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US House passes federal cannabis decriminalisation bill

bbc.co.uk

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Re: US House passes federal cannabis decriminalisation bill

#101

Post by lotsofpulp »

ogre_codes wrote: post #85
bransonf wrote: post #55

> not expected to advance further as long as the Senate remains in Republican hands. > “This legislation does not legalize cannabis across the country. It stops the federal government from interfering with what states have decided to do” In all seriousness, isn’t the Republican platform weaker central government? Why the exception?

The war on drugs has been a long Republican policy, right along with family values.

"Family values". Because I don't see them racing to help provide mandatory days off or sufficient wages for people with lower incomes to be able to spend time with their families.

Re: US House passes federal cannabis decriminalisation bill

#102

Post by ceejayoz »

free2OSS wrote: post #97
ceejayoz wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I imagine Democrats wouldn't do this if they had control of the government. Why not? It's already decriminalized in virtually the entire country. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_cannabis_by_U.S._j... 35 states have legalized it for medical use, and 15 have legalized it recreationally. From the map, it looks like Idaho stands alone on it being completely illegal and criminalized.

Big policy changes spends your political capital. You are going to be getting angry phone calls. Better to get those angry phone calls in exchange for a spending bill that goes to your donors/constituents. Elections have razor thin margins. What benefit does the politician get?

> Big policy changes spends your political capital.

That's the point, though. It's not a big policy change - the map demonstrates that. Decriminalization is already the de facto situation in nearly the entire country.

Federal law with regards to marijuana is completely and openly ignored in much of the country. Dispensaries operate with relative impunity.

Re: US House passes federal cannabis decriminalisation bill

#103

Post by jacques_chester »

Ancapistani wrote: post #96
bransonf wrote: post #55

> not expected to advance further as long as the Senate remains in Republican hands. > “This legislation does not legalize cannabis across the country. It stops the federal government from interfering with what states have decided to do” In all seriousness, isn’t the Republican platform weaker central government? Why the exception?

This is the problem with both parties, I'd say - the party platforms are somewhat consistent with the views of their voting base, but the actions of the politicians don't align very well with either. The general impression I get is that a majority of Republicans would support federal decriminalization of cannabis. Most of those support legalization as a specific goal, while others would support through their view of…

It's an electoral system issue. Voting is voluntary, which causes highly-motivated single-issue voters to be overrepresented. Then there's the primary system, which is the same problem squared.

It used to be that politicians could pander a little to the base during a primary and then "run to the centre" in the general. Those days are gone, because "being primaried" is a real and persistent risk.

The practical upshot is that the system is structured to favour fringe voices rather than the median voter.

Re: US House passes federal cannabis decriminalisation bill

#104

Post by bslyke »

free2OSS wrote: post #52
ahoy wrote: post #45

This means very little while the republicans control the senate, I imagine.

The timing here is awfully Political. I imagine Democrats wouldn't do this if they had control of the government. Seems like lip service to their bases.

> Seems like lip service to their bases.

Awesome! What's the problem?

Re: US House passes federal cannabis decriminalisation bill

#105

Post by C19is20 »

mullingitover wrote: post #86

The fact that this won't sail through congress in a week (it'll never even come up for a vote in the senate) really illustrates how out of touch legislators are with voters. If there was a nationwide referendum on legalizing (not just decriminalizing) it would pass in a landslide today. Instead, congress will dither on this issue for probably the next five years at minimum. I realize it's more complicated than giving…

...but, but, but. I voted.

Re: US House passes federal cannabis decriminalisation bill

#106

Post by dragonwriter »

free2OSS wrote: post #81
bransonf wrote: post #55

> not expected to advance further as long as the Senate remains in Republican hands. > “This legislation does not legalize cannabis across the country. It stops the federal government from interfering with what states have decided to do” In all seriousness, isn’t the Republican platform weaker central government? Why the exception?

That unfortunately isn't the Republican platform. We are taught that in school, but their policy doesn't line up with that. There is a strong debate to be made Biden is more fiscally right leaning than Trump. Where Trump was big into economic intervention (higher taxes through tariffs and SALT Deduction removal, higher deficit, new government spending projects, tax credits, free money, and restricting commerce on bum…

> There is a strong debate to be made Biden is more fiscally right leaning than Trump.

Despite having the word “conservatism” in it, fiscal conservatism isn't a Right position in that more of it makes you more right. It's basically a position whose apex is in center-right neoliberal corporate capitalism; go farther left or right and it becomes less of a priority.

Biden is definitely closer to the center-right than Trump, but he's not more right-leaning.

Re: US House passes federal cannabis decriminalisation bill

#108

Post by titzer »

mullingitover wrote: post #86

The fact that this won't sail through congress in a week (it'll never even come up for a vote in the senate) really illustrates how out of touch legislators are with voters. If there was a nationwide referendum on legalizing (not just decriminalizing) it would pass in a landslide today. Instead, congress will dither on this issue for probably the next five years at minimum. I realize it's more complicated than giving…

Well, of course. They need the dithering to negotiate their payouts, situate their investments, and set up their grift schemes. Don't forget the fingerpointing, moral grandstanding, and endless media appearances, jockeying for the spotlight.

Re: US House passes federal cannabis decriminalisation bill

#109

Post by stu2b50 »

justaman wrote: post #91
jliptzin wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Republicans don't actually stand for anything, other than "do the opposite of what Democrats want"

Comments like this add nothing. By this logic, the inverse is also true.

Not really, the very idea of conservatism is based around not doing new things. Without passing judgement on whether or not that's a good policy standpoint, it's clear the parties are asymmetrical - one wants to pass new policies to change something , the other oppose that.

The GOP policy website this election was literally copy pasted from 2016 - it infamously contained references to how they need to change things the incumbent president did.

Re: US House passes federal cannabis decriminalisation bill

#110

Post by curiousgeorgio »

mullingitover wrote: post #86

The fact that this won't sail through congress in a week (it'll never even come up for a vote in the senate) really illustrates how out of touch legislators are with voters. If there was a nationwide referendum on legalizing (not just decriminalizing) it would pass in a landslide today. Instead, congress will dither on this issue for probably the next five years at minimum. I realize it's more complicated than giving…

> ...illustrates how out of touch legislators are with voters. If there was a nationwide referendum on legalizing (not just decriminalizing) it would pass in a landslide today.

In your own echo chamber, that may be true, but I hope you understand, there's a large number of voters (myself included) who oppose legalization. They may not be as vocal about it online, but their votes count just as much as yours.

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