I wish I had some sense of what President Obama believes and why he supports

[RainDog]

78. I agree. but...

That's if you give a shit about Republican assholes. And, frankly, no one but conservatives cares what they say.

I entirely understand the reasoning you're talking about and I do think that has constrained him - but the reality is that both liberals and conservatives (some from both sides of the political divide) agree on legalization. It's a bipartisan issue.

The divide is between social conservatives in both parties and social liberals/economic conservatives.

I just don't want conservatives to be able to take this issue and run with it in the west.

The thinking about this issue in DC is so entrenched in the massive drug war propaganda that it's hard for people in the beltway to change their way of thinking... and a lot of that difficulty comes from the amount of money that goes to military contractors, LEOs at state levels who get a lot of funds via the federal WoD, and the private prison contractors who are determined to make this nation a Hobbesian nightmare.

This nation needs a massive overhaul of sentencing laws. This is not going to happen with conservatives because they are relying on these draconian laws to meet quotas for their private prison contracts.

The big problem with Obama on this issue is that he comes off looking like an anti-science reactionary when the Drug Czar and various other spokespersons outright deny scientific evidence of medical benefit.

This issue is has become religious dogma for drug warriors and they are the equivalent of creationists in their refusal to look at data to accept the reality that the CSA is wrong. But they remain entrenched because, once they admit the evidence indicates their stance is wrong - they should then be morally compelled to address the lies that have informed drug policy for decades.

What's going on now is an example of protected turf. That this results in the most racist application of the law in this land doesn't seem to bother enough people in power.

But the economic, scientific and medical arguments should compel the legislature to act in accordance with reality - but it doesn't. Because money trumps justice.