Calif. pot dispensaries told by feds to shut down

[SeaMaiden]

Increasing state rights is only an erosion of civil rights if states are not forced to meet/maintain a minimum standard set by the feds in the U$ constitution and bill of rights, imo.

You're touching on what, to me, is really the crux of the biscuit--RIGHTS. Here in California I believe that we failed miserably when we passed Proposition 8, which specified the REMOVAL of rights from a group of individuals who have committed no crime. And therein lies the rub for me, do we afford rights to real and true individuals, or do we take them away? Current political climate, living in the land of Homeland (in)Security, I feel that rights are being eroded and laws and legislation that further remove rights are the norm. That's wrong. We must focus on laws and legislation that GIVE rights to true individuals (as opposed to corporations, like the man said, put a corporation to death and I'll be a little more likely to view them as a person), not removes them.

That's my opinion, and I'm stickin' to it.

 

[Hydrosun]

If I were a sitting President, having taken an oath to uphold the law and as chief executive, I would direct the justice dept to uphold federal law. I would also vigorously defend the supremacy of federal law over state law. The office is what it is, and you take an oath before you serve. The oath does not have an exception for distasteful laws. Remember how outrageous Bush's signing statements were? Well that is normal now.

A weak presidency but a strong Fed is good. Federal preëmption is good for the individual.

A strong executive is dangerous. States' rights is a backdoor to erosion of civil rights.


Make sense? We need better checks on executive power to end the war on drugs, not a bully president.

Have you read the oath?

The oath is to protect and defend The Constitution of The United States. The oath is NOT to protect and expand FEDERAL or EXECUTIVE power.

Now if I were a sitting President I would issue EXECUTIVE orders stating that cannabis MAY have medical value therefor MY justice department would be ordered to stand down on that issue and concentrate all available resources on greater priorities.

I then as a sitting President would challenge congress to reschedule cannabis AND my appointed DEA and FDA administrators would be ORDERED to re-evaluate their departments position on cannabis and recommend ANY needed changes.

Would there be anything wrong with a sitting President doing as I advise?

 

[headband 707]

It's one of the most studies plants in the world and like all drugs has different reactions for everyone. This seems to be a real threat to our Governments and for this we will all end up in their jails and they will makes lots of cash off of that taking our shit and somhow your going to have to get used to this new gangster lol...Stay safe Headband 707

 

[TribalSeeds]

"The Man" don't want you to smoke herb because it makes you think for yourself and not want to work for "the man". The herb makes you want to be "the man".

 

[nephilthim]

well its really the head of the justice department for west coast which is russonello who is a staunch suppporter of anti drug policies,devout catholic who has represented the church.
ron paul is the only answer.mr hopey changey picked up the ball where bush dropped it. going after whistleblowers and invoking espionage act more than any other pres,extra judicial killings of foreign nationals and american citizens without habeus corpeus. continuing the wars,guantanemo,home land security,fbi fidiot fishing expeditions,torture of american (jose padilla yea they knew about him before he boarded the plane anyway)citizens.ignoring congress over libya and material and personel support of rebels who are basically al qaeda members.
the single biggest problem in american politics is israel and it's political money arm in a.i.p.a.c. which donates to virtually every member of congress and senate.watching the republican party canidates kow tow to israel with comments that they would bomb iran if elected are reassuring platitudes to placate their overseers in vying for the presidency ron paul is the only one that would turn off the siphon,and stop the wars
criticism of obama by the right makes them look like facists since obama is more of a centrist republican than a democrat continuing the wars and bailing out the banks who were the sole casue of the housing crisis.
there is really no differance between the democratic and republican parties any claims of diversity are smokescreens to the real underlying issues where americans agree on stopping wars corporations fairness in taxation job creaation and or wealth redistribution

 

[MadBuddhaAbuser]

The DEA was created by executive order.

if someone wanted to , what would prevent them from ending it and the war on american citizens and cancer patients?

 

[mad librettist]

The DEA was created by executive order.

if someone wanted to , what would prevent them from ending it and the war on american citizens and cancer patients?

the DEA was created by executive order because it was empowered by congress.

all this chasing the rhetorical tale doesn't add up to a president able to wave his hand and change federal law.

or at least, that's not what we ought to want if we know what's good for us.


Hydrosun, I am speaking in favor of a weaker executive, not expanding executive power -- perhaps that wasn't clear. And yes, the oath is to uphold the constitution, which clearly gives congress the power of the purse and the power to make laws. The executive is just like the management of a corporation. They are beholden to the board.

I favor a strong fed, not a strong executive. I also favor an amendment that ends cannabis prohibition. I'd like to see a president lobby for it even as she enforces the law.

 

[kmk420kali]

the DEA was created by executive order because it was empowered by congress.

all this chasing the rhetorical tale doesn't add up to a president able to wave his hand and change federal law.

or at least, that's not what we ought to want if we know what's good for us.


Hydrosun, I am speaking in favor of a weaker executive, not expanding executive power -- perhaps that wasn't clear. And yes, the oath is to uphold the constitution, which clearly gives congress the power of the purse and the power to make laws. The executive is just like the management of a corporation. They are beholden to the board.

