Help me Change America (Voting ends at 5pm ET on Thursday, January 15)

[LagunaRoadster]

I'm not sure if you've heard, but there's a movement of citizens inspired by the presidential campaign who are deciding the top 10 ideas for how they think the Obama administration should change America. It's called "Ideas for Change in America," and it's being run by Change.org.

One idea is titled: Legalize the Medicinal and Recreational Use of Marijuana. I thought you might be interested in getting involved and recommend you check it out. You can read more and vote for the idea by clicking the following link:

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/legalize_the_medicinal_and_recreational_use_of_mar ijuana

The top 10 ideas are going to be presented to the Obama administration at an event at the National Press Club in Washington, DC next week and will be supported by a national lobbying campaign run by Change.org in partnership with leading nonprofits after the Presidential Inauguration. So each idea has a real chance at becoming policy.

Thanks for the help!

Stephen

[lance]

I'm not sure if you've heard, but there's a movement of citizens inspired by the presidential campaign who are deciding the top 10 ideas for how they think the Obama administration should change America. It's called "Ideas for Change in America," and it's being run by Change.org.

One idea is titled: Legalize the Medicinal and Recreational Use of Marijuana. I thought you might be interested in getting involved and recommend you check it out. You can read more and vote for the idea by clicking the following link:

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/legalize_the_medicinal_and_recreational_use_of_mar ijuana

The top 10 ideas are going to be presented to the Obama administration at an event at the National Press Club in Washington, DC next week and will be supported by a national lobbying campaign run by Change.org in partnership with leading nonprofits after the Presidential Inauguration. So each idea has a real chance at becoming policy.

Thanks for the help!

Stephen


Went to that site and took a look, out of all the issues we have in this country currently, I have a hard time believing that the number one thing we could do to improve this country is to legalize marijuana!!

Believe me I have no problem with the concept, have never believed that the recreational use of marijuana should be penalized, but what about revamping the tax system, what about health care, what about changes to the corp. tax structure to encourage industries to locate in the US instead of moving offshore??

Would be interesting to see the demographics of the group that thinks this is our country's biggest issue to be resolved.

[MeFryRice]

^^ I agree with Lance on this one.

[Doppelgänger]

Yeah... maybe get to that after some of the other larger issues get addressed.

[MeFryRice]

I just do understand why people feel that legalizing marijuana will create a significant change for the better of our country? Can someone please explain the points that I must be missing here?

[Doppelgänger]

Because it's just as important to have them taking up tax dollars and jail space as to having rapists, murders, drunk drivers and people driving without insurance in jail too....you know, because people busted with a few ounces of pot are just as dangerous and as costly to businesses/people as the aforementioned list of other offenders.

[MeFryRice]

oh yeah, I forgot. My bad...

[metalman]

I just do understand why people feel that legalizing marijuana will create a significant change for the better of our country? Can someone please explain the points that I must be missing here?

Because that way people will spend more time laying in bed, watching cartoons, and eating cheetos...and the worlds problems wont seem as bad. :lol:

[LagunaRoadster]

ya, very interesting that they have a place where you can rank issues and possibly get them addressed. I am usually not political, but this was fairly interesting to say the least, figured I would pass the information on.

[simontibbett]

It will create millions of new jobs and such..........lol. Keep it banned. I like cry babies.

[Roadster]

I voted against "change", lol. My idea for "changing America" would be for Obama to step down and let Ron Paul take over, but that seems a bit of a long shot. :rolleyes:

[MeFryRice]

I give Obama ~6 months before he's assassinated.

[Doppelgänger]

I voted against "change", lol. My idea for "changing America" would be for Obama to step down and let Ron Paul take over, but that seems a bit of a long shot. :rolleyes:
:facepalm:
we need not start political discussions...again...

[MeFryRice]

I'll start a politics thread in a minute for us to discuss this matter.

[wildfire0310]

I just do understand why people feel that legalizing marijuana will create a significant change for the better of our country? Can someone please explain the points that I must be missing here?

Well I did some research back in the day and one of the big reasons to legalize marijuana wasn't for marijuana at all but for it sister plant and hemp. The problem right now is that it is illegeal to grow hemp without going through 1000s of people and forms, cause it so similar to marijuana that one could grow marijuana right next to hemp and 95% of people wouldn't noticed a difference. Hemp has millions of uses and would put a huge hurting on the oil and logging companies which is why they push for it to stay illegeal.

