http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008732707_webkerlliskowske11m.html From the article:
I have to do some research on this guy.. but this article sure has me optimistic. At first read of the thread title I thought it was the guy who got interviewed in the Union, that'd be cool
because not everyone who goes to Legalization and Activism go to general and not everyone in General goes to Legalization and Activism. Just trying to spread the word but thanks for the kinds words.
Why the hell is it a big deal? It fits in both....I could even put it into the political forum if I wanted to because it fits there too. Want me to? or will you complain about the forum categories? Really, it's not a big deal.
When I think Seattle, I think lax enforcement on marijuana. However, that's because of a city ordinance. I'm still unclear on his stance on soft drugs. Although the article mentions that he had marijuana as a low priority even before the city oridnance. I'm assumining he's relatively liberal as compared to previous drug czars, but I'm not confident on my assumption without more info.
ok so everyone and their mom can rag on the lil guys for makin duplicate threads.. . But for you its no problem. I see how it works now. I'm glad im not the only one who see's the hypocracy.
I've never seen that happen actually. I mean if the mods feel like deleting one of them then go ahead but I have a rational reason for posting in both. Like I said just spreading the word because this is an interesting choice. Whatever though. Internet, serious business.
WTF??? Who cares. This is something people should be paying attention to. Put it in every forum. "Guarded Optimism" is all I'm gonna say at this time about this appointment. Come on Obama, appoint a DEA head already!
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle_blog/2009/feb/11/has_obama_made_a_good_choice_for -------------------------------------------------- The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is reporting that Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske will likely be Obama's nominee for director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, commonly referred to as the drug czar. It appears that we may soon be faced with the most promising drug czar ever to occupy the position. To be clear, Kerlikowske is not a friend of drug policy reform to any extent I'm aware of. What matters here is that I see no evidence that he is a vicious drug warrior of the sort commonly associated with the drug czar post. Given that ONDCP is mandated to oppose reform efforts and has typically embraced that role, a less confrontational and reefer madness-driven drug czar is really the best case scenario from a drug policy reform perspective. Under Kerlikowske, Seattle has been a model for sensible marijuana policy, including the famous Seattle Hempfest at which the Seattle Police Department performs a public safety role while declining to make marijuana arrests. Following the passage of a 2004 lowest priority initiative, the city's already-low rate of marijuana prosecutions fell even further, suggesting that Kerlikowske was responsive to the will of voters. In that sense, he offers a dramatic departure from ONDCP's shameful history of undermining state medical marijuana laws and inserting itself into state politics for the purpose of thwarting reform efforts. In an office typically run by military officials and political hacks, Kerlikowske would bring expertise in community policing and public relations. As drug czar, I have no doubt that Gil Kerlikowske would oppose drug legalization and serve as our primary opponent on many issues. Nevertheless, at first glance, my gut instinct is that after several drug czars from hell, a guy from Seattle doesn't sound so bad.
NORML has a streaming interview with former Seattel police cheif Norm Stamper (who is the guy from the UNION Documentary, who is with LEAP and NORML who opposes the drug war) about Kerlikowske at 4:20 pacific. Thats like 1 hour 40 mins from now I wonder if Obama was like..."Shit look at all these emails and change.gov votes..I just can't do anything about mj laws, they are too controversial. I know stoners I know how harmless it is but I have too much to lose here I have to be careful" So he's thinking to himself "Maybe if I appoint a drug czar whose more in their favor but still flies under the radar of the evil people" "So Mr Kerlikowske..I, uh..am opposed to legalization, how about you?" "Uh...yea totally." "Yea so what about decriminalization and stopping raids and all that stupid stuff? It is stupid, right?" "I dunno if its stupid" "Oh...okay..these crazy people talking about legalization, heh? They are just wacko." "Yea...wacko" "Yea...." "Yea.." "What was that sound? Sounded like coughing?" "What? Uh I gotta go"' Obama: Man that guy is hired