Is Obama In Control?

[Terry Gardener]

Federal prosecutors have been conducting a war against California medical marijuana shops, in defiance of President Obama's stated policy.

When he was campaigning for the presidency, Obama said, "What I'm not going to be doing is using Justice Department resources to try to circumvent state laws on this issue simply because I want folks to be investigating violent crimes and potential terrorism. We've got a lot of things for our law enforcement officers to deal with."

After Obama became president, his attorney general quickly reinforced that stance. Eric Holder said this: "For those organizations that are doing so [allowing medical marijuana] sanctioned by state law and do it in a way that is consistent with state law, and given the limited resources that we have, that [prosecuting medical marijuana cases] will not be an emphasis for this administration."

A few weeks later, deputy attorney general David Ogden put that position in writing in a memo to U.S. attorneys in states where voters had authorized state laws in conflict with federal law. Federal prosecutors, the Ogden memo said, should not "focus federal resources . . . on individuals whose actions are in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws providing for the medical use of marijuana."

All was well, with the president's policy in place and implemented until this year. Then, in June, deputy attorney general James Cole issued a new memorandum that said the Ogden memo was still policy, but then he promptly undercut it with the claim that the earlier memo applied to caregivers for the sick and "not commercial operations cultivating, selling or distributing marijuana." Cole did not explain where patients were supposed to obtain their meds without merchants nor did he explain what he has against free enterprise.

Suddenly, the Obama administration was playing Bill Clinton-like games with words, trying to make points with both drug warriors and drug reformers. Lower level officials have tried to portray themselves as not speaking for the White House, but that overlooks the fact that no one cares what Holder or Cole or Ogden think about health care. Only as agents of the president do their statements have any standing.

The U.S. attorneys in California put out the word that they, not the president, were behind the crackdown. Their claims make no sense. There is a long tradition in federal service that when a president's appointees cannot support his policies, they are honor-bound to resign, and none of them have done so.

Not only are games being played with words, but both Obama and the U.S. attorneys are speaking through others to further fuzz up accountability. The president's policy is being expressed by others, with the latest statement appearing like a sixth or seventh photocopy of the original. The U.S. attorneys did not speak directly, so they could be questioned, but through publicist Lauren Horwood. The public is left to wonder who's in charge and whose policy prevails.

The president can't be like the piano player in a cathouse who says he has no idea what is going on upstairs. He cannot take the high road as a defender of voter decisions while his underlings do the dirty work of undoing those decisions. If his policy has changed, he needs to say so clearly. If he can't control his appointees, he needs to change them.

Source: Reno News & Review (NV)
Copyright: 2011, Chico Community Publishing, Inc.
Contact: renoletters@newsreview.com
Website: Reno News & Review

 

[Magiksmoker]

So here I am with very little medicine left because of this mess that has been created as my dispensary has been closed down which was convenient for me since it was a mere few blocks away. For god sakes I am a midle aged woman who has chronic back pain and depression/anxiety issues and mmj was and is the only thing that helps me with those symptoms in my opinion. Yet, the government would rather see me really doped up on pharmaceuticals that make me feel worse. It's amazing to me that the federal government has really given me no choice in how I want to treat my illness, yet they continue to allow mllions of people to drink, get in cars and kill hundreds of people a year while all I want to do when I medicate is stay at home and watch movies and eat. I tell you if you impinge on my right to medicate the way I want too you will not get my vote as the next president. I do vote and I take that responsibility seriously.

 

[Rock]

Obama is just another politician who will say what ever you want to hear to get elected. SUPRISE

 

[PatrizioD]

"There is a long tradition in federal service that when a president's appointees cannot support his policies, they are honor-bound to resign, and none of them have done so."

It says it right there: Honor bound. These sad excuses for people in DC and in State Houses all over the country have ZERO honor. If they had even a GRAM of it, they would have disemboweled themselves with ceremonial blades as soon as they realized WHY they were running for office. Yes, I know 'appointees' dont run and aren't elected, but the statement about honor stands for them as equally as it does for probably 90% of the politicians in this country.

 

[420bakerchef]

