobs and cumming on someones dress and lying about it is a MISTAKE. Fumbling up statistical numbers in a debate is a MISTAKE. Getting people killed because of your own personal monetary interests is incomprehensible, unforgiviable, and despicable. But hey, its ok, because he might LEARN from those mistakes, right? Tell THAT to the widows back home, tell THAT to the people serving over there getting shot at every day without the proper supplies they need, and tell THAT to the soldiers who's contracts have been fufilled but are being prevented from returning home do to the back door draft AKA the stop loss program.
And how has Bush demonstrated he has learned ANYTHING from his mistakes? You sound like a very naive and young child, hoping that the man who has made monumental mistakes that AFFECT OUR NATION can somehow magicaly learn how to be a good leader and correct everything. GROW UP! We need a leader in power who doesnt MAKE those kinds of mistakes, mistakes that costs lives, like the mistakes of bringing AMERICAN SOLDIERS into Iraq. GIve me the mistake of getting a blowjob wioth an intern over the mistake of getting AMERICANS KILLED anyday.
-PM

[King_Giant]

You all are still looking to another man for what is given you by God. Weed is a plant. Not some law or a schedule 1 drug. If that is the case, why is basil legal? It has thc-9 in it.