President Obama’s YouTube Forum deems marijuana legalization questions “inappropriate

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http://blog.norml.org/2012/01/24/president-obamas-youtube-forum-deems-marijuana-legalization-questions-inappropriate/

President Obama’s YouTube Forum deems marijuana legalization questions “inappropriate”



by Russ Belville, NORML Outreach Coordinator January 24, 2012 shareshare


UPDATE: As of 7pm Pacific, I checked the YouTube.com/WhiteHouse page to see how many votes our question received in President Obama’s latest YouTube Forum. The good news? Our question, “With over 850,000 Americans arrested in 2010, for marijuana charges alone, and tens of billions of tax dollars being spent locking up non-violent marijuana users, isn’t it time we regulate and tax marijuana?” received 4,023 votes, making it one of the most popular submissions to the forum.
The bad news? See for yourself:

“The submission has been removed because people believe it is inappropriate.” Hmm, well, who are these people? The question got 241 “thumbs down” votes from viewers, was that it? I notice that of the 615 questions submitted that asked about “With over 850,000 Americans arrested in 2010″ in the text, some still remain with 28 “thumbs down” and others are removed with as few as three, so it doesn’t seem like “people” refers to viewers or the public, does it?
Who are these people, President Obama? They’re not the people out here who keep making marijuana legalization the number one topic of these online forums. They’re not the millions whose lives are impacted by a marijuana arrest; the tokers and their families who lose jobs, houses, kids, freedom, assets, respect, security, and peace of mind because of marijuana prohibition.
Sadly, I think these people are actually just one person… a guy who smoked weed (and snorted coke) back in the day as a teenager in Hawaii and was damn lucky he didn’t get caught or today he’d be Barry the Drug Criminal.
In 2010, these were the Top 100 questions for President Obama, and they ALL dealt with marijuana legalization

(YouTube.com/WhiteHouse) On Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 9:00 p.m. ET, President Obama will speak to the nation in his annual State of the Union address.Starting today, you can ask President Obama the questions that are on your mind about the direction of the country and vote on others that you think should be asked. He’ll answer several of your top-voted questions during a special interview, which will take place on January 30, live from the White House. A selection of people who submit questions will also be invited to join a Google+ Hangout live with the President during the interview.
The deadline to submit is January 28 at midnight ET so submit your question now.
​

Here we go again. How many times will President Obama ask the American people for their questions on national policy, how many times will we resoundingly call for marijuana legalization, and how will he diminish, mock, or ignore our concerns this time?

1. We petitioned him to legalize marijuana in September 2011, the number one petition;
2. We Twittered him to legalize marijuana in July 2011, making up one out of eight questions asked;
3. We asked him via YouTube video in January 2011, with LEAP’s question the number one video;
4. We asked him via Ideas for Change in March 2010, with legalization again the number one question;
5. We lobbied him via Citizen’s Briefing Book in May 2009, with the number one idea being legalization;
6. We asked him via Open for Questions II in March 2009, where he mocked the number one idea of legalization helping the economy;
7. We asked him via Open for Questions I in January 2009, where legalization topped most categories of questions;
8. We asked him via Change.gov in December 2008, where legalization was again number one and a dozen of the top fifty questions.

Maybe the ninth time is the charm? Once again in this “ask the people” exercise the most popular questions deal with legalization of marijuana*.
Here’s the official National NORML question:
Here’s my entry:
* Though this time, we may get beaten by SOPA, PIPA, and NDAA questions… which wouldn’t bother me a bit. A free and open internet, threatened by SOPA and PIPA, is crucial to spreading the message of marijuana law reform. NDAA is an abomination that allows the president to declare citizens “enemy combatants” and lock them up indefinitely without charge, without trial, and without rights. We’re big fans of the First and Fourth Amendments here and these acts are counter to the spirit and Constitution of America.

 

[deprave]

"This submissio has been removed because people believe it was inappropriate."

It seems it would be more "appropriate" to replace "people" with "we".

 

[Canna Sylvan]

At least with Romney he would answer it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gZ6-6RbSEg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[UncleBuck]

that is bullshit.

i blame it on the election year. questions like this become tougher and more politically dangerous to answer in an election year.

 

[Harrekin]

that is bullshit.

i blame it on the election year. questions like this become tougher and more politically dangerous to answer in an election year.

I do agree, you can like or loathe Obama, but when trying to get reelected that's a minefield I'd try dodge too.

 

[really comfy slippers]

No guts, no glory.... He's not worthy of the highest office. Dodging questions for the sake of election? Who really stands for the people? How much more obvious does it get? When will people wake up and demand a real man, a real leader for this country?

 

[spandy]

No guts, no glory.... He's not worthy of the highest office. Dodging questions for the sake of election? Who really stands for the people? How much more obvious does it get? When will people wake up and demand a real man, a real leader for this country?

