Steve Bainbridge makes an excellent point yesterday in his Kerry’s Pot Joke and Kerry’s Policy on Drugs:
Fox News just ran a home video of John Kerry singing along to Puff the Magic Dragon at a private party, during which he fakes puffing on a joint. Fox ran it three times in about 5 minutes and then ran a fairly long story on it. Why? Seems sort of silly. Yet, perhaps it does raise a serious question. John Kerry’s website says:
In order to deal with the problem of illegal drugs in this country, efforts must be focused on keeping drugs out of the country and our communities, as well as reducing demand for illegal drugs. John Kerry supports aggressively targeting traffickers and dealers, as well as making a commitment to sufficiently fund drug prevention and treatment programs.
If Kerry thinks smoking pot is no big deal, he ought to come out for legalization. If Kerry thinks it is a big deal, as his website claims, he shouldn’t be joking about it. More generally, we keep electing politicians (on both sides of the aisle) who once used – or, for all we know, still use – recreational drugs. Once they get into office they perpetuate the so-called war on drugs, with all of its racism, unfairness, and failures. Why do we put up with it? It is time to have a serious debate about legalization without all the posturing.
Frankly this really bothered me about boomer Bill Clinton, whose justice department brought suit against my clients, the Oakland Cannabis Buyers Cooperative and many other similar organizations. I expected more from progressive boomers on this issue–well “hoped for” is probably more accurate than expected. I am old enough to recall what my fellow boomers said and did about marijuana and other personal freedom issues when they were young–especially their self righteousness. Now that they are much older and hold political power, they are arguably more puritanical–at least in how they govern–than were their parents.
UPDATE: A reader writes: “Naah — they’re just scared to tell the truth because they’re afraid it might lose them votes.” I cannot argue with this, but what is the political dynamic at work? Is the baby boomer electorate so puritanical that they would punish progressive polititians who voiced support for liberalizing or legalizing intoxicants, or simply marijuana? Are Gen-Xers? Gen-Y? I am not sure this changes my fundamental frustration with the boomers whose pontification I used to have to listen to when I was young–especially by those a few years older than me in Bill Clinton’s age group. (Note to younger readers. Boomers can be divided between those who entered college before or after 1970, and especially between those who were subjected to the serious risk of being drafted and those who, like me, were in the draft lottery after the Nixon drawdown of troops had begun and the number of draftees began to decline.)
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