PhillyNORML Gets Marijuana Question Asked at MSNBC Democratic Debate

[Derek Rosenzweig]

PhillyNORML Gets Marijuana Decriminalization Question Asked at MSNBC Democratic Debate: Dodd and Kucinich support decrim, all others do not

October 31, 2007
 
The Democratic Presidential Candidates participated in an MSNBC Debate hosted by Drexel University this week. PhillyNORML, the premier reform group in the greater Tri-state area, had previously submitted questions about marijuana for the candidates to answer.
 
While MSNBCs Tim Russert did not use the ones PhillyNORML submitted, clearly the subject is gaining potency and support because he did ask a question concerning marijuana decriminalization. The question was posed in way to allow the others a response to Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd's open support of decriminalization. Candidates raised their hands if they disagreed with Dodd. All but Kucinich raised their hands, though Obama seemed to do so somewhat reluctantly. Sen. Dodd was allowed time to re-iterate and expand on his position.
 
MR. RUSSERT: "Senator Dodd, you went on the Bill Marr show last month and said that you were for decriminalizing marijuana. Is there anyone here who disagrees with Senator Dodd in decriminalization marijuana? Senator Biden?"

 SEN. BIDEN (?): (Inaudible.)

 MR. RUSSERT: "Senator Edwards? Why?"

 MR. EDWARDS: "Because I think it sends the wrong signal to young people. And I think the president of the United States has a responsibility to ensure that we're sending the right signals to young people."

 SEN. DODD: "Can I respond, I mean just why I think it ought to be? We're locking up too many people in our system here today. We've got mandatory minimum sentences that are filling our jails with people who don't belong there. My idea is to decriminalize this, reduce that problem here. We've gone from 800,000 to 2 million people in our penal institutions in this country. We've go to get a lot smarter about this issue than we are, and as president, I'd try and achieve that."
 
PhillyNORML is currently collecting signatures to a petition that would allow a voter referendum on marijuana decriminalization in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia metro area is one of the largest and most densely populated cities in the country. Currently over 6,500 Philadelphia residents are arrested annually due to marijuana prohibition. About 78% - a huge majority - of those arrested are black, and almost 90% are arrested for simple possession.
 
Philly NORML Spokesperson Derek Rosenzweig was pleased to see the continued support on the issue of marijuana decriminalization from Kucinich and Dodd. He pointed out that although the other Democratic presidential hopefuls did not express their support it was important for voters to see their stance on this important issue. During the large protest at 32nd and Chestnut Streets, a large amount of people - from almost every candidates' camp - showed support for ending prohibition. "We were very encouraged by the support we received by the other demonstrators. The people are tired of being lied to about cannabis, and they want local, state, and federal policies to reflect science and reality instead of doctrine and ideology."
 
According the FBI uniform Crime report police arrested a record of almost 830,000 Americans in 2006 for marijuana prohibition violations, and reflecting the local statistics, 90% were arrested for simple possession.
 
Marijuana decriminalizing has been successfully implemented in a number of states, counties and municipalities. New York State decriminalized one ounce or less of marijuana almost 30 years ago. In 2004 the city of Seattle, WA decriminalized small amounts of cannabis which has resulted in a dramatic drop in such arrests, from almost 2,000 down to less than 100 annually.
 
In areas where marijuana has been decriminalized it has been cited as a positive step for the community and law enforcement personnel allowing police time to be spent on violent crime and other serious issues.
 
PhillyNORML is dedicated to continue to ask the presidential candidates of both parties questions about marijuana as the campaign season continues and the candidates make stops in the city.
 
Please consider a donation to PhillyNORML to help with the decriminalization initiative. Donations can be made at www.phillynorml.org

[1puffer]

 I though it was awesome that Drexel was able to hold an event as prestigious as a US Presidential Debate. Awesome

I donated , you should too ! even a few bucks helps 

1puff 

[1puffer]

NORML Leading Democrat Presidential Candidates Reject Call To Decriminalize Pot
Posted by CN Staff on November 01, 2007 at 12:35:39 PT
November 1, 2007 - Philadelphia, PA, USA
Weekly Press Release 
Source: NORML 


Philadelphia, PA: Democrat Presidential frontrunners Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Barack Obama (D-IL), and former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) oppose federal marijuana decriminalization legislation that would ensure that Americans who use pot recreationally would no longer face arrest and imprisonment.

Appearing at this week’s Democrat Presidential debate at Drexel University, all three candidates indicated that they opposed decriminalizing the possession and use of marijuana for adults. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson – who approved statewide legislation earlier this year legalizing the use medicinal use of cannabis – also indicated his opposition to the enactment of broader decriminalization strategies.

