Why do anti-Drug War people vote Democrat?

[killtown]

Most Democratic politicians SUPPORT the drug war. The DNC supports the Drug War:

The 2004 Democratic Party Platform: Stronger at Home, Respected in the World :dem:

We will increase efforts to combat drug-trafficking throughout the Caribbean and ensure that those involved in bringing drugs into the U.S. are brought to justice. We will assist in combating corruption so that funds made available for development are used appropriately.

http://www.democrats.org/pdfs/2004platform.pdf

Maybe Democrat politicians aren't as bad as Republicans on average in their support for the drug war, but they still by-and-large overwhelmingly support the drug war.

Only Libertarians and the Green Party wants to end the drug war. The DNC wants to keep it just like the GOP, so why do people who want to end the insane drug war keep voting Democrat?

And remember, "lesser of the evil" is still evil.

[Warpy]

1. In NM, the DLC governor, Richardson, adores the drug war

but his GOP predecessor, Gary Johnson, was vehemently against the drug war and quite outspoken about how it needed to be ended.

Honestly, if Gary Johnson could run again, I'd vote for him over Richardson for that and a whoe lot of other reasons.

[DirtyJersey]

25. Drug war

Sometimes I think the GOP is coming around faster on this issue than the Dems. In the medical marijuana Supreme Court decision last year, the dissenters were all conservative Republican apointees. A lot of grassroots conservatives are very adamaently against the drug war, and they're starting to be listened to more and more. Bush hasn't touched the issue, whereas Clinton expanded the War on Drugs. It would be nice if somebody would work on STOPPING the War on Drugs, but at least the bleeding is slowing.

On a side note, there's something I've noticed. Certain issues, such as the war on drugs, eminent domain, pork barrel spending, etc. tend to unify grassroots liberals and conservatives. These are more establishment vs. anti-establishment issues rather than liberal vs. conservative. That's why you see liberal (Green) and conservative (Libertarian) third parties both on the right side of these issues, and the two major parties on the wrong side.

[pinkpops]

2. I'm not sure I understand the question...

One reason to oppose the "drug war" is that it is one of those metaphorical wars that gets us into trouble. You don't go to war against drugs. Drugs are not people, not nations. Another reason is that stopping drugs at the source is futile, and only creates a militaristic bureaucracy which then proceeds to perpetuate itself.

[killtown]

4. It's not rocket science

why do people who oppose the drug war vote for parties who support the drug war?

[pinkpops]

8. oh - I see....

and I agree

[Township75]

3. Well, my reasons are that...

there isn't a politcally relevent party that is actually making moves to end this fruitless and in my opinion unjust war against drugs...as such, other issues take priotity in my vote.

I actually think there is a larger push in the Repub party to end the war on drugs, than in the Dem party...largely due to the small amount of Libertarians that are in that party. This really amazes me, as I always thought I could rely on the Dem party to be ahead on this issue with respect ot the Repubs.

[killtown]

5. Remember my "lesser of the evil" quote

If you keep voting for evil parties, that is exactly what you will get.

[Township75]

9. Well, if I take your advice...

I would not be voting Dem, as I have seen more repubs come out against hte war on drugs versus Dems.

[killtown]

10. No that's not my advice

Voting Republican would still be evil.

Try finding a party that is against the drug war and who are not evil.

[cannabis_flower]

20. Look, I don't know about elsewhere but..

In Texas, it is the Democratic party that is willing to entertain changing the drug laws. We passed a medical marijuana resolution at the state convention in 2004. The 2004 Texas Democratic party platform and resolutions were more progressive than almost any other state. The resolutions and platform that was passed were more progressive than the resolutions and platform passed by Massachusetts for heaven's sake.

I have a Republican friend who (bless his heart) voted in the Republican primary. He showed up for the precinct convention with his medical marijuana resolution and he was the only person in his precinct so he passed it and appointed himself a delegate. When he went to the Senate District convention, of course, his resolution was shut down and he was unable to get any support at all - although he says he will be back and will keep on trying.

[madmom]

6. I vote one more than one issue, I look at the whole picture.

[killtown]

12. And I respect that

however, if drug policy is at the top of your list of importance, you are self-defeating yourself by voting for someone who has the opposing view. Sort of like if you are hard core pro-choice, I doubt you'd vote for a person who has most of your view, but is pro-life.

If you continue to vote Democrat, you will always be voting FOR the drug war. Same with voting Republican.

[ThoughtCriminal]

7. They saw what happened when a handful

in Florida voted for Nader. Lesson ends.

[K-W]

11. Obviously because there is no viable party offering reform.

Because our system is designed to subvert democracy.

[killtown]

13. They are only not viable

because people are not voting for them. If the amount of eligible voters, who don't vote in an average election, all vote for the same candidate, that candidate would win each and every time.

[K-W]

14. Well yes.

The fact that people arent voting for them is the inviability, so the issue is why people arent voting for them. What causes people to either not vote or to vote for people who dont really represent them? The real causes are the people who created the institutions that offer so few choices and the people who manipulate others to take a passive role in government. AKA the wealthy and those in thier employ.

[firefox]

15. I do not support any drug warriors.

I call for their removal from office no matter their stripes.

The Democratic Party needs to call for the implementation of harm reduction using a health care model. They also need to recognize that they could forget all the presently illegal drugs and be honest about tobacco that kills 442,000 Americans a year and 5 million worldwide and alcohol and improve everything in the realm of addiction almost overnight.

