Author Topic: Liberal Paradox  (Read 10446 times)

Offline YankyDoodle

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Liberal Paradox
« on: January 23, 2014, 04:13:12 PM »
Very well put, I would love to hear someone who believes this and wants to defend it.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/01/marijuana-liberal-hypocrisy-102489.html#.UuGC9LQo7IU

The national debate over marijuana legalization has caught many liberals in a confounding paradox. These liberals, who have fought vociferously for bans on cigarettes, super-sized sodas, trans fats and other unhealthy substances, now either advocate for the legalization of marijuana or stand unopposed to it. This is notable because, whatever else it is, marijuana is not healthy.

In his recent New Yorker interview, President Obama remarked, “I smoked pot as a kid, and I view it as a bad habit and a vice, not very different from the cigarettes that I smoked as a young person up through a big chunk of my adult life.” But then he added, “I don’t think it is more dangerous than alcohol.” Of the legalization in Colorado and Washington—never mind the unresolved conflict between state and federal law—he said, “it’s important for it to go forward.”

Got that? The same president who signed into law a tough federal anti-cigarette smoking bill in 2009 now supports marijuana legalization.

The inconsistency and self-contradiction is obvious. In the name of public health, liberals wage political war against genetically modified organisms, french fries and tubby kids, yet stand idly by, or worse, support the legalization of a mind-impairing substance known to be addictive and have deleterious effects on the brain.

The very same year, for example, that Colorado legalized marijuana, the Colorado Senate passed (without a single Republican vote) a ban on trans fats in schools. Are we to believe eating a glazed donut is more harmful than smoking a joint? California has already banned trans fats in restaurants statewide