[ShiningSkull]

As long as we're venting our frustrations with our President, (whom I want to support - REALLY) here's a blog entry that sums it all up as far as mj users and Obama's campaign contributions are concerned.

Everyone, please welcome chycho:

Obama, you ungrateful hypocrite, your online audience are the ones that raised half a billion dollars to put you in power

On 19 March 2009 I posted an article (Chycho.com - Analysis and discussion about the world we live in.) asking two very important questions. We just got the answer to the first, and we anxiously await the answer to the second.

The first question was; would Obama finally fulfill the US administrations promise to end prohibition, a promise that was made by President Jimmy Carter over 30 years ago. It was a legitimate question, since this is exactly what Obama promised when he made the following statement (http://cannabisnews.com/news/23/thread23646.shtml):

“The war on drugs has been an utter failure, and I think we need to rethink and decriminalize our marijuana laws.”

Unfortunately, however, on 26 March 2009, during an Interactive Town Hall Meeting (Obama’s Interactive Town Hall Meeting - The Caucus Blog - NYTimes.com), Obama stated that:

“‘There was one question that was voted on that ranked fairly high (sic, it was actually the number 1 question (Marijuana Legalization Tops List of Questions for Obama in Online Poll - Salem-News.Com) and that was whether legalizing marijuana would improve the economy and job creation, and I don’t know what this says about the online audience,’ Mr. Obama said, drawing a laugh. He said he wanted to make sure the question got answered. ‘The answer is no, I don’t think that was a good strategy.’”

Aside from this statement showing what a complete hypocrite he has become in just a few short weeks in power, it also shows that he is not only ungrateful to those individuals who donated money to him during these brutal economic times, but that he is in power to maintain the status quo (Chycho.com - Analysis and discussion about the world we live in..)

If you recall, because obviously Obama doesn’t, “Barack Obama raised half a billion dollars online in his 21-month campaign for the White House (Obama Raised Half a Billion Online | 44 | washingtonpost.com), dramatically ushering in a new digital era in presidential fundraising.”

“In an exclusive interview with The Post, members of the vaunted Triple O, Obama's online operation, broke down the numbers: 3 million donors made a total of 6.5 million donations online adding up to more than $500 million. Of those 6.5 million donations, 6 million were in increments of $100 or less. The average online donation was $80, and the average Obama donor gave more than once.”

There is a nice little video regarding this at the following BBC link: “Internet key to Obama victories” (BBC NEWS | Technology | Internet key to Obama victories). Considering that Obama doesn’t know what half a billion dollars in donations “says about the online audience”, I recommend that people stop supporting him.

Of course Obama might be under the impression that he has special privileges that ordinary people do not, especially looking at the way he was shaking his head and waving his arms when he replied “NO”, as if he was talking to children who don’t know the facts (Chycho.com - Analysis and discussion about the world we live in.). The audacity of this man to dismiss the number one request that the online community had from him is frightening; specially coming from a lying hypocrite that “inhaled frequently”.

I personally don’t understand how US citizens can laugh while prohibition laws are destroying their children’s lives (Chycho.com - Analysis and discussion about the world we live in.), for what is essentially plant crime. Don’t they know that “the U.S. correctional population -- those in jail, prison, on probation or on parole -- totaled 7.3 million, or 1 in every 31 adults” (http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/03/02/...n/index.html)?

Now just imagine if the online community didn’t give all that money to Obama, but instead to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) (Marijuana Law Reform - NORML). That would be the positive change that we need, and would definitely give us hope for the future.

I wish the citizens of the United States (Chycho.com - Analysis and discussion about the world we live in.) the best of luck, you’re going to need it.


Chycho.com - Analysis and discussion about the world we live in.

[lwien]

Sorry, SS, but in my opinion, it's a bunch of crap. One has to pick and choose WHEN to fight their battles, and imho, ESPECIALLY with his battle with trying to get health reform passed, fighting the cannabis legalization battle would get in the way of him accomplishing that. In politics, every battle affects another, so one has to pick them wisely. It's all about timing, and for our issue of cannabis legalization, the timing was just not there.

The town hall meetings were bad enough. Could you even imagine how'd they go down if he was also in the midst of the cannabis legalization efforts? Dope smokin' Nazi Communist who's not only turning us into a Fasict/Communist state (LOL), but is also turning our kids into dope addicts !!