I favor a strong fed, not a strong executive. I also favor an amendment that ends cannabis prohibition. I'd like to see a president lobby for it even as she enforces the law.

Except we do not need an Amendment to end Prohibition...since there was never one Declaring Prohibition--
Congress just needs to Reschedule it, and declare that the Interstate Commerce Clause can no longer be used to circumvent State Laws in the case of Cannabis--
Those are the only 2 things that allow the Feds to do what they are doing--

 

[mad librettist]

Except we do not need an Amendment to end Prohibition...since there was never one Declaring Prohibition--
Congress just needs to Reschedule it, and declare that the Interstate Commerce Clause can no longer be used to circumvent State Laws in the case of Cannabis--
Those are the only 2 things that allow the Feds to do what they are doing--

I understand there is no amendment to undo


still i'd like to see the right to cannabis added

 

[monkey5]

And gives you the chance to...by growing & selling a little!

And gives you the chance to...by growing & selling a little!

"The Man" don't want you to smoke herb because it makes you think for yourself and not want to work for "the man". The herb makes you want to be "the man".

Gies you the chance to make $ for yourself! Not work for minumim wage! monkey5

 

[headband 707]

well its really the head of the justice department for west coast which is russonello who is a staunch suppporter of anti drug policies,devout catholic who has represented the church.
ron paul is the only answer.mr hopey changey picked up the ball where bush dropped it. going after whistleblowers and invoking espionage act more than any other pres,extra judicial killings of foreign nationals and american citizens without habeus corpeus. continuing the wars,guantanemo,home land security,fbi fidiot fishing expeditions,torture of american (jose padilla yea they knew about him before he boarded the plane anyway)citizens.ignoring congress over libya and material and personel support of rebels who are basically al qaeda members.
the single biggest problem in american politics is israel and it's political money arm in a.i.p.a.c. which donates to virtually every member of congress and senate.watching the republican party canidates kow tow to israel with comments that they would bomb iran if elected are reassuring platitudes to placate their overseers in vying for the presidency ron paul is the only one that would turn off the siphon,and stop the wars
criticism of obama by the right makes them look like facists since obama is more of a centrist republican than a democrat continuing the wars and bailing out the banks who were the sole casue of the housing crisis.
there is really no differance between the democratic and republican parties any claims of diversity are smokescreens to the real underlying issues where americans agree on stopping wars corporations fairness in taxation job creaation and or wealth redistribution

I really like the hopey changey part that shits funny but the fact is can you ever trust any of these assholes? EVER ,,,?Do they ever do what they say they are going to do in the end? nah...
As far as the gov doing anything for the ppl that has to be one of the bigger joke around..
Now lets hit on the science as this is really the important part of all this as these are really just the facts and who doesn't want to deal with the facts right?
The part where it said :
"Cannabis decreases CANCER tumors"
Who asked that that info be sticken from the record and how is that possible? Was that the DEA/Gov.? and why would they do this? Is this like Bush's Stem cell research? Why must we keep going back and fighting ? Headband 707

 

[HempKat]

I really like the hopey changey part that shits funny but the fact is can you ever trust any of these assholes? EVER ,,,?Do they ever do what they say they are going to do in the end? nah...

It's not really an issue of trust as much of an issue of the average American failing to understand that the President really doesn't have the power to keep campaign promises. I mean sure it gave a bunch of folks the warm fuzzies to hear Obama talk about change in Washington but just how exactly is he going to change things when the things that need to be changed can't be changed by executive order and the only other way (Congress) is content with how things are?

 

[turbolaser4528]

Congress sucks! Their approval ratings show this.

Take the money out of politics and things will run much smoother, guaranteed.

Senators making 150-200k + lobbyist donations (bribes?) gimme a break, public service my a$$!!

 

[dagnabit]

congress does not control scheduling. nor did they "empower" nixon to create the DEA...

where do you people get this stuff?

 

[kmk420kali]

congress does not control scheduling. nor did they "empower" nixon to create the DEA...

where do you people get this stuff?

I don't know about Empowering Nixon, but as far as Congress controlling the Scheduling of drugs...the initially did, and have the power to reschedule, as they have done in the past--

The legislation created five Schedules (classifications), with varying qualifications for a substance to be included in each. Two federal agencies, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Food and Drug Administration, determine which substances are added to or removed from the various schedules, though the statute passed by Congress created the initial listing, and Congress has sometimes scheduled other substances through legislation such as the Hillory J. Farias and Samantha Reid Date-Rape Prevention Act of 2000, which placed gamma hydroxybutyrate in Schedule I. Classification decisions are required to be made on criteria including potential for abuse (an undefined term),[2][3] currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and international treaties.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_Substances_Act

I don't normally quote Wiki for these type of things...but the references are there...and I don't have the time at the moment to scour for more-- lol

 

[mad librettist]

congress does not control scheduling. nor did they "empower" nixon to create the DEA...

where do you people get this stuff?

congress has to consent to the funding, and no, Nixon did not get the idea to start the drug war all by himself, and yes the legislative branch has given the executive branch the power and mandate to enforce laws. as the laws of land evolve, the executive creates agencies to administer them. I don't understand the focus on DEA policy. The enforcement apparatus itself is not the master.


there is not a legislature in the country with the power of arrest AFAIK. Nor are the courts involved directly in enforcement. The executive has its place as outlined by the legislature, which is the "prime mover" in the creation of law out of anarchy.


de-scheduling cannabis would be a great step, but what we need is a constitutional amendment ending the war on cannabis. or even better, an amendment stating that drug abuse is a medical issue, not a criminal one.

