Reply #56: and our 'front-runners' raised their hands

[appal_jack]

As the campaign moves from primary to GE, and then hopefully to a Democratic Inauguration in January 2009, it's important to remember how the candidates responded to that oddly substantive question in an otherwise unremarkable debate. Dodd, Obama, and Kucinich all raised their hands in favor of decriminalizing marijuana. Hillary Clinton and Bill Richardson responded that they favor laws allowing the medical use of marijuana. Edwards, alas, parroted the drug warrior line, frosted on top with some 'it would send the wrong message to the children...' nonsense.

But now Dodd and Richardson are out of the running, and I doubt that Edwards will remain for much longer. This means that our remaining top candidates (and I place Kucinich firmly in the top tier with respect to ideas, if not votes or dollars) all support some form of legalization of marijuana. Such a policy of course would cut-off a major artery that feeds people into the Prison-Industrial Complex. I strongly believe that we Democrats must hold both Hillary and Obama to their statements, and use this point as a launching pad to reexamine the War on Drugs as a whole soon in 2009, examining more public-health oriented strategies that reduce harm and the number of nonviolent offenders who are locked into small boxes.

Democrats stand firm! No matter who your favored candidate is, an end to the madness that is the War on Drugs is an idea worth pushing.

-app