One of my biggest pet peeves is when conservative voters and politicians rail against marijuana legalization, knowing damn well it makes them look like total hypocrites. I was asked over the weekend by a staunch Republican, ‘why in the hell would I want marijuana legalized? It goes against everything I stand for.’ Although I doubt the guy will ever visit this website, I figured I would post my reasons for him to support the cause below…Hopefully you’re out there Chuck, this post is for you:
Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t conservatives believe in state sovereignty? I was always taught in my poly sci classes that the political party that fights hardest for states’ rights has always been the conservative party. After all, what conservative wants the federal government telling them what to do in their home state? Without giving away my motive, I asked Chuck if he was into states’ rights, or federal domination? Without hesitating he said, ‘F#$k Obama and the feds, they should stay out of states’ business.’ Of course, this is the same guy that said ‘I don’t care if you have a medical marijuana card; it’s still illegal under federal law…’ Nice to know you’re consistent Chuck…
Almost every conservative that I know is big on creating jobs. ‘Putting people back to work’ is a slogan I often hear and see on conservative political ads. Well, then why not support marijuana legalization, which would generate untold amounts of jobs, and with them, payroll taxes? Anyone who is involved in the industry knows how many types of jobs that would be created, from clippers to carpenters. What a lot of people (conservatives) don’t realize is that a vast majority of this labor is paid ‘under the table’ right now, and as a result, a lot of possible tax revenue is lost to the winds. If marijuana were legal, and regulated like any other type of labor, those payroll taxes would go to the state and feds and be used to help society.
If there is one thing that I know about conservative’s political views, it’s that smaller government reigns supreme on the wish list. However, this view is selectively applied. When it comes to the DEA budget, the corrections industry, or law enforcement marijuana investigations/prosecutions, conservatives whip out the government pocket book with wild abandon. Why is that? If they TRULY believed in smaller government, they would realize that so much money and effort is wasted on supporting marijuana prohibition. If the government could save or re-direct that money and personnel, how much better would America be? Talk about ‘trimming the fat’ from government!
Which leads me into my next point — conservatives want tax dollars spent efficiently (or so they claim). If I had a dollar for every time I heard a conservative mention how they despise ‘wasteful spending,’ I would be richer than Scrooge McDuck. What is more wasteful than spending ENORMOUS sums of tax dollars prohibiting a plant that has established medicinal value, has never killed a person EVER, and is safer than alcohol and tobacco? Conservatives should put their money where their mouth is.
It’s appalling the amount of money conservative politicians receive from big pharm, tobacco, and alcohol. Don’t get me wrong, liberals accept money too, but not with the delightful fervor that conservatives do. It is ridiculous how many conservatives that I know who bash me for consuming marijuana, despite the fact that it’s not a crime in my home state, and even if it was, I am a registered patient in the OMMP. Yet these same people drink Crown Royal like it’s going out of style, and smoke more ciggy sticks than the Marlboro man himself. They even tell me, ‘it’s legal, and marijuana isn’t, so it’s OK for me, yet you are a criminal.’ When these people have failed livers and holes in their throats, I will still be using my vaporizer and eating cannabutter, visiting them in the hospital because they used their ‘legal’ drugs.
And for my last point, CONSERVATIVES SHOULD SUPPORT MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION BECAUSE IT MAKES SENSE! Marijuana became illegal due to racist reasons in the late 30’s, and after a couple generations, conservatives forgot why it is illegal in the first place. All they know is that their daddy and their dad’s daddy told them that it’s ‘the devils weed,’ and that marijuana is responsible for all the ills of society. If conservatives did their homework, instead of believing decades old propaganda, they would realize that there is NO REASON to keep marijuana prohibition in place. That includes you Chuck!!!
