• candyman337@sh.itjust.works
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    8 months ago

    Convenient timing given everything else going on. You know they’re really scrambling to get the youth vote when they start talking about nationwide marijuana legalization.

      • CleoTheWizard@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        The DEA is currently investigating rescheduling marijuana which was prompted by Biden’s HHS doing the preliminary lab work to present to them.

        Then Biden has pardoned everyone who was charged federally for possession of marijuana.

        And then he urged states to consider doing the same. Just this week, Massachusetts followed through with that.

        Obviously he’s doing this to get more voters, but there’s real progress happening and it’s not a reaction to anything recent. This was all indicated during his campaigning.

        • astrsk@piefed.social
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          8 months ago

          Yeah, like, what do people expect? Of course they’ll do good things to get re-elected. That’s literally how this works! I don’t get the people who argue “it’s just for getting votes”. Yes, that’s how it works.

          • fathog@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago

            Motherfucker did this in 2020. Yeah, it’s cool, but as a former president said, fool me once, can’t fool me again

          • rambaroo@lemmynsfw.com
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            8 months ago

            People want leaders who give a damn about them not lying charlatans who use them. It isn’t that hard to understand.

            Cynics like you are the reason we keep electing neoliberal trash who fuck workers over. All you do is make excuses for them.

          • candyman337@sh.itjust.works
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            8 months ago

            Because they hold things until election years, they also do performative bills that look good, or wait to progress good bills until a bill that hurts the working class comes up so that it’ll be more palatable in the short term even though we’re getting screwed in the long term.

        • dhork@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          Isn’t “doing this to get more votes” what politicians are supposed to be doing, though? They are supposed to be responsive to people’s concerns, so those people prefer them to the other alternatives when it comes time to vote?

  • CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    If the Democrats wanted to do something for the people, they’d really lean into legalizing cannabis at the federal level.

    • rambaroo@lemmynsfw.com
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      8 months ago

      We need workers rights more than legal weed, but you’ll notice the Democrats never talk about that.

      • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Sure they do! They talked about how if rail workers were allowed to strike, the entire economy would instantly collapse forever.

        • moneyinphx@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          If rail workers are so critical to the global economy, how about we may them their worth and give them the benefits they need. Weird right?

          • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago

            If rail workers are so critical to the global economy, how about we may them their worth and give them the benefits they need.

            No, paying people what they’re worth will cause the sun to explode. Why do you want the sun to explode?

  • masquenox@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    So when is it time to start talking about all the reparations the US owes to the millions of people it victimized throughout it’s (so-called) “War On Drugs” terror campaign?

    • bruhbeans@lemmy.ml
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      8 months ago

      Illinois codified in law when it legalized cannabis that licenses for product development (the grow houses, dispensaries, maunfacture, etc) was supposed to go to the people most affected by the war on drugs. These communities were 90% Black. There’s a new dispensary opening by me, and it’s ownership is 100% white male lawyers, and they sell nothing but Cresco Labs products, which is run a buncha rich white dudes.

      • Billiam@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        As a white male, I’ll have you know that the war on drugs did affect us more than anyone else!

        Also the war on women, the war on Christmas, the war on terrorism, the war on freedom, the US Civil War, Edwin Starr’s song “War”, Angels and Airwaves’ song “The War”, the war room scene from Dr. Strangelove, Star Wars the movie, Star Wars the missile defense initiative, and the war on belly fat all disproportionately affect we white males more than any other group. Don’t you know how we’re the most oppressed?

      • masquenox@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        which is run a buncha rich white dudes.

        It’s the same damn thing here in South Africa - the politicians are constantly talking about “legalizing” marijuana use for the politically-connected (and mostly white) rich people who have the infrastructure to sell it en masse to foreign countries while still leaving enough legalese in there to allow the pig to wage war on the impoverished black and brown folk who farms the stuff.

      • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Ohio did similarly but with the groups. Anyway since it was a ballot measure and not a constitutional amendment and it’s Ohio that money is probably going to cops instead because our state government is like that

    • Huckledebuck@sh.itjust.works
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      8 months ago

      The war on drugs created so many problems across multiple generations and multiple continents. Millions is a very low estimate.

  • Hubbubbub@fedia.io
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    8 months ago

    So the Biden campaign is running on abortion and pot. Yeah, I’m OK with that.