Nope, for Obama, considering everything else that's goin' on, now is not the time.

This issue was also covered in this thread: Why did this happen Mr. Obama?

[ShiningSkull]

Originally Posted by lwien

Sorry, SS, but in my opinion, it's a bunch of crap. One has to pick and choose WHEN to fight their battles, and imho, ESPECIALLY with his battle with trying to get health reform passed, fighting the cannabis legalization battle would get in the way of him accomplishing that. In politics, every battle affects another, so one has to pick them wisely. It's all about timing, and for our issue of cannabis legalization, the timing was just not there.

Pardon me, lwien, but I think the timing IS "there," hence the blogger's point about the congruence of the campaign contributions from Obama's online audience and that same audience's interest in marijuana legalization.

Besides, what political capitol would it expend to re-schedule marijuana from Schedule I?
DEA Briefs & Background, Drugs and Drug Abuse, Drug Descriptions, Marijuana

[Oxfarm]

lwien, this video is from March, a full three months before the Healthcare battle even began.

He seemed to be stating his opinion that legalization wouldn't help the economy. It was frustrating that he failed to back up his opinion with an explanation of why it wouldn't help.

He's flat wrong. Legalization would propel our economy to new highs... literally!

[lwien]

Originally Posted by ShiningSkull

Pardon me, lwien, but I think the timing IS "there," hence the blogger's point about the congruence of the campaign contributions from Obama's online audience and that same audience's interest in marijuana legalization.

Gotta repost a post of mine from that other thread I linked up:
____________

Can you name just one President who hasn't said during their election phase that they will do one thing, only to have them do another once in office. Name me one.

The fact is, is that things change. What may be true during the election phase may not be true a year or two later down the line. What's also true is that President elects are not privy to all the information that they will receive once they take office and that information, once learned can dramatically change things.

Prime example of this is when the first Presidnet Bush said the now famous words, "Read my lips. No new taxes". LOL.

Hell, things change from week to week let alone from year to year. Ideally, Presidents and President elects shouldn't promise anything, but that's not how our elective system works. If any President elect tried that, they would never get elected.

It's the nature of things, and it's called reality. To single out Obama on this is totally ludicrous.
_______________________

Please understand, SS, this was a response to someone else. But it does kinda fit here.

[lwien]

Originally Posted by Oxfarm

lwien, this video is from March, a full three months before the Healthcare battle even began.

He knew that health care was gonna be on his agenda a very long time ago......wayyyy before last March.

In our world, cannabis legalization is a very important issue, but in the whole scheme of things, considering all of the things that this President is dealing with, global issues not withstanding, cannabis legalization falls way down on his priority list. In my opinion..........totally understandable.

With that said, I do think, however, that he will address this issue at a later date.

[ShiningSkull]

Originally Posted by lwien

Please understand, SS, this was a response to someone else. But it does kinda fit here.

Yeah, no it doesn't fit here, lwien.

Let me re-post the topic:
Can Obama afford to laugh off his online audience?

Also, you didn't answer my question:
What political capitol would it cost to simply re-schedule marijuana?

[lwien]

Originally Posted by ShiningSkull

Yeah, no it doesn't fit here, lwien.

Let me re-post the topic:
Can Obama afford to laugh off his online audience?

The way I see, it fits here perfectly.

Originally Posted by ShiningSkull

Also, you didn't answer my question:
What political capitol would it cost to simply re-schedule marijuana?

I don't know. You say, "simply". How "simply" is it to re-schedule marijuana?

Is it just a stroke of the pen, or is it a battle? And how much political capitol would it cost him?

Sorry to answer your question with a question, but I don't know if I agree with you that it would be a simple issue to address, for it very well may be a helluva lot more complicated than just a stroke of the pen.

There is a conservative section of the Democratic party that is getting in the way of him accomplishing some of the things that he wants to accomplish, and alienating them even further may not be, at this time, the best way to spend that political capital.

[DankJews]

I Don't Like This President, Or Any President. That's All I'm Saying.

.:Stay Medicated:.

[ShiningSkull]

Let's forget the re-scheduling then.

The topic:
Can Obama afford to laugh off his online audience?

The blogger's point is about the congruence of the campaign contributions from Obama's online audience and that same audience's interest in marijuana legalization.

[contract.dude]

well, yeah, he can..he has the job already.

the voters will have to remember these things when he runs for second term. There are a few groups that might feel a bit flabbergasted right now.