Quick advantages of hemp:
one of the fastest growing plants
can be grown in about 75% of America
high amounts of soy
can be used to make paper, wood, rope, etc
most likely could be used instead of corn to make E-85 :biggrin:

Then also there is the whole reason Mike stated. That and I meet a few people that have the same mind set about, how Marijuana is illegeal but tobacco and alcohol are legal and they are all about on the same level.

[simontibbett]

I give Obama ~6 months before he's assassinated.

If that DOES happen, we are FU****........

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Marijuana being illegal is a stupid law. It's got to be one of the few substances that are impossible to OD on. People shouldn't be arrested for smoking it and not really doing anything bad because of it. It wastes jail space, tax payers money and diverts attention from the real drug problem... Meth.

I've had enough of these Above the Influence adverts, they're completely wrong and useless. And WE pay for them. They need to address the real drug problem, the drug that is seriously addictive and at the source of most social problems. Meth is terrible and just look at how little we hear about it.

But yeah, for all of the problems with Cannabis being illegal, there are some slightly more pressing issues at hand. Although it probably wouldn't be too hard to change a few things quickly.

[Doppelgänger]

If people could get in the mindset and treat pot like alcohol, I don't think it would couse so much controversy. By treat like, I mean the same laws that apply to drinking and driving, buying, making your own, when it can be bought/used/consumed etc...

But unfortunatly all of these tightasss conservative overly "family values" wingnuts will argue all day long that pot is a "gateway drug"....which is pure and utter bullsh!t.


**For the record, I don't smoke weed, just cigs.

[simontibbett]

It may not be a gateway drug, and may not be dangerous like real drugs, but I know a lot of people who have turned into complete losers after starting to use it. And complete dumb asses.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Well look at how many people have turned into abusive husbands/fathers/mothers/wives because of alcohol. I would rather those people be dumbasses than violent scum. How many violent related incidences can you link to marijuana. People use it and become stoners more due to their personality than anything else. They're looking for an escape and will do whatever is trendy and illegal.

Like Mike said, if you treat it with more respect and in the same breath as alcohol then there really would be little problem. I like Bill Maher's idea of , "At your own risk." Let people think for themselves and make their own decisions. We're not all stupid.

[Roadster]

^ True (Simon). But as long as it's only their own life that they're ruining and they aren't putting other people in danger, there shouldn't be anything illegal about that. There's no law against being stupid, which is all pot really is. Stupid, not dangerous.

[simontibbett]

^ True (Simon). But as long as it's only their own life that they're ruining and they aren't putting other people in danger, there shouldn't be anything illegal about that. There's no law against being stupid, which is all pot really is. Stupid, not dangerous.

True, just saying it has potential side effects to different people. But does the government really care or can they care about that? lol

[wildfire0310]

True, just saying it has potential side effects to different people. But does the government really care or can they care about that? lol

So does alcohol and the biggest difference is the person. I know plenty of people that smoke on a daily basis and it doesn't effect there life at all other then they are the most stress free people I know :lol:. What I really laugh about is that Marijuana is not an addictive substance, unlike alcohol or tobacco. You won't go through physical withdraws if you don't smoke Marijuana. It is all a mental addiction. Also it is only a gateway drug cause people let it be. Peoples mind set is, I am doing one thing illegal I may as well try something else.


Here is something that I mentioned to a teach in college and got him thinking.

Legalize Marijuana
Run it through FDA to keep outside substances from getting in(which needs to be done to tobacco)
Sell it at your local stores
SIN TAX the hell out of it.

Suddenly tax payers aren't paying for all the people locked up and for all the BS court cost from people fighting the "crime" and then we start to make a profit off it. It is a win-win.

[simontibbett]

So does alcohol and the biggest difference is the person. I know plenty of people that smoke on a daily basis and it doesn't effect there life at all other then they are the most stress free people I know :lol:. What I really laugh about is that Marijuana is not an addictive substance, unlike alcohol or tobacco. You won't go through physical withdraws if you don't smoke Marijuana. It is all a mental addiction. Also it is only a gateway drug cause people let it be. Peoples mind set is, I am doing one thing illegal I may as well try something else.


Here is something that I mentioned to a teach in college and got him thinking.

