Like lifting the federal ban. This is such a knockout issue for them, I don't know why they don't embrace it with open arms. The ban on marijuana exists because of cronyism, which is what the Democrat party is known for. Likewise Obama has come out in staunch opposition to decriminalizing pot. This would help get in the younger college age voting base.

But this wouldn't just be pandering, there's an ideological reason for them to support it. It would be in line with the Republicans' smaller government position. Because of New York City banning large drinks and fast food, people are beginning to realize that the government has no business banning things just because they think it's for our own good: we're all adults, right? Let us reap the consequences of our decisions.I think this would be a step in the right direction for the Republican party to be seen as the smaller government party.

Plus wasn't it Democrats who banned alcohol?

So what do you think? Do you think this would be a good move for the Republican party?

Quote from: grace_note on December 18, 2013, 07:33:28 AM
Like lifting the federal ban. This is such a knockout issue for them, I don't know why they don't embrace it with open arms. The ban on marijuana exists because of cronyism, which is what the Democrat party is known for. Likewise Obama has come out in staunch opposition to decriminalizing pot. This would help get in the younger college age voting base.

But this wouldn't just be pandering, there's an ideological reason for them to support it. It would be in line with the Republicans' smaller government position. Because of New York City banning large drinks and fast food, people are beginning to realize that the government has no business banning things just because they think it's for our own good: we're all adults, right? Let us reap the consequences of our decisions.I think this would be a step in the right direction for the Republican party to be seen as the smaller government party.

Plus wasn't it Democrats who banned alcohol?

So what do you think? Do you think this would be a good move for the Republican party?

I don't think they should make this an issue. While I don't have a personal problem with it much of the base does. It looks like a RINO issue to me.

Quote from: supsalemgr on December 18, 2013, 07:43:41 AM
I don't think they should make this an issue. While I don't have a personal problem with it much of the base does. It looks like a RINO issue to me.

Aren't the Republicans in favor of smaller government, though? It seems like it'd be right in line with the Republicans' core values, which is why I'm surprised they haven't gotten behind it.

Whatever the arguments are, it still costs a fortune to prosecute and jail offenders.

Quote from: grace_note on December 18, 2013, 07:33:28 AM
Like lifting the federal ban. This is such a knockout issue for them, I don't know why they don't embrace it with open arms. The ban on marijuana exists because of cronyism, which is what the Democrat party is known for. Likewise Obama has come out in staunch opposition to decriminalizing pot. This would help get in the younger college age voting base.

But this wouldn't just be pandering, there's an ideological reason for them to support it. It would be in line with the Republicans' smaller government position. Because of New York City banning large drinks and fast food, people are beginning to realize that the government has no business banning things just because they think it's for our own good: we're all adults, right? Let us reap the consequences of our decisions.I think this would be a step in the right direction for the Republican party to be seen as the smaller government party.

Plus wasn't it Democrats who banned alcohol?

So what do you think? Do you think this would be a good move for the Republican party?

Why, is it not a states rights issue? Let the states take the lead on this.
Don't fall for the illusion that we need to take on lib issues, rather use their failures against them.

Quote from: Solar on December 18, 2013, 08:07:06 AM
Why, is it not a states rights issue? Let the states take the lead on this.
Don't fall for the illusion that we need to take on lib issues, rather use their failures against them.

Wait, lib as in liberal? I didn't even know this was a liberal issue, especially since most of the Democrats in power are so firmly against it. I always assumed libertarians and conservatives were the ones who wanted it decriminalized.

So in this case, liberals actually happen to be in favor of something more oriented toward smaller government? I never knew they had it in them :P

Quote from: grace_note on December 18, 2013, 08:23:16 AM
Wait, lib as in liberal? I didn't even know this was a liberal issue, especially since most of the Democrats in power are so firmly against it. I always assumed libertarians and conservatives were the ones who wanted it decriminalized.

So in this case, liberals actually happen to be in favor of something more oriented toward smaller government? I never knew they had it in them :P

No, you misunderstood, it's the left pushing the issue and framing it as if the right is against it.
That's how they work, and if it plays into their hands, they run with it.
See Colorado.

I firmly and completely agree. The recent referendums in Colorado and Washington indicate that, at least in those parts of the nation, public sentiment is in favor of decriminalizing marijuana. Colorado has become somewhat of a bellwether of national politics, and while I'm not familiar with nationwide polling and other information off the top of my head, my guess would be that there is increased pro-legalization sentiment across diverse sections of the country.

This is a small-government issue, rather than a "liberal" or "conservative" issue. True, a "classical liberal" would support it, but MANY, if not most, of the incumbent Democrats are not "classical liberals". A small-government conservative would support it too, but many of the conservatives in office are social-conservative neo-cons. Because of these two factors, the issue hasn't gotten much of anywhere on the national stage.

