Anything to be elected

In a political move to be elected governor of Texas, Kinky Friedman says he will legalise marijuana if elected, also release criminals convicted of marijuana related offenses to make more room in jails for violent offenders. Friedman will also try to abolish school assessment tests possibly costing the state federal funds.
Friedman believes that the USA has lost the "War on Drugs" and feels that the current laws are not working believing that drugs are more readily available and cheaper than ever before. Friedman also stated that he would take a much closer look at how the death penalty would be used in Texas and would possibly be more lenient in its use.



At first I thought it was a joke. But this guy prefers to be called a "visionary" rather than a "politician".
So, it seems like this is the old "If you cant beat them, join them and tax them for it" attitude. I dont know the exact number of people in Texas that smoke marijuana, but if they happen to be voters, this guy just might have a chance.

[edit on 15-9-2006 by Ox]


[edit on 17-9-2006 by DontTreadOnMe]

In a political move to be elected governor of Texas...

Since when is telling the truth a political move?

While I certainly can understand your shock at someone running for office telling the truth, I fail to see how you can interpret his position as a political move. The drug war has been a massive failure and supporting its continuation is the politically based lie intended to gain votes by selling fear.

Kinky for president.

Hellll Yeahh!!
Yes Kinky for PREZ!!!!!! If it is true.
But he make a good point and he is right I really hope that he become governor of Texas. Then just one more step to Prez.
Mod Edit: Discussion of illegal activities such as drug use, drug paraphernalia are strictly forbidden.

[edit on 18-9-2006 by DontTreadOnMe]

If i'm correct with the laws on drugs, he can't make it legal. It's a federal law.
Like California. The state allows medicinal use of marijuana, but the feds still prosecute the state allowed growers.

Nothing wrong with a straight talker. At first thought I would like to see him gain governorship and hold up to his promise. Not for the fact of having marijuana legal, but the hope of starting a states movement of power over the feds.

My education taught me that the constitution was written because The Articles of Confederation just did not encompass very well, interstate transactions and relationships; plus a lack of foreign policy insight.

The federal government has too much power over the states, and I would like nothing more than to see the states reget some of the powers they lost.

Besides just getting high, the facts are right there, put in perfect proportion. You put someone in jail for smoking weed. Wow, what'd they do wrong? Get the munchies? Now it's a different story if they got high and committed some insane crime *which will never hapen, weed causes laziness more than half the time* The only thing not looking up for him are parents duhn duhn duuuuhn!!!!

I think it goes deeper than that.. He's talking about releasing the minor offenders..if there is such a thing.. and trying for harsher penalties on more violent offenders..
Never mind the people that are smuggling hundreds of pounds of marijuana a week..

This is just a political ploy, imagine half the population of Texas smokes marijuana, out of that half, 1/4 votes.... He would immediately get another 1/4 of the voters.. to gain nothing but votes for himself, I think this is a bad idea.. but I work in the legal system...

What do you do in the legal system?

Why do you think it's a bad idea?

True, but at the same time [quoting from a song a bit] Minor drug offenders fill our prisons. Free up some space and time to catch the people doing real damage. If smoeone wants to kill their braincells then so be it, but the justice finds wrong in it. So much wrong that well, there aren't enough people free to go and catch the people who enjoy killing other people instead of their braincells.

I'd rather not talk about what I do with the legal system.. for my own reasons.. That's all.. I hope you can respect that..

And I agree that minor offenses can go another route.. but they should be punished.. And I'm not saying that I totally disagree with Kinky Friedman's idea, when was the last time a rich man faced harsh penalites?? But.. I dont agree with the drug thing.. I believe this is just a ploy to get himself in office, it would still have to be controlled, it affects people other than the ones engaging in it's use.. Would you like to be a non smoker and have some fool light a joint in a restaurant with you and your children near by getting a contact high? I know I wouldnt..

[edit on 17-9-2006 by Ox]

I respect your concern

As for your analogy: I'd feel the same about it as someone lighting a cigarette.
But this discussion would fit another thread more appropriately.

Point well made, Ox; but that just means that there'd have to regulations on these things, just as there is a regulaion on everything else.

True it would go with cigarettes as well.. and true enough it would have to be regulated... but not everyone is considerate or intelligent enough to follow those regulations, there would always be someone out there who would defy the regulations, therefore defy the law and would end up where... in jail.. on drug related charges.. it's a catch 22 situation.. legalization isnt going to help...

Damnations to ignorance, but I give you kudos on handing out the end result

Originally posted by Ox
He's talking about releasing the minor offenders... but I work in the legal system...