Legalize Marijuana
Run it through FDA to keep outside substances from getting in(which needs to be done to tobacco)
Sell it at your local stores
SIN TAX the hell out of it.

Suddenly tax payers aren't paying for all the people locked up and for all the BS court cost from people fighting the "crime" and then we start to make a profit off it. It is a win-win.

That's why I said SOME people not everyone who smokes weed.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Yeah but the whole idea of making laws due to the actions of some rather than all is not the way we should be going. Otherwise we'ld have to make things quite a bit more extreme.

[Doppelgänger]

Let people think for themselves and make their own decisions. We're not all stupid.

Unfortunatly, I believe majority of the society of this country is slowly devolving toward pure stupidity.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

I think that happens as a result of people having responsibilities taken away from them. Give people more responsibility and eventually they're going to have to man up to it.

It's creepy how right Wall-E was!

[simontibbett]

I think that happens as a result of people having responsibilities taken away from them. Give people more responsibility and eventually they're going to have to man up to it.

It's creepy how right Wall-E was!

That's a real good point.

[Doppelgänger]

Speaking of Wall-E, i'm trying to get my dial-out connection line at work fixed so I can order it on PPV again... and tell tham i'm doing a PPV order/ View state procedure test :lol:

[simontibbett]

What's Wall-E?

[jester911]

Wall-E is a movie.

[RotorNutFD3S]

What's Wall-E?

Here, let me Google that for you. (http://letmegooglethatforyou.com/?q=wall-e)

[matredd]

Very nice

[jester911]

Making him do his own search might cause overexertion.

[MeFryRice]

It may not be a gateway drug, and may not be dangerous like real drugs, but I know a lot of people who have turned into complete losers after starting to use it. And complete dumb asses.

I know what you mean. I had a friend that was fun to chill and was always against smoking. One day he tried it and has done it EVERYDAY since then. It's been over a year now to give you an idea. All him and his other friends do now is smoke and watch the latest basketball game. What a way to waste your life.

I agree with Mike on this, it should be treated like alcohol and used during social events and not as a dependency.

[Doppelgänger]

Here, let me Google that for you. (http://letmegooglethatforyou.com/?q=wall-e)
You been itchin' to use that too, eh?

[RotorNutFD3S]

:lol:
Can I blame it on Joe?

[BFH miata]

I don't mind legalizing it, all in all, I don't think it isn't any worse than alcohol... possibly better since most people just chill out after smoking instead of getting rowdy like alcohol. Most stoners stay put and don't get behind the wheel, unless they are craving white castle.

I agree that legalizing it would give a great opportunity for tax collection and maybe the cops would focus on making this country safer.

[wildfire0310]

maybe the cops would focus on making this country safer.

that or they would crack down on speeders more to help make up for the lack of money form drug tickets :lol::lol:

[lance]

It may not be a gateway drug, and may not be dangerous like real drugs, but I know a lot of people who have turned into complete losers after starting to use it. And complete dumb asses.


You don't know that these people did not have the dumbass gene to begin with!

I went to college in the late 60's and early 70's and walked through a cloud or two of smoke. There were people that did pot and never tried anything else and are quite successful today. There were others that tried everything, they were dumbasses out of the gate and nothing changed.


The gateway thing has always cracked me up. In my opinion mothers milk is the gateway drug to all drugs. :-)

[lance]

So does alcohol and the biggest difference is the person. I know plenty of people that smoke on a daily basis and it doesn't effect there life at all other then they are the most stress free people I know :lol:. What I really laugh about is that Marijuana is not an addictive substance, unlike alcohol or tobacco. You won't go through physical withdraws if you don't smoke Marijuana. It is all a mental addiction. Also it is only a gateway drug cause people let it be. Peoples mind set is, I am doing one thing illegal I may as well try something else.


Here is something that I mentioned to a teach in college and got him thinking.

Legalize Marijuana
Run it through FDA to keep outside substances from getting in(which needs to be done to tobacco)
Sell it at your local stores
SIN TAX the hell out of it.

Suddenly tax payers aren't paying for all the people locked up and for all the BS court cost from people fighting the "crime" and then we start to make a profit off it. It is a win-win.

I'll drink to that

[lance]

Unfortunatly, I believe majority of the society of this country is slowly devolving toward pure stupidity.

I agree, and if someone does not believe that, pick up the owners manual to your car and see how many pages are devoted to stupid warnings about silly things!!