Instead of zooming in on pot and meth, everybody needs to zoom out and talk big picture on substance abuse, including refined sugar.

[sweetheart]

16. grey area

I'll vote against my own interests for the lesser-evil party, like i did
for kerry.

That said, i've donated more money to MPP than the dems. I don't vote for
drugs warriors unless it is to unseat nazis... and then my vote is "not-nazi"
and not pro-vichy.

I've yet to contribute again to the libertarian party come 06, but i have in the past
for their good work against drugs warriors of all stripes.

The dems supporting the drugs war is a disgrace, and i will actively attack
any rhetoric of that sort when i encounter it. But it struck me, in the last
pres-election, that kerry was making nice knowing the political conundrum of
realizing the drugs war is a failure, yet appearing hard on crime.

[shanti]

17. many "senior" dems

still have a problem with mm because its *gasp* ILLEGAL! :eyes: and no amount of reasoning will do any good. some of these folks partake in alcohol, but fail to see the hypocrisy of their beliefs.

[hydrashok75]

18. The Democrats are between a rock and a hard place...

...advocating an end to the futile drug war would be handing the Repuglicans a loaded .44 and saying "shoot me." They'd never hear the end of the "see!!!! you're immoral AND you're soft on crime" bullhockey.

Even though the Democrats should be the party of a sensible drug policy, they destroy themselves pursuing it.

[java-fiend]

19. would it really be political suicide?

Look at the polls; Americans overwhelmingly support medical marijuana.

Hell, remember the pres. vote in California in 1996? Marijuana got more votes then Bill Clinton did!

Rep. Barney Frank, liberal Dem. from Mass., advocates med. hemp.
Rep. Ron Paul, conservative Republican from a rural Texas district, advocates med. hemp.

Both get re-elected.

[Jed Dilligan]

21. Kerry and Gore were both better than Clinton on this

Although Kerry's background as a prosecutor initially made me shy away from him.

It seems like the DNC is gradually softening up on the drug war and with the die-off of the Racist Generation, oh I'm sorry, the Greatest Generation they won't see much percentage in continuing it.

Not to let the assholes off the hook for supporting American Nazism at its worst... But at least they wouldn't have thrown Tommy Chong in jail.

[Hippo_Tron]

22. Because people like Clinton and Kerry...

Don't get satisfaction from locking people up for no reason like the GOP does. They won't take major steps against the drug war because they're too afraid to. However, there's a chance that you might get them to take steps in the right directions.

[Turtlebah]

23. I disagree

Clinton jailed far more pot smokers than George Bush did. Each Administration accelerates the Drug War .. this is how we ended up with 2.2 MILLION people in American prisons.

[Hippo_Tron]

24. Clinton was in office for twice as long as George Bush

And the President doesn't make the decide how many pot smokers get jailed, state and federal law enforcement does. But I agree that Clinton accelerated the drug war. The difference is that unlike the Republicans, Clinton knew better but did it anyway. I think that it was one of the worst things that his administration did.

[Qutzupalotl]

26. Here's one good reason:

http://www.wa-democrats.org/resolutions/060929%20-%20WSDCC%20Resolution%20-%20220%20-%20PASS%20-%20Legalization%20of%20Medical%20Marijuana.pdf

060929 – WSDCC Resolution – 220 – PASS – Legalization of Medical Marijuana
060929 – WSDCC Resolution – 220 – RECP – Legalization of Medical Marijuana
060603 - Convention Resolution - 087 - SUB - Legalization of Medical Marijuana
Page 1 of 1
Resolution Advocating the Legalization of 1 Medical Marijuana
2
3 WHEREAS, eight states – Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, Nevada,
4 and Maine – have enacted laws allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana for medical purposes;
5 and
6
7 WHEREAS, since federal law prohibits the use of marijuana for any purpose, doctors
8 prescribing marijuana for medical purposes risk being arrested; and
9
10 WHEREAS, the above eight states plus Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, and New York
11 have reduced penalties for the possession of marijuana in recent years; and
12
13 WHEREAS, in May 2004, House Republicans attempted to pass legislation that would strip
14 federal anti-drug money from local police in states which have passed medical marijuana laws;
15 and
16
17 WHEREAS, in May 2004, House Republicans asked for legislation to fund the White House
18 Drug Policy office for five more years and allow that office to run ads opposing medical
19 marijuana initiatives;
20
21 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Washington State Democratic Party shall press its U.S.
22 Senators and Representatives to press for legislation which would protect the medical
23 marijuana laws in the states which have passed them, and which would prohibit the reduction
24 of federal funds to states which have passed medical marijuana laws.
25
26
27 Submitted by the Island County Democrats to the Washington State Democratic Party for
28 consideration at its June 3, 2006 convention in Yakima (Date Submitted 05/26/2006)
29
30 The Washington State Democratic Party at its State Convention on June 3, 2006 in Yakima
31 referred this resolution to the WSDCC Resolutions Committee for review at its September 9 –
32 10, 2006 meeting in Ellensburg.
33
34 The WSDCC Resolutions Committee recommended a “Pass” on this resolution at its September
35 10, 2006 meeting in Ellensburg. The resolution will be forwarded to the WSDCC at its next
36 meeting on September 29 - 30, 2006 in Tacoma.
37
38 The WSDCC passed this resolution at its September 30, 2006 meeting in Tacoma.