[Smilodon]

It is my understanding that Obama can write an executive order and change the classification. I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong, however I believe that is correct.

You know, I don't know who he would piss off doing that. Maybe the centrist dems that are dragging their feet on the health care reform. It's a sure thing that he would have most reps at his throat.

I am another that is disappointed that Obama has not done more. However, his priorities have been the economy and health care and I would think he does not want any action of his to reflect negatively on his other priorities.

Back to the thread topic; yes, I think he can afford to dis us. We are a minority that does not effect policy that much at this time. That does not mean we can't, it means we haven't effected policy that much. Having said that I believe he is making a mistake. Just because we have not found our strength does not mean we have none.

The black and gay communities represent roughly 15% of the population each, at least those are the popular figures and are close enough. The influence they have on society at large is disproportionate because the issues they are protesting have widespread moral support, and they are very organized. I suspect that MMJ patients represent a similar number of our citizens. If you add in recreational users the numbers are staggering. At least one other thread is exploring whether or not professional help would get us organized better and spread our message, which by the way is also supported morally by many of our citizens.

again 2c and you get a dime.

[lwien]

^^^ Totally agree, but I gotta add one more thing regarding the title of this thread, "Can Obama Afford to Laugh Off Online Audience?" In my opinion, I think he did this purposely to gain political capital with those that he is at odds with on the economic and health reform issues. That's what politicians do. It called politics and it's the way the game is played. Gain political capital. Spend political capital. The trick though, is to do this in a way that doesn't totally alienate those that you are at odds with at THAT POINT IN TIME, over the long haul. Did he alienate us short term? Yes. Can he get us back? Yes.

I do think that in time, he WILL address our issues in a positive light. I really do think we have a better shot of this happening with this President than any President we have ever had.

[ps-med]

Originally Posted by contract.dude

well, yeah, he can..he has the job already.

the voters will have to remember these things when he runs for second term. There are a few groups that might feel a bit flabbergasted right now.

He does indeed have the job and many things are said by politicians to help them get the job. I keep wishing that America was a multi-party system instead of Democrat or Republican. The only viable candidates tend to lean so far towards the center that you can barely tell which is which.

I think, for what its worth, in the next election I am going back to voting FOR a third party candidate instead of voting AGAINST the worst choice. I would rather vote my concience and have a worthless vote. Maybe if enough people vote for third party candidates the big two will start to take notice.

Maybe MMJ will be a priority for Obama again when he faces the next election, but I don't think the MMJ community will be quick to support him after the waffling on the reclassification and the laughing at the internet supporters. At this point I am not reelecting Obama.

[Evades]

Can he laugh off the online voters? Of course not as they were the driving force that got him elected. The question itself, IMHO, is laughable. Do you really envision Obama sitting laughing at the voters and purposely saying to himself, "Screw them, I already got elected? Come on, that doesn't make sense.

This is an example of reverse not in my back yard. Everyone wants their items completed first and will degrade all other items that he is working on first as being unfair.

I do not normally follow these threads because you see the spectrum of beliefs from total support to absolute he lied. However, most will be negative as that is our politics in this country.

Remember the saying that "Rome wasn't bulit in a day." We are not even nine months into his presidency and we fault him as a nation every single day.

Just my thoughts,

Have a Great Day,

Evades

P.S. I will not return to this thread as we all know the spectrum of responses that will follow and I have said my piece. I respect others opinion and hope that mine is at least respected but agreement is not what I look for.

[BrattonBasher]

The question was related to the economy as much as it was related to MJ. So the rant is out of context IMHO. Way too much has been read into it. Personally, I am against legalization if it's all about the money and economics. It would end up failing more than likely, and get folks really up our asses. Remember the Great Jack Herer warned us about this economic legalization nonsense, then he collapsed and had his heart attack. It's OK if you disagree with me, but I want this eventual legalization to be done right, with no strings or promises, and an emphysis on the merits of MJ.

[Juba]

Originally Posted by ShiningSkull

Let me re-post the topic:
Can Obama afford to laugh off his online audience?

The laughing was ill-advised, but he thinks he can afford to take us for granted. After all, where are we going to go? Green Party? Libertarian? Peace and Freedom?

