What Has Barney Frank Been Smoking?

Federal sanctions

Frank...said the decision whether to make possession of the drug illegal should be left up to the states.

He also said the federal government shouldn't have a law on the books that is rarely enforced and which doesn't make sense to large portions of the public.

"Do you really think people should be prosecuted for smoking marijuana? I don't think most people agree with that. It's one area where the public is ahead of the elected officials," Frank said in an interview with The Associated Press. "It does not appear to me to be a law that society is serious about."

Frank said he was particularly troubled by federal law enforcement agencies targeting those using marijuana as a legal medical treatment under California law.

"I don't think smoking marijuana should be a federal case," he said. "There's no federal law against mugging."

http://www.bostonherald.com/ne...

Sounds sensible to me.

---

by: Pollyanna @ Mon Mar 24, 2008 at 23:53:10 PM CDT

Ah, the "What have you been smoking" riff

One of my favorite anti-cannabis slurs.  As if people who bring up the notion of drug law reform are somehow high and irrational.

Let's begin by agreeing that rights are not a zero-sum game.  Barney Frank should be standing up for trans people and for marijuana smokers.  However...

He is not crazy to support marijuana decrim, when more than 3-to-1 majorities support the notion, as compared to transgender inclusion in ENDA, which isn't even a 2-to-1 support in the LGBT community, not to mention the mainstream community.

So feel righteous about Frank not supporting transpeople, that's fine, but you needn't throw us cannabis consumers under the bus to get his support.

"If people let government decide which foods they eat and medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny." -- Thomas Jefferson

---

by: RadicalRuss @ Tue Mar 25, 2008 at 00:53:13 AM CDT

Don't get me wrong...

I said I agree with the intent, desire, etc., behind the pot bill.

And though I don't doubt your 3-1 public support numbers, if the old 'gulf between what's right and what's acheivable' is factored in, I think we'l be seeing trans-inclusion at the federal level before we see pot decriminalization.  

For trans-inclusion, all we need to do is wait for Barney to retire or die.  For pot, we've got to outlast a horde of neo-Reefer Madness fear mongering (not to mention the alcohol and tobacco lobbies), or at least live to see a SCOTUS that is willing to acknowledge the existence of the Ninth Amendment.

Kat

>^..^<

---

by: KatRose @ Tue Mar 25, 2008 at 05:22:18 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Ditto that Russ

I wish Frank would remove his head from his ass on a trans-inclusive ENDA, but meanwhile, this bill also help people who have been unfairly treated.  Equal rights for all and sound policy based on logic, reason, and fairness should be the goal, be ye gay or trans or pot smoking.  

---

by: SarahS @ Tue Mar 25, 2008 at 18:39:01 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Two birds with one stone(r)

Barney, pass this bill, smoke a lot of pot, which will make your breasts grow...

Rep. Frank now supports Inclusive ENDA

enda story.

---

by: johnlclark @ Tue Mar 25, 2008 at 09:33:00 AM CDT

good for barney!

you're right, KatRose, that this has no chance of passing under the current administration.  but then neither did enda in any form.  the idea is to get the ball rolling - get the conversation started - start the education process....whatever you want to call it, someone has to kick start the effort, or nothing will ever change.  

Lurleen on Twitter

---

by: Lurleen @ Tue Mar 25, 2008 at 16:10:42 PM CDT