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    The grid-locked Congress could also make some progress on cannabis reform this year, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer telling reporters last week that the bipartisan SAFER Banking Act — a bill that would expand access to traditional banking and financial institutions for legal cannabis businesses — could get a vote on the floor before the November election.

    If Biden declassified it, then there’d be no restrictions on banking…

    If a state doesn’t specifically have a law making it illegal, declassifying federal would make it defacto legal.

    It’s honestly that simple, and declassifying it was his compromise four years ago when voters wanted legalization.

    He’s spent four years looking into it…

    And now he’s promising again to look into it

    Just take the easy common sense win that does zero harm. He keeps fucking up these easy issues.

      • rambaroo@lemmynsfw.com
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        8 months ago

        For real. They haven’t actually done shit yet. All these shills posting articles about Biden ordering the rescheduling prices to begin doesn’t mean shit. It’s literally the bare minimum he can do.

        The DEA will keep it illegal and Biden won’t do shit to retaliate, he’ll say his hands are tied and the Democrat trash here will actually defend him for it.

    • yeather@lemmy.ca
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      8 months ago

      He wants to wait for election season so voters “remember it.” It’s a fairly common tactic in politics.

      • june@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        He’s already working on it. He’s asked HHS to reevaluate it and they have, affirming that it should be reclassified. It now rests with the DEA

        https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/12/health/marijuana-rescheduling-fda-review/index.html

        The president can’t just unilaterally reschedule a drug. He’s got to work within the framework of the controlled substances act, which he’s been doing and is now on the last step to reclassification.

        ETA: it also seems you didn’t read the article where it specifically states that Biden ordered the process to reschedule to begin?

        • rambaroo@lemmynsfw.com
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          8 months ago

          If he actually wanted to legalize he’d fire the heads of these agencies and replace them with people who are supportive. Guess what, he’s not doing that. The best we’ll get schedule 3 which is still illegal.

          Biden doesn’t give a flying fuck about legalizing weed and never has. No amount of neolib gaslighting bullshit is going to change that. Always funny how Republican presidents do whatever the fuck they want but the second anyone talks about progressive policy our hands are tied. Not to mention Biden is illegally giving weapons to Israel.

          Neolibs will always argue “the president can’t do that” when it comes to progressive policy. Then they won’t even pressure him to use the bully pulpit which is the president’s greatest power. You’ve all been convinced that nothing can ever be done for you, and it’s a blatant fucking lie.

        • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          Has it been descheduled?

          Not “We’ve ordered the process into maybe one day considering thinking about opening public inquiry into limited implementation of a tentative probationary trial of…”

          If the answer is anything other than “yes” don’t pretend it’s an accomplishment. The only actual accomplishment so far has been needlessly prolonging the racist drug war.

      • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Unfortunately for him lots of voters can remember the same promise from four years ago.

        He may think waiting four years is a good plan, but some voters are going to wonder if four years from now he’ll be bothered to fufil any of this campaigns promises

        Especially if it’s gets to election day and he’s still just “looking into it”.

        Voters remember shit, and waiting till the last minute often doesn’t work out.

        It’s much easier to just do what you can. There’s a palpable hesitancy with Biden, really anyone in their 70s or older. We don’t need someone we have a possible chance of getting to do the right thing, we need someone that wants to try as hard as they can to do the right thing

        08 Obama happened, and it’s literally me the DNC wants to erase from history how well a young person can do with a progressive campaign and it’s not just because they have the physical energy to actually be on the campaign trail.

          • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago

            Sure. This is the most recent last step.

            When the next step rolls around and centrists are happily announcing that Biden is powerless and they get to keep the racist drug war going, maybe you’ll notice that there is no last step.

            • june@lemmy.world
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              8 months ago

              I guess the CSA framework doesn’t mean anything.

              Yall are wild. The president operated within the bounds of the law and yall go wild screaming ‘it’s because he’s racist and doesn’t want to do it’.

              • Hominine@lemmy.world
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                8 months ago

                These actors are operating off of conjecture, and when folks like you blow that away it turns to conspiracy.
                Understanding how things work is hard, and I appreciate you doing the lifting for those that care to pay attention.

              • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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                8 months ago

                I understand what you’re saying, I just don’t fucking buy it.

