MAPTalk-Digest Tuesday, December 30 2008 Volume 08 : Number 096
001 Re: DPFOR:Change.gov questions From: Allan Erickson <> 002 goodChange.gov question IMHO From: Richard Lake <> 003 'It's A War' From: Richard Lake <> 004 Journey from drug addiction to recovery From: "Herb" <> 005 why not? - What does this inauguration mean to you? From: Allan Erickson <> 006 Ask Obama A Question From: R Givens <> 007change.gov questions From: Allan Erickson <> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subj: 001 Re: DPFOR:Change.gov questions From: Allan Erickson <> Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:21:14 -0800 on the left side are the topics, these questions are in "Additional Issues" Feels kind of similar to the marginalization that Kerry's website pulled on our efforts 4 years ago when we kept pot and the WOD at the top of all issues... but we must (to quote Chief Dan George) "endeavor to persevere" ae http://morningdonut.blogspot.com/ - --- On Dec 29, 2008, at 6:15 PM, wrote: > where did you find this? i followed the link > > i am not finding the whole list, only lists of categories (economy > etc) it is the #1 question there > where do you find the whole list? > thanks > > -----Original Message----- > From: Allan Erickson <> > To: Dpfor OR <>; MAP talk <> > Sent: Mon, 29 Dec 2008 6:05 pm > Subject: DPFOR:Change.gov questions > > register (its easy!) and vote: http://change.gov/openforquestions. > > Currently in the top 20: > > 3) - 1883 votes - "The Drug War has been an incredibly expensive > failure since it's inception. Meanwhile, millions of our citizens have > been incarcerated for using drugs. I think we need to end this folly. > What do you think, Mr. President?" > > 5) - 1765 votes - "The people of this country want marijuana > decriminalization, when will marijuana be decriminalized? Why continue > to spend billions of dollars to prohibit marijuana when evidence shows > that the war on drugs is, as you said, "an utter failure"?" > > 7) - 1473 votes - "Why do you believe that marijuana should not be > legalized? How is the prohibition of Marijuana any different than the > prohibition of alcohol? 100,000 Americans die every year due to alcohol > but none to Marijuana" > > 12) - 878 votes - "Will you consider legalizing > cannabis/marijuana/hemp so that the government can regulate it, tax it, > put age limits on it, and create millions of new jobs and create a > multi-billion dollar industry right here in the U.S.?" > > 15) - 736 votes - "Will the Obama administration relax the federal > rules concerning serious, scientific research into medicinal uses for > marijuana and any associated long-term effects? How?" > > 16) - 724 votes - "Mr. Obama, please stand by your statement regarding > not prosecuting medical marijuana patients in states that already have > laws in place. Instruct the DEA to focus on meth problems, and illegal > possession of prescription drugs such as Oxycontin." > > 18) - 716 votes - ""How can you morally justify the prohibition of > marijuana? It is our choice what we put in our bodies and the fact that > the government thinks it can control these choices is an insult not > only to marijuana smokers, but to anyone who values freedom."" > > 19) - 631 votes - "The 'War on Drugs' is ineffective-billions of > dollars are put into the criminalization of people using/selling a drug > has positive side effects. Legalization of marijuana could bring our > nation out of it's economic crisis with proper taxing and laws." > > 20) - 633 votes - "Is the legalization and taxation of marijuana being > considered as an option for reducing the astronomical deficit?" > > ae > http://morningdonut.blogspot.com/ > --- > ------------------------------ Subj: 002 goodChange.gov question IMHO From: Richard Lake <> Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:11:03 -0800 Russ Belville wrote the below question which I like because it does not ask Obama to support something that our congresscritters would not vote for anyway and pass. The idea of a commission gives those federal critters cover to support the answers of the commission. Richard - --------------------------------------------------------------------------- I fixed the wording a bit on my new question to Obama'sChange.gov. The idea was to put "marijuana", "cannabis", and "decriminalization" in there to increase search hits. It puts Obama in the position of not being as progressive as Nixon if he refuses or obfuscates. It makes the question "won't you at least study it?" which is politically less dangerous. It hints at his commitment to science. And we all know what a new Shaffer Commission would recommend. Vote it up http://change.gov/page/content/openforquestions20081229/ , don't cost nuttin'! -- "R"R "In 1972, Pres. Nixon formed a commission of scientists to issue an unbiased study regarding marijuana policy. It recommended decriminalization. After 36 years of research and 13 med-mj states, would you form a new commission to study cannabis policy?" ------------------------------ Subj: 003 'It's A War' From: Richard Lake <> Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:21:02 -0800 'IT'S A WAR' ********************************************************************** DrugSense FOCUS Alert #390 - Monday, 29 December 2008 'It's A War' - Mexican President Felipe Calderon 6,847 - Mexico's estimated Drug War related deaths since January 2007 - - more than the U.S. fatalities in the Iraq war. The Mexican government has deployed about 45,000 soldiers and 5,000 federal police to 18 states to fight its Drug War. Since June the Los Angeles Times has been printing an outstanding series under the series title 'Mexico Under Siege' - 61 articles to date. You may read