Yet many will vote for him again. Pretty fucked up, huh?

 

[HonestJim]

To be honest, I think jumping on the legalization bandwaggon would help Obama. Look at Ron Paul, he has most of the young enthusiastic vote that helped Obama win the first time. They have all switched over to Ron Paul for two main reasons; his views on foreign policy and his views on personal liberties. If Obama came out in favor of legalization he could recapture that support he lost to Ron Paul. Of course the instant he did the republicans would put spin on it and turn him into a Muslim drug lord. That may be why he is avoiding the issue. I think you will see a much better Obama if he gets re-elected. He will have nothing to lose at that point and you may see the liberal policies we have been waiting for come to the front of the line.

 

[HonestJim]

Yet many will vote for him again. Pretty fucked up, huh?

You think a conservative would be better ? Newt suggested we put the death penalty on the table for anyone convicted of marijuana distribution and holding more than two pounds. Ron Paul is the only nominee that supports personal liberty and while I like him a lot the reality is he is a long shot to win the nomination. I will take Obama over any of those nut case right wing conservatives any day.

 

[Mr Neutron]

I think you will see a much better Obama if he gets re-elected. He will have nothing to lose at that point and you may see the liberal policies we have been waiting for come to the front of the line.

Good luck with that one.

 

[HonestJim]

Good luck with that one.

I could be wrong, but history tells us a president is far more bold in a second term because they don't have to worry about another election. I wouldn't be surprised if he legalized MJ during a second term. Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't either.The main point is what are you going to do ? If Ron Paul wins the nomination he would likely get my vote but that is a long shot and the other Republican candidates are Nazi's. So if its Obama against Newt, Romney, or Santorum then I am taking the lesser of two evils and that means four more years for Baraak Obama.

 

[VILEPLUME]

I dont blame Obama for turning down questions like "medical marijuana" or "the war on drugs"

People should have been asking him more important questions like this...

[youtube]B-NZzXdex24[/youtube]

 

[VILEPLUME]

Another one for funzzies.

[youtube]VIA5aszzA18[/youtube]

 

[HonestJim]

Ahhh negative political ads... They let you know the American political system is full of integrity and honor.

 

[NLXSK1]

Ahhh negative political ads... They let you know the American political system is full of desperation.

*fixed.................

 

[Howard Stern]

that is bullshit.

i blame it on the election year. questions like this become tougher and more politically dangerous to answer in an election year.

And that is the fucking problem with this country! It isn't just durring election time, they vote for either money in their pocket or to get voters. Rarely do they vote for what's right for the country. It is all sick and the whole lot of them should be fucking thrown out! What about abortion? No politition will say they are for it, we are over populated right now and it's getting worse! We can't feed the fucking people we have on earth right now and all these bible thumpers want more unwanted babies but the fucking church isn't going to take care of these babies nor is you imaginary man in the sky! Sorry for the rant!

 

[Mr Neutron]

And that is the fucking problem with this country! It isn't just durring election time, they vote for either money in their pocket or to get voters. Rarely do they vote for what's right for the country. It is all sick and the whole lot of them should be fucking thrown out! What about abortion? No politition will say they are for it, we are over populated right now and it's getting worse! We can't feed the fucking people we have on earth right now and all these bible thumpers want more unwanted babies but the fucking church isn't going to take care of these babies nor is you imaginary man in the sky! Sorry for the rant!

So your answer to overpopulation is abortion?

 

[Mr Neutron]

I could be wrong, but history tells us a president is far more bold in a second term because they don't have to worry about another election. I wouldn't be surprised if he legalized MJ during a second term. Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't either.The main point is what are you going to do ? If Ron Paul wins the nomination he would likely get my vote but that is a long shot and the other Republican candidates are Nazi's. So if its Obama against Newt, Romney, or Santorum then I am taking the lesser of two evils and that means four more years for Baraak Obama.

It doesn't appear that you expect much from your president.
What am I going to do? Well, voting for the lesser of two evils is still a vote for evil, so I guess I will vote my conscience and let the chips fall where they may.

 

[Howard Stern]

So your answer to overpopulation is abortion?

Well if we get rid of it and condoms that sure as hell wont help! Look at Africa people can't feed the kids they have and diseases are out of control over there, yet the Bible thumpers don't want people using condoms cus some child molesting preacher told them an imaginary man in the sky said not to!

 

[VILEPLUME]

Well if we get rid of it and condoms that sure as hell wont help! Look at Africa people can't feed the kids they have and diseases are out of control over there, yet the Bible thumpers don't want people using condoms cus some child molesting preacher told them an imaginary man in the sky said not to!

People still use condoms? Shit never feels as good as bareback

Either tell your other to take birth control or freeze some shit at a bank and cut your pipes.