                Quote me the statute that prevents Biden from descheduling cannabis any time he wants. Not an interview with Biden or someone from his administration. Not an op-ed from a sympathetic lackey. The actual statute and nothing less.

                He can sell weapons for genocide at a whim, but for cannabis he needs to ask everyone at the DEA until he gets the “no” he wants.

          • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago

            final decision rests with the DEA

            Lol…

            Biden just managed to get every single federal agency to return to office…

            It’s been insane when all you people who have never worked a day in the federal government think Biden has no control over agencies but still fearmonger that trump would be in charge of them all if he wins.

            The president has as much power over agencies as he wants to.

            Biden could order the DEA to reschedule today, or he could spend four years asking them to look into it.

            That’s the entire fucking point you don’t seem to understand.

            He’s not trying because he doesn’t want it done

        • return2ozma@lemmy.worldOP
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          8 months ago

          Unfortunately for him lots of voters can remember the same promise from four years ago.

          From his 2020 campaign website:

  • Death_Equity@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    I’m guessing there was nobody more relevant than Fat Joe after Killer Mike became persona non grata and Snoop favors Trump.

    • return2ozma@lemmy.worldOP
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      8 months ago

      I mean it’s better than nothing. It’s always funny to me how they start doing everything during an election year when they could have done this 3 years ago.

      • protist
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        8 months ago

        In May 2021, the Drug Enforcement Administration approved licensed facilities to grow cannabis for the purpose of medical research for the first time since 1968. Prior to this, the University of Mississippi was the only institution in the United States legally permitted to grow the plant for that use. Previously, in 2016, an application process was put in place for research growers, but no applications were later approved under the Trump administration.

        In October 2022, President Biden announced a mass pardon for past federal cannabis possession convictions, encouraged governors to do the same for state cannabis possession convictions, and instructed Attorney General Merrick Garland and Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra to review the classification schedule of marijuana, which could result in removal of cannabis from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.

        On December 2, 2022, Biden signed the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act.

        Also: https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahsinclair/2024/01/18/dea-considers-rescheduling-cannabis-what-this-means-for-us-and-global-reform/

      • Death_Equity@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Grammy arrest and supported a Republican govenor, so in the current game of politics it would be foolish to associate with him.

        Kamala would do more to bridge to divide with Killer Mike and bring in black voters, but she has to play it safe for the base.

        • JimboDHimbo@lemmy.ca
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          8 months ago

          After looking it up, I don’t think the Grammy incident should count, but I hear what you’re saying. Thanks for your response!

  • BobGnarley@lemm.ee
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    8 months ago

    Would take maybe tops 4 hours for them to draft the executive order to make that shit legal overnight. But, cool I guess?

  • MonkCanatella@sh.itjust.works
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    8 months ago

    lol this will backfire. Even if they committed to it “after the election” no one will believe it, and trump and co could just be like god empeoreor trump has declared he will legalize weed on day one of his dictatorship and the fucking morons that follow him would actually suddenly be pro legalization

  • mr_tyler_durden@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    If it’s legalized at a federal level then we better get a “We did it Joe!” video (like we got after winning the election)

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    8 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    Harris’ main portfolio includes reproductive health care, gun violence and voting rights, but she has consistently amplified criminal justice reform since her years as a district attorney in California.

    In his State of the Union Thursday, Biden said that he had directed his “cabinet to review the federal classification of marijuana,” adding that he is also “expunging thousands of convictions for the mere possession, because no one should be jailed for simply using.”

    "Friday’s engagement will build on the Vice President’s efforts to uplift the historic actions the Biden-Harris Administration has taken to ensure everyone has access to opportunity, including by making the criminal justice system more just.

    While young people identify plenty of issues that are most important to them — including abortion access, the economy and gun violence — cannabis reform is also a significant concern.

    The White House announced its major initiatives on the topic, including directing agencies to evaluate rescheduling the drug, just weeks before the 2022 midterm elections.

    The grid-locked Congress could also make some progress on cannabis reform this year, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer telling reporters last week that the bipartisan SAFER Banking Act — a bill that would expand access to traditional banking and financial institutions for legal cannabis businesses — could get a vote on the floor before the November election.


    The original article contains 654 words, the summary contains 221 words. Saved 66%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!