The decriminalization question – which prior to Tuesday’s debate had not been discussed by the candidates in a public forum – was submitted to MSNBC moderator Tim Russert by members of the Philadelphia chapter of NORML.

Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) both indicated that they backed decriminalizing pot. "We're locking up too many people in our system here today," Dodd said. "We've got mandatory minimum sentences that are filling our jails with people who don't belong there. My idea is to decriminalize [marijuana], reduce that problem here. We've gone from 800,000 to 2 million people in our penal institutions in this country."

Senator Dodd had previously stated that if elected President, "[He] would decriminalize … the statutes … that would incarcerate or severely penalize people for using marijuana." Representative Kucinich has said that he favors a national drug policy that treats adult marijuana use in a manner similar to alcohol.

Each of the leading Democrat candidates have gone on record to voice their support for respecting the will of states to enact medical marijuana legislation, though only Richardson, Kucinich, and former US Sen. Mike Gravel (D-AK) – who was not present in Tuesday’s debate – have said that they support legalizing cannabis for medicinal purposes.

For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500 or Paul Armentano, NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at: paul@norml.org

Video of the candidates' exchange is available online at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3iuA7vrudA&NR=1

EDIT by 1puff : Skip to 4:58 into the video for the MJ questions...   Does the crowd laugh at this question?  Can anyone tell me what is going on, is this not even a serious question, so much so that it is laughable? 


Additional information on the Presidential candidates’ positions may be found online at:
http://www.sendtherightmessage.com or http://www.granitestaters.com

DL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7411

[Cannabis_Rx]

Good question... I seen it on TV and when I heard the question I was more eager to here there answers. I have no idea what was so funny?


I did a internet search on it..came up with this.
------------------------------------------------------------

Cowards: Democratic Front-Runners Reject Marijuana Law Reform

Critics of marijuana policy reform are fond of dismissing the idea as a liberal fantasy. Unfortunately, last night's Democratic Presidential Debate revealed that the party's so-called leaders would still rather play politics than stand up for the 800,000+ Americans that are needlessly arrested each year for the world's pettiest crime:

    Tim Russert: Senator Dodd, you went on the Bill Maher show last month and said that you were for decriminalizing marijuana. Is there anyone here who disagrees with Senator Dodd in decriminalizing marijuana? [MSNBC]

Clinton, Obama, Richardson, Biden, and Edwards all raised their hands. Only Dennis Kucinich stood with Senator Dodd on this important question. John Edwards was quick on the draw, pulling out the oldest pro-drug war line in the book:

    Russert: Senator Edwards, why?

    Edwards: Because I think it sends the wrong signal to young people. And I think the president of the United States has a responsibility to ensure that we're sending the right signals to young people.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome once again to the brain-dead world of mainstream drug war politics. It is a peculiar place where we ruin real lives in order to send fake messages. It is a vacant echo chamber in which those speaking the truth are singled out for ridicule, attention seekers spew tiresome incoherencies, and the rest cower embarrassed behind their podiums praying never again to be asked such a horrible thing.

Shameful and cowardly as their responses may be, the democratic front-runners were clearly sidelined by Russert's cheap hackery. Drug policy is so much more than a yes or no question, and this drive-by shooting approach to the marijuana debate trivializes the issue and obscures any diversity of opinion. I am saddened, but not at all surprised, that this question provoked this response when asked this way.

If we've learned anything from the brutal war that's been waged in our names for far too long, it is that many of our leaders would sooner allow it to continue for decades than speak one word of the truth that stands naked before us all.

With that in mind, I'm asking all of you to do something. Find out when the candidates are speaking in your area and attend the events. Bring friends. Bring a video camera. Dress well and arrive early. Sit where you can be seen and raise your hand high just a moment before they open the floor to questions. Ask whatever you like. Maybe something like this:

    Senator/Governor/Congressman _______,

    Over 800,000 Americans were arrested for marijuana this year. Some went to jail. Others lost their jobs, lost custody of their children, lost their driver's licenses, lost public housing, lost financial aid for college, the list goes on. Many people think these punishments are more damaging than the drug itself.

    What do you think the punishment should be for someone who uses marijuana?

It is one thing to say you don't support marijuana decrim. It is quite another to describe how specifically you would go about destroying the lives of the millions of Americans who enjoy marijuana. Let's find out where they really stand on this issue.

http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle_blog/2007/oct/31/shameful_democratic_front_runner

Too bad MIKE GRAVEL was not there... I like that guy!