and the USA is supposedly a free country.... ujum like the lady said upthere! they rather see you high up in pharmaceuticals which making cost less than a cent to a dollar and then when they put it on te market sell it almost 600 dollars no insurance A PIECE! 20 dollars with insurance but then they recall it 3 yrs. down the road beacuse it causes liver damage or pulmonary disease or heart failure... even death... then the pharm. companies can build their tombs in $1,000 bills while families are incomplete becasue of them! isn't this a country of unity and family!? the so called nation that "In God we trust"? but no becasue alcohol pays us billions of dollars in taxes even tho people die from it or innocent people die becasuse the 21 or 25 yr. old finally get's a legal drink get's behind a car and makes another family incomplete... i understand if it was coke crack heroin which has to pass through a chemical process in orther to be consume but weed is a plant which passes less process than tabacco (which if you put down a blacklight sparcles indicating there is a certain level of nuclearity and which if you consume and are under a black light you will glow like the cigarette previously mentioned) has different uses not only for it's medical use it is shown that if you consume the raw seed it helps lower the cholesterol in your coronaries arteries even you can produce paper pencils fuel oil clothe shoes mulch and other uses. when the goverment is actually going to stop playing games and care about the health of the people in the nation becasue if they keep killing us.... whos going to vote for them!!?? money can help a lot of things specially in this economy but can't certainly replace a loved one who died because of a pharmaceutical or a drunk driver or smoking tabacco because they can't smoke weed! and is proven tabacco messes up not only your lungs but nervous system which controls our body brain trhout blood etc. besides the legalization of weed would provide jobs who are really needed at this times not only selling it but cultivating it processing it for uses other than medical and im not saying now trafficers are going to start importing weed! NOOOOOO GROOW ITTT HEEERREEE!!! AMERICAN MADEEEE!!! USDAA GRADE AA+ there is a lot of land here! focourse like everything theres things that need to be put out there like only for adults 18 and over or 21 and over for a higer grade or in special cases if proven by 3 different doctors the need of a more powerfull doze or concentrated doze the 18 yr. old can have it not operating heavy utility under the influence practicing surgery and other stuff that should be written down and made clear to the nation but i say enough of the monopoly they already have their billions even trillions for what if they are sitting in a account multiplying and not being put to good use! and it hurts us you are doing all this monopoly all comfortable in your houses of 17 bedrooms 15 bathrooms servers etc. which we give you that with our contributions and taxes and fees and tickects and blah bla h blah and then you dare to pass a infomercial of how AMERICAN KIDS EVERY DAY WAKE UP WITHOUT A BRAKEFAST! OR HAVE A HOME TO LIVE! I'M SORRY FOR MY FRENCH BUT MOTHER FUCKER.... REALLY? YOU PUT THEM OUT THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE BECASUE EVEN HAVING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS YOU COULD'NT WAITED A YEAR OR EVEN 3 MONTHS BECAUSE THEY WHERE STRUGGLING WITH BILLS OR LOST A LOVED ONE OR THE MAIN PROVIDER LOST HIS OR HER JOB AND CAN'T AFFORD RENT BECASUE THE UTILITIES KEEP RASING ADN THE PAY RATE STAYS THE SAME! im sorry for the word i said i think editors here shouldn't erase this comment so people can see and motivate others to speak up! is a shame we portrait ourselves or proclaim this is the richest nation in the world the land of the opportunity and wellness while the poverty level keeps raising up the richer never get's poor and the poor die becasue of the rich! i think is inhumain i think God is looking down... i think weed can solve many problems even global warming and the cut down of important oxigen resources and forest which everday are timbered for the same purpose than the weed plant can contribute.... is real shame!

 

[Lord Indica]

and the USA is supposedly a free country.... ujum like the lady said upthere! they rather see you high up in pharmaceuticals which making cost less than a cent to a dollar and then when they put it on te market sell it almost 600 dollars no insurance A PIECE! 20 dollars with insurance but then they recall it 3 yrs. down the road beacuse it causes liver damage or pulmonary disease or heart failure... even death... then the pharm. companies can build their tombs in $1,000 bills while families are incomplete becasue of them! isn't this a country of unity and family!? the so called nation that "In God we trust"? but no becasue alcohol pays us billions of dollars in taxes even tho people die from it or innocent people die becasuse the 21 or 25 yr. old finally get's a legal drink get's behind a car and makes another family incomplete... i understand if it was coke crack heroin which has to pass through a chemical process in orther to be consume but weed is a plant which passes less process than tabacco (which if you put down a blacklight sparcles indicating there is a certain level of nuclearity and which if you consume and are under a black light you will glow like the cigarette previously mentioned) has different uses not only for it's medical use it is shown that if you consume the raw seed it helps lower the cholesterol in your coronaries arteries even you can produce paper pencils fuel oil clothe shoes mulch and other uses. when the goverment is actually going to stop playing games and care about the health of the people in the nation becasue if they keep killing us.... whos going to vote for them!!?? money can help a lot of things specially in this economy but can't certainly replace a loved one who died because of a pharmaceutical or a drunk driver or smoking tabacco because they can't smoke weed! and is proven tabacco messes up not only your lungs but nervous system which controls our body brain trhout blood etc. besides the legalization of weed would provide jobs who are really needed at this times not only selling it but cultivating it processing it for uses other than medical and im not saying now trafficers are going to start importing weed! NOOOOOO GROOW ITTT HEEERREEE!!! AMERICAN MADEEEE!!! USDAA GRADE AA+ there is a lot of land here! focourse like everything theres things that need to be put out there like only for adults 18 and over or 21 and over for a higer grade or in special cases if proven by 3 different doctors the need of a more powerfull doze or concentrated doze the 18 yr. old can have it not operating heavy utility under the influence practicing surgery and other stuff that should be written down and made clear to the nation but i say enough of the monopoly they already have their billions even trillions for what if they are sitting in a account multiplying and not being put to good use! and it hurts us you are doing all this monopoly all comfortable in your houses of 17 bedrooms 15 bathrooms servers etc. which we give you that with our contributions and taxes and fees and tickects and blah bla h blah and then you dare to pass a infomercial of how AMERICAN KIDS EVERY DAY WAKE UP WITHOUT A BRAKEFAST! OR HAVE A HOME TO LIVE! I'M SORRY FOR MY FRENCH BUT MOTHER FUCKER.... REALLY? YOU PUT THEM OUT THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE BECASUE EVEN HAVING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS YOU COULD'NT WAITED A YEAR OR EVEN 3 MONTHS BECAUSE THEY WHERE STRUGGLING WITH BILLS OR LOST A LOVED ONE OR THE MAIN PROVIDER LOST HIS OR HER JOB AND CAN'T AFFORD RENT BECASUE THE UTILITIES KEEP RASING ADN THE PAY RATE STAYS THE SAME! im sorry for the word i said i think editors here shouldn't erase this comment so people can see and motivate others to speak up! is a shame we portrait ourselves or proclaim this is the richest nation in the world the land of the opportunity and wellness while the poverty level keeps raising up the richer never get's poor and the poor die becasue of the rich! i think is inhumain i think God is looking down... i think weed can solve many problems even global warming and the cut down of important oxigen resources and forest which everday are timbered for the same purpose than the weed plant can contribute.... is real shame!

