Eric posted this on Facebook. Which made me want to post it here. Senator Ted Cruz attacks Obama for not locking up marijuana users in Colorado
Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas on Friday criticized President Barack Obama for not arresting people in Colorado who violated federal law by using marijuana.
“A whole lot of folks now are talking about legalizing pot. The brownies you had this morning, provided by the state of Colorado,” he jokingly said during his keynote speech at Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Policy Orientation.
“And you can make arguments on that issue,” Cruz continued. “You can make reasonable arguments on that issue. The president earlier this past year announced the Department of Justice is going to stop prosecuting certain drug crimes. Didn’t change the law.”
Voters in Colorado and Washington state voted to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in 2013, but federal law still prohibits the use of the drug. The Department of Justice announced in August of 2013 that it would not target for arrest adults who used marijuana in compliance with state laws.
Cruz said the Obama administration should continue imprisoning people for using marijuana until federal law is changed.
Here is the video:
Like it or not prosecutors have discretion. But that is not what Cruz should be looking at. This is what any good politician should look at. The polls.
…the Gallup Poll where 58% favored pot legalization…
That is a heck of a headwind to add to the Republican efforts.
I know of at least one Republican voter who will vote for any Democrat who makes drug prohibition an issue. And if I know one there are probably many others.
This is an excerpt from an email I recently received.
I had two good chats with some local VIPs in the R party. I pushed the idea that we need to remove marijuana as an issue for national debate before the next presidential cycle starts. This would become reality if the Congress repealed federal, MJ prohibition.
If only. But with Cruz working to label the Republicans as “The Prohibition Party” I think that it may be too little, too late for the 2016 cycle. They need to do it yesterday.
In addition in my personal opinion the law is unConstitutional. The President is enjoined from enforcing unConstitutional laws. But he would have a lot of agencies out of work if he did that. Starting with the DEA.
Update: 1441z 11 January 2014
I’m not the only one who seems to have detected some hypocrisy by Cruz on States Rights. Outside The Beltway has Ted Cruz: State’s Rights Hypocrite. And Before It’s News has Senator Ted Cruz Says He No Longer Believes in States’ Rights. So he favors letting States go their own way with little Federal interference in some cases and not others. Why? This Gallup Poll shows why. It is what the Republican base wants. Ted doesn’t operate from principle. He operates from politics. And he wants the Republican nomination for President. Evidently he doesn’t want to BE President. Or at least he is not concerned about any head winds this position will create for him in that respect.
In addition the Feds have never gone after individuals as a policy. They prefer that the States do that. What the Feds prefer is going after weight (supposedly large sales) and drugs crossing State lines. What Ted Cruz is proposing is a change in long standing Federal policy to cheer up his base. I’d prefer that his base be thoroughly depressed until it comes to its senses about a number of issues. Like limited government for instance.
Further Update:
Look at the video posted here (about 8 minutes in) for a comparison of Bush vs Obama on Federal prosecution of marijuana laws. At least with respect to medical marijuana.
Comments
10 responses to “Republicans Are Trying For An Own Goal”
I know that legalization of drugs is one of your goals, and I largely agree with your arguments (although you ignore the downsides). However, the issue here is state nullification of federal law. There is a major constitutional problem with this. It is well-established that any state regulation, law or constitutional provision that conflicts with any federal regulation, law or Constitutional provision is ipso facto null and void.
The Obama regime picks and chooses what federal law it will enforce, and it is friendly to drug users and will not prosecute them. But another President may adopt another policy. And lest you think this is only a problem with a Republican President, wake up! At the core of the Progressive movement is a big river of Puritanism. Just look at all the things they ban. If they ever get it in their mind that pot is harmful, especially to children, they will drop the hammer hard.
So, Cruz has it right. Change the federal law. And Cruz is not the Puritan here.
Bob,
The Feds can enforce Federal law. The States are not required to. That is one of the things that brought the slavery question to a head. It also was the demise of alcohol prohibition.
In addition the Feds have rarely gone after individual pot smokers. They prefer weight or crossing State lines.
Cruz does have a bit of a point. He could have made it in a context that supports Republican goals.
As I said – he is turning off some Republican voters. Now how will the rest of the population react if Democrats try to turn 2014 into a Prohibition referendum rather than an Obamacare referendum?
Republicans have a problem. Their base likes Prohibition. The rest of the country does not.
Read this poll for an indication. The numbers may be off some, but they do show the shape of things.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/165539/first-time-americans-favor-legalizing-marijuana.aspx
Bob,
You are correct about the Puritanism of the left. And Obama’s selective enforcement.
But the raids on medical dispensaries under Obama far exceed those raids under Bush. I never heard a word that I can recall about Bush not prosecuting Prohibition with sufficient vigor.
The left acts drug friendly and yet ramps up the drug war more than the Republicans do. This goes back to Clinton at least. Look up arrest stats under Republicans and Dems. The Dems ramp it up the Rs hold steady.
And you may recall that Bush after 9/11 wanted to repurpose 1/2 the FBI drug task force to go after Islam/terrorism. “Wiser” minds prevailed.
You have to separate the rhetoric/optics from the actions.
[…] of Bush vs Obama at about 8 minutes in. This speaks directly to a comment I got on my recent post Republicans Are Trying For An Own Goal. Print PDF Categories: Uncategorized 0 […]
Why do you still expect politicians to make sense and/or have a coherent political philosophy?
[…] The reign of the Progressives is over. Providing the Conservatives don’t blow it too badly. […]
Man Mountain Molehill,
Expect? No. Demand? Yes. I want to raise the level of political discourse. It is a thankless job. I intend to keep doing it anyway.
Politics is show business for ugly people. Politicians are in it for the power or the money. Or, if they’re Bill Clinton, for the blow jobs.
[…] any case all this anti-drug war talk has made it harder for Ted “why aren’t we putting Colorado dopers in jail” Cruz to remain in the running for the Presidential sweepstakes of 2016. Print PDF Categories: […]
[…] "The Prohibition Party" […]