 

[HempKat]

As to the empowering, Nixion was able to create the DEA thru the power to merge and consolidate Federal Government Offices. The same power that was taken from the President by Congress after Reagan and which Obama is now seeking to have restored. Also it still required Congressional approval.

The Drug Enforcement Administration was established on 1 July 1973, by Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1973, signed by President Richard Nixon on 28 July 1973.[1] It proposed the creation of a single federal agency to enforce the federal drug laws as well as consolidate and coordinate the government's drug control activities. Congress accepted the proposal, as they were concerned with the growing availability of drugs.[2] As a result, the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (BNDD), the Office of Drug Abuse Law Enforcement (ODALE), and other federal offices merged together to create the DEA.[3]

Also it should be understood that a President can't just arbitrarily make any Executive Order he pleases. To be more correct he can't use them to make laws but rather to strengthen laws already passed by Congress.

Until the 1950s, there were no rules or guidelines outlining what the president could or could not do through an executive order. However, the Supreme Court ruled in Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer, 343 US 579 (1952) that Executive Order 10340 from President Harry S. Truman placing all steel mills in the country under federal control was invalid because it attempted to make law, rather than clarify or act to further a law put forth by the Congress or the Constitution. Presidents since this decision have generally been careful to cite which specific laws they are acting under when issuing new executive orders.

 

[headband 707]

It's not really an issue of trust as much of an issue of the average American failing to understand that the President really doesn't have the power to keep campaign promises. I mean sure it gave a bunch of folks the warm fuzzies to hear Obama talk about change in Washington but just how exactly is he going to change things when the things that need to be changed can't be changed by executive order and the only other way (Congress) is content with how things are?

You know I really love this answer because it's always the same one LOL... Yeah thats not my job or talk to that government lol..
Holy shit you guys in the USA are as brainwashed as here in Canada..
Whenever anything goes wrong here in Canada they always say go to the other Gov and the other Gov say Nah to go the other one and NOTHING ever gets done .. Welcome to our world lol...We have federal and provincal gov and it's all bullshit too... I guess this is how they keep the ppl down. Tell them they are free and tell the world they are free but the truth is it's all BULLSHIT!!!!
I for one am so sick of this shit and so tired of fighting about cannabis .. They have wasted enough of our money on this and it's all about fighting it and not helping ppl and enough is enough.. headband707

 

[dagnabit]

wanna see the power of XOs?

look at XO 11490,11497,11727,13544,13556,13584,13590,13254,
i could go on...

the hilarious part is suggesting that nixon asked congress for permission to create the DEA and abolish the BOP.
like bushie had to ask congress before adding the E to the atf? (btw that was an XO)

have you guys forgotten presidential signing statements already?
but lets go with the CEO of a company angle...
if the pres is the CEO that would make the AG and the sec. of HHS his directors no?
so the CEO is in charge of the actions of his directors right?
could the CEO not order his directors to implement his strategies?

i know if the CEO of the corp my wife works for orders one of his national directors to jump they don't ask "how high" they jump as high as they fucking can as quick as they can.

a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to toke up?
is that a joke?

i love how O apologists act like the pres is some powerless figurehead but, somehow in the previous incarnations the exec. was an almost all powerful dictator. lmao

 

[Madjag]

wanna see the power of XOs?

look at XO 11490,11497,11727,13544,13556,13584,13590,13254,
i could go on...

the hilarious part is suggesting that nixon asked congress for permission to create the DEA and abolish the BOP.
like bushie had to ask congress before adding the E to the atf? (btw that was an XO)

have you guys forgotten presidential signing statements already?
but lets go with the CEO of a company angle...
if the pres is the CEO that would make the AG and the sec. of HHS his directors no?
so the CEO is in charge of the actions of his directors right?
could the CEO not order his directors to implement his strategies?

i know if the CEO of the corp my wife works for orders one of his national directors to jump they don't ask "how high" they jump as high as they fucking can as quick as they can.

a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to toke up?
is that a joke?

i love how O apologists act like the pres is some powerless figurehead but, somehow in the previous incarnations the exec. was an almost all powerful dictator. lmao

Yep, the President could be all he wants to be and accomplish all he wanted to do....if he was resolute, strong in his heart, and not concerned about his image or being re-elected.

I beleive we don't have that. Obama is not Gandhi or Jefferson. He's better than Bush but not all he could be if he wanted to.