The one thing I would reconsider is the part about the 18yr old. If a strong medicine from the pharm companies is approved, then they use it on the human despite the age of the human. I am for legalization period but for debate sake I will entertain this. If a child has uncontrollable seizures and medical Mj is recommended than I see nothing wrong in giving that medicine to the child. Do not mistake what I am saying, the child's well being is the only motivation here, then why deprive that child of the relief? We give children or adults the best option that is medically available and with only the safest methodologies practiced, administered as prescribed. I see no reason why children should be excluded from medical Mj if it is the best and safest option for that child's individual needs. It just makes sense to do what is best for the child. On that note, you do not give a child medical Mj if a proven safe alternative is available but in children with cancer, MS, seizures, burn victims and wasting diseases etc. I feel these types of medicines (med. Mj) would be effective and appropriate. Obviously research needs to be done but the fact remains here is a medicine that has been considered to be as lethal as heroine by the, hmm let's think about that for a minute. who does have the last say in the classification of a drug? Lawmakers, FDA, CDC the US Government? Anyway they classified it right at the top with heroine. Why? It's the only drug on the market that has never killed anyone. I call it the Jesus drug because it has never harmed anyone, it has only wanted to help, it's beautiful and unique. But the powers that be want it chastised, burnt at the stake, chopped up and discarded and have done everything in their power to ruin it's reputation. I think that Mj should be reclassified and used to it's full potential and not just medically. It would change the world forever and she would respond with new life and vigor. Fresher air, cleaner water, less fossil fuels and more jobs in this fledgling economy. That's my 2 cents.

 

[420bakerchef]

The one thing I would reconsider is the part about the 18yr old. If a strong medicine from the pharm companies is approved, then they use it on the human despite the age of the human. I am for legalization period but for debate sake I will entertain this. If a child has uncontrollable seizures and medical Mj is recommended than I see nothing wrong in giving that medicine to the child. Do not mistake what I am saying, the child's well being is the only motivation here, then why deprive that child of the relief? We give children or adults the best option that is medically available and with only the safest methodologies practiced, administered as prescribed. I see no reason why children should be excluded from medical Mj if it is the best and safest option for that child's individual needs. It just makes sense to do what is best for the child. On that note, you do not give a child medical Mj if a proven safe alternative is available but in children with cancer, MS, seizures, burn victims and wasting diseases etc. I feel these types of medicines (med. Mj) would be effective and appropriate. Obviously research needs to be done but the fact remains here is a medicine that has been considered to be as lethal as heroine by the, hmm let's think about that for a minute. who does have the last say in the classification of a drug? Lawmakers, FDA, CDC the US Government? Anyway they classified it right at the top with heroine. Why? It's the only drug on the market that has never killed anyone. I call it the Jesus drug because it has never harmed anyone, it has only wanted to help, it's beautiful and unique. But the powers that be want it chastised, burnt at the stake, chopped up and discarded and have done everything in their power to ruin it's reputation. I think that Mj should be reclassified and used to it's full potential and not just medically. It would change the world forever and she would respond with new life and vigor. Fresher air, cleaner water, less fossil fuels and more jobs in this fledgling economy. That's my 2 cents.

I do agrre on you idk if i putted there but i did mean to say in critical situations for kids under 18 just like the kid in the video with the deseas that he has that no childcare would take him becasue of his behavior and needs and med. Mj made it possibles a good example to is the kids with cancer! right on the nail lord indica! and like i said and you aswell fuuuuuuullllllll potential! like i said we wouldn't be having problems with the global warming or wild life being extingish becasue of the timber! i belive the stigma to society is the smoking of a child theres waayyyy many other ways to actually ingest the medicine! and ways that doesnt make you "alucinate" which i dont think it does cause it just makes me happy and melow more chill to put upp with all the bullshit of the goverment!