the entire series and future articles as they are added here http://mapinc.org/find?255 Will Mexico win it's Drug War? The series may cause you to doubt. There is a solution, perhaps the only solution, to end the death and destruction caused by our current failed policies - legalization! DrugSense thanks you all, our friends and supporters, for all you have done to support the effort in this past year. Because the economy, and the stock market, has hit some major DrugSense funders hard we know that some will decrease funding during 2009. Thus DrugSense asks for your financial support to help us keep doing what we do during the next year. Please visit http://www.drugsense.org/donate.htm Thank You ********************************************************************** Prepared by: Richard Lake, Senior Editor www.mapinc.org ------------------------------ Subj: 004 Journey from drug addiction to recovery From: "Herb" <> Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:29:15 -0800 Journey from drug addiction to recovery http://newmexicoindependent.com/13219/nmi-qa-a-journey-from-drug-addic ------------------------------ Subj: 005 why not? - What does this inauguration mean to you? From: Allan Erickson <> Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:09:54 -0800 an essay contest, no word limit. Topic: What does this inauguration mean to you? 10 winners each get to take a guest, plane tix to DC plus 2 nites in a hotel. https://donate.pic2009.org/page/contribute/tickettohistory it is a fundraiser (to pay for the inauguration) but (supposedly) donations are not required. Another opportunity to inject our message... ae http://morningdonut.blogspot.com/ - --- ------------------------------ Subj: 006 Ask Obama A Question From: R Givens <> Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 10:18:54 -0800 Go to <http://change.gov/page/m2/3855d469/6855cd58/2bccd98f/5e6bcaf8/76158887 sign up and do a search for "marijuana" and vote the marijuana issue up to the top. Here's my question. "If Obama wants to keep marijuana illegal for adult use, we'd like to know the exact scientific reasons for the ban. Why should people go to prison for a victimless "marijuana crime?" Explaining why marijuana use etc should be a criminal offense is the most dangerous question a drug crusader faces. - --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Attachment: http://mapinc.org/temp/62HTlbwSKwIe_.html ------------------------------ Subj: 007change.gov questions From: Allan Erickson <> Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:04:25 -0800 in Add'l Issues (11 of 20): 1) "The people of this country want marijuana decriminalization, when will marijuana be decriminalized? Why continue to spend billions of dollars to prohibit marijuana when evidence shows that the war on drugs is, as you said, "an utter failure"?" 2) "Why do you believe that marijuana should not be legalized? How is the prohibition of Marijuana any different than the prohibition of alcohol? 100,000 Americans die every year due to alcohol but none to Marijuana" 3) "The Drug War has been an incredibly expensive failure since it's inception. Meanwhile, millions of our citizens have been incarcerated for using drugs. I think we need to end this folly. What do you think, Mr. President?" 7) "Will you consider legalizing cannabis/marijuana/hemp so that the government can regulate it, tax it, put age limits on it, and create millions of new jobs and create a multi-billion dollar industry right here in the U.S.?" 8) "Mr. Obama, please stand by your statement regarding not prosecuting medical marijuana patients in states that already have laws in place. Instruct the DEA to focus on meth problems, and illegal possession of prescription drugs such as Oxycontin." 12) "When can we change direction on the failed war on drugs. Marijuana laws are more harmful to people and families than the drug itself." 13) "Will the Obama administration relax the federal rules concerning serious, scientific research into medicinal uses for marijuana and any associated long-term effects? How?" 14) "Is the legalization and taxation of marijuana being considered as an option for reducing the astronomical deficit?" 15) "The 'War on Drugs' is ineffective-billions of dollars are put into the criminalization of people using/selling a drug has positive side effects. Legalization of marijuana could bring our nation out of it's economic crisis with proper taxing and laws." 16) ""How can you morally justify the prohibition of marijuana? It is our choice what we put in our bodies and the fact that the government thinks it can control these choices is an insult not only to marijuana smokers, but to anyone who values freedom."" 18) "The last time that Open For Questions was open, the number one question, whether you will consider the legalization of marijuana, was answered with the shortest sentence of them all. Will you elaborate on your previous answer to please the majority?" In Nat'l Security (3 of 10): 2) "Our current war on drugs is failing America. Billions of dollars are spent on a losing campaign. Our prisons are overflowing with people that don't deserve to be there. What is the government going to do in an effort to fix this major problem?" 4) "When will the US end the failed Drug War?" 5) "Will the US legalize marijuana to bankrupt drug cartels in Mexico, help Mexico fight them and diminish drug distribution in the US by gangs? Marijuana as taxable commodity could support programs for drug users to quit and to fight harder drug traffic" ae http://morningdonut.blogspot.com/ - --- ------------------------------ End of MAPTalk-Digest V08 #96 *****************************
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