Whichever party can capitalize on the issue will benefit, I would think. If the GOP embraces it, it will help with young voters, voters who are fiscally conservative and socially moderate/liberal, and it will deny the Democrats an issue.

Quote from: grace_note on December 18, 2013, 07:33:28 AM
Like lifting the federal ban. This is such a knockout issue for them, I don't know why they don't embrace it with open arms. The ban on marijuana exists because of cronyism, which is what the Democrat party is known for. Likewise Obama has come out in staunch opposition to decriminalizing pot. This would help get in the younger college age voting base.

But this wouldn't just be pandering, there's an ideological reason for them to support it. It would be in line with the Republicans' smaller government position. Because of New York City banning large drinks and fast food, people are beginning to realize that the government has no business banning things just because they think it's for our own good: we're all adults, right? Let us reap the consequences of our decisions.I think this would be a step in the right direction for the Republican party to be seen as the smaller government party.

Plus wasn't it Democrats who banned alcohol?

So what do you think? Do you think this would be a good move for the Republican party?

I'm conservative, and not against it.  I'm against the Federal government interfering when it should be states issue.  Don't fall for lib propaganda like we're outside your house with bibles and pitch forks ready to burn you at the stake if you smoke weed.  States have plenty of government to deal with their own issues.

Decriminalizing or outright legalization must be a state issue and not federal, and absolutely no different than state regulation of other controlled substances. It should be put up for public referendum and politicians regardless of party be obliged to follow voter wishes, not play back-door games.

Quote from: grace_note on December 18, 2013, 07:33:28 AM
Like lifting the federal ban. This is such a knockout issue for them, I don't know why they don't embrace it with open arms. The ban on marijuana exists because of cronyism, which is what the Democrat party is known for. Likewise Obama has come out in staunch opposition to decriminalizing pot. This would help get in the younger college age voting base.

But this wouldn't just be pandering, there's an ideological reason for them to support it. It would be in line with the Republicans' smaller government position. Because of New York City banning large drinks and fast food, people are beginning to realize that the government has no business banning things just because they think it's for our own good: we're all adults, right? Let us reap the consequences of our decisions.I think this would be a step in the right direction for the Republican party to be seen as the smaller government party.

Plus wasn't it Democrats who banned alcohol?

So what do you think? Do you think this would be a good move for the Republican party?

Funny, how they 'pick and choose' their HANDS OFF GOVERNMENT intrusions.  Pot and uteruses--they're all in!

We should be proud of our stoners.

Quote from: darroll on December 18, 2013, 10:59:37 AM
We should be proud of our stoners.

Well, more like we should be proud of the people who have the self restraint not to become stoners, without the need for laws to tell them not to do it.

Quote from: grace_note on December 18, 2013, 07:33:28 AM
Like lifting the federal ban. This is such a knockout issue for them, I don't know why they don't embrace it with open arms. The ban on marijuana exists because of cronyism, which is what the Democrat party is known for. Likewise Obama has come out in staunch opposition to decriminalizing pot. This would help get in the younger college age voting base.

But this wouldn't just be pandering, there's an ideological reason for them to support it. It would be in line with the Republicans' smaller government position. Because of New York City banning large drinks and fast food, people are beginning to realize that the government has no business banning things just because they think it's for our own good: we're all adults, right? Let us reap the consequences of our decisions.I think this would be a step in the right direction for the Republican party to be seen as the smaller government party.

Plus wasn't it Democrats who banned alcohol?

So what do you think? Do you think this would be a good move for the Republican party?

The answer is simple:  fear.  There are enough voters with an irrational fear of pot to make it too dangerous for politicians to take the rational position of wanting to legalize it.  There is still too much risk for politicians to be pro-legalization, while there is not enough pain in being against it. 

But it's amazing how rational, pro-legalization and states' rights many ex-governors, ex-chiefs of police, ex-judges and others get once they retire. 

Thankfully the cracks in the dam are growing very quickly and we will see a "sudden" transfer of the issue from the feds to the states, who will be able to make up their own minds as they see fit. 

Quote from: Solar on December 18, 2013, 08:31:19 AM
No, you misunderstood, it's the left pushing the issue and framing it as if the right is against it.
That's how they work, and if it plays into their hands, they run with it.
See Colorado.

By all polling, it certainly appears conservatives are much more anti-legalization than liberals.  Here's a Gallup poll from way back in 2005.  Though the overall numbers have been changing since then, I'm sure the fundamentals are the same:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/19561/who-supports-marijuana-legalization.aspx

You'll see regionally (the South), by age (older), by church attendance (weekly church goers) and political self-identification ("conservative") conservatives are the ones who are most against legalization. While young, Godless, Left Coast liberals tend to be most for it.