Gays are a much more powerful and influential interest group and they are certainly getting short-shrift from Obama after all they did to put him in office. He talked about it numerous times during the campaign and recently made a speech on "Don't Ask Don't Tell" but he hasn't actually done anything to end it. It's another example where he could change things with a stroke of the pen (by ordering an end to discharges prior to Congressional action) but he hasn't done it.

Why not? I think it's because his leadership style is to make a nice speech and then leave the heavy lifting to others. I don't see any arm-twisting coming from the White House to get the Dems to fall in line on any subject.

Originally Posted by ShiningSkull

What political capitol would it cost to simply re-schedule marijuana?

There would definitely be a very loud backlash from the drug warriors that would divert attention from other, more pressing matters.

Maybe if he gets past the midterm elections in a second term he might do more for MM, but I don't expect anything else from him on MM till then -- if then. And he can forget about my vote, because I won't make the same mistake twice. I'll resume voting for third party candidates because I'd rather "waste" my vote than give it to a politician who doesn't deserve it.

[Oxfarm]

Given what's been happening to our National Forests with gorilla farming, given what's happening in Mexico with the cartels, given that we have a prison population that has gone supernova, I think there would be zero opposition to rescheduling MJ, and little to no opposition to decriminalizing MJ on a Fed level. So far in 2009, the Republican Governator is a better advocate for MMJ than Democrat POTUS.

PS - Southerners LOVE their MJ.

[BrattonBasher]

Originally Posted by Oxfarm

Given what's been happening to our National Forests with gorilla farming, given what's happening in Mexico with the cartels, given that we have a prison population that has gone supernova, I think there would be zero opposition to rescheduling MJ, and little to no opposition to decriminalizing MJ on a Fed level. So far in 2009, the Republican Governator is a better advocate for MMJ than Democrat POTUS.

PS - Southerners LOVE their MJ.

LOL Thanks for the morning laugh! The Southern States have the worst and most Draconian MJ laws of any other region. Try Texas! And Arnold is an ENEMY OF MMJ!!!!! He had on his desk a bill that would end employment discrimination for MMJ users and vetoed it! I love how our resident WT Republicans/Neocons try to twist the facts and portray Republicans as being more compassionate about MMJ than Democrats. Nice try, but we won't fall for it!

[lwien]

Originally Posted by Oxfarm

I think there would be zero opposition to rescheduling MJ, and little to no opposition to decriminalizing MJ on a Fed level.

What? Huh?

[Oxfarm]

Originally Posted by BrattonBasher

LOL Thanks for the morning laugh! The Southern States have the worst and most Draconian MJ laws of any other region. Try Texas! And Arnold is an ENEMY OF MMJ!!!!! He had on his desk a bill that would end employment discrimination for MMJ users and vetoed it! I love how our resident WT Republicans/Neocons try to twist the facts and portray Republicans as being more compassionate about MMJ than Democrats. Nice try, but we won't fall for it!

I'm talking about the people and their views on MJ. Have you ever lived in a southern state? Or outside of CA for that matter?

I have, including Texas. I can speak from experience. Enough of your idiotic stereotypes.

[ScrewyLewy]

The big pharm companies would be a huge wall against rescheduling of Marijuana.

[ScrewyLewy]

Originally Posted by ScrewyLewy

The big pharm companies would be a huge wall against rescheduling of Marijuana.

Then I would like to see Obama win the Noble Prize for Medicine when Marijuana is rescheduled.

[BrattonBasher]

Originally Posted by Oxfarm

I'm talking about the people and their views on MJ. Have you ever lived in a southern state? Or outside of CA for that matter?

I have, including Texas. I can speak from experience. Enough of your idiotic stereotypes.

LOL You know darn well that the "people" don't have a say in re-scheduleing or decriminalizing MJ!!! The South is filled with freaky Neocons like Sen. Sessions and his ilk. For you to say that those issues would fly through Congress is as absurd and ridiculous as your contentions about Arnold being more MMJ friendly than Obama! Face it: your comrades-in-arms politically are completely against MJ and MMJ, it does not fit in with their culture wars. It's nice to see some republicans use MMJ, but don't get carried away and think you can post utterly false claims. WHO IS IDIOTIC??? In Texas you can go to State Prison for a JOINT!!!

[ScrewyLewy]

Rescheduled usless narcotics to valuable medicine is going to be REAL hard because it is a National issue and lots of backassedward types run ALOT of the other states...