Marijuana & Health Care : Obama Chess at it's best (and worst).

[denem]

Obama chose to get laughs at the expense of those asking about Marijuana legalization. A tacky cheap shot, designed to reassure 'mainstream' America.

At the same time he carefully avoided the question. By framing this as "would legalizing marijuana help stimulate the economy', he could give a firm "No" without compromising the moves by HHS to recast a 'War on Drugs' towards harm minimization.

When asked about medical marijuana during the primaries, he replied could not see a role for Federal agencies raiding state programs and initiatives. Then he added, establishing medical marijuana as Federal Policy would take considerable political capital, and it was not at the top of his list, certainly not before energy, education and health care.

Two things. The President president may personally favor at least medical marijuana as Federal Policy. He would certainly be up against it, not least the from the Pharmaceutical industry, but it's not off the table. Secondly, he did NOT rule out progress towards legalization, but he is obviously not considering a 'stimulus' from marijuana taxes, nor savings at the DEA.

There are already moves afoot on dumping minimum sentences for drug offenses. It is a work in progress.

On health care, he ruled out single payer as a "big bang", dismantling employer funded insurance. Talking about efficiencies, what he did not mention, to my real disappointment was a public insurance scheme . BUT

When the question came up about pre-existing conditions came up, the outlines became clearer. Mandates. The private insurers where prepared to cover pre-existing conditions with a universal mandate (the Hillary and Edwards policy), and it was then, at that point, that Obama mentioned the public plan.

I saw this as Obama chess at it's best. You want mandates and I have an efficient public plan on the table. Nothing at this stage precludes an outcome like John Edwards imagined, where a lower cost 'Medicare Plus', weakens and squeezes out Private Insurance companies, moving towards the day when health, not Insurance profits, drives HHS.

Dr. Dean and the public can help "make it so". It's time to get moving.