Fewer people entangled in the legal system would mean that you would need find honest work like the rest of us instead of feeding at the government trough. Given the current state of economy I can understand your concern, but a lot of us don't think we should keep paying for the governments failed drug war. It costs too damn much and creates more problems than it solves.

Would you like to be a non smoker and have some fool light a joint in a restaurant with you and your children near by getting a contact high?

This is a strawman arguement. Cigarettes are legal and in most restaurants smoking is still banned. In fact in many areas it is not legal for a restaurant owner to even have a restaurant that permits cigarette smoking in a limited manner.

[edit on 17-9-2006 by df1]

Well thankyou.. But you have to admit that I'm right.

There is NO way to legalize it, There is always going to be someone out there who is going to defy the law and regulations set on something. Here's a good point too, let's say your local fire dept has a member who is a mairjuana smoker, and has been smoking now that it is legal, there's an alarm and a fire that has to be responded to by his company, we all know that marijuana impaires judgement.. Would that be right? No.. I dont think so... Ok so a law is put into effect that would make it illegal to smoke in a position like that, he breaks the law, goes to jail.. Or.. it would be a discriminatory matter, the clerk at the grocery store can smoke a joint on the job on his break but the Fireman cant... Or you're at the baseball game with your kids and some yahoo has been smoking, gets in his car and drives home under the influence.. wrecks their vehicle killing your kids, but you and he survive, would you vote for Kinky Friedman again?

Kinky Friedman is actually a good friend of Bush, so he might well have enough contacts to become governor of Texas. He is also very strongly (most likely) an MJ user himself, which would mean it's not a poitical ploy. Kinky is not a politician, has no experience but is fed up with the drug war for one. In CA, where I lived all my life until recently, I don't know anyone who gets arrested for having pot except the ginormous growers, one Ed Rosenthal for one. But the folks who have 10 to 12 pot plants, no problem, they're never messed with. The cops know that if it were legal it would give them alot more manpower and energy to go after the rapists, murderers, etc.

So I think Kinky has the right idea. The War on Drugs is failed. And even though the feds have made it a federal law for MJ to be illegal, it IS unconstitutional. Fully one third of the U.S. states have voted to make it legal. The Admin is not paying attention to what the people want.

Gotta love the Kinky.

Show me in the constitution where it says that drugs should be legalized.

USA Constitution

I dont see it anywhere.. And the war on drugs hasnt been lost.. And legalization wouldnt clear up any man power to focus on anything else.. There are specific units assigned to certain types of crime, and lets not forget our friendly DEA agents. Kinky Friedman isnt a politician no, he prefers to be called a "visionary" I prefer to call him a hippie.. Over the hill, no talent, last ditch for fame effort hippie.. I think he should crawl back into his hole and step aside, let the real liars and hypocrits play the politics..

Originally posted by Ox
Well thankyou.. But you have to admit that I'm right.

There is NO way to legalize it, There is always going to be someone out there who is going to defy the law and regulations set on something. Here's a good point too, let's say your local fire dept has a member who is a mairjuana smoker, and has been smoking now that it is legal, there's an alarm and a fire that has to be responded to by his company, we all know that marijuana impaires judgement.. Would that be right? No.. I dont think so... Ok so a law is put into effect that would make it illegal to smoke in a position like that, he breaks the law, goes to jail.. Or.. it would be a discriminatory matter, the clerk at the grocery store can smoke a joint on the job on his break but the Fireman cant... Or you're at the baseball game with your kids and some yahoo has been smoking, gets in his car and drives home under the influence.. wrecks their vehicle killing your kids, but you and he survive, would you vote for Kinky Friedman again?

Invalid.

Employees could still be tested, and fired if in violation of company policy. That grocery store clerk would probably be fired if caught drinking on the job, likewise if they were caught smoking anything but a cigarette.

I'd support legalization if it were made sure that education specific to the facts of marijuana abuse were tied closely with education about alcohol abuse. Both are harmless if used in moderation. Both can be deady if abused.

Ivalid eh?

Drug testing eh? I think .. er wait.. No I KNOW that drug tests can be cheated, there are ways around them, and you cant tell me that if a WALmart employee and cheat on a drug test to pass it.. that a fire fighter couldnt, or a military pilot.. or the President.. or your children's school bus driver.. There are ways to falsify drug tests, believe me on this one..

Well, I hope he does get elected, just to see if he would actually try,
and hey if he does, than he'll be one of this countries great politicians.

I've never understood where the government gets off telling
people what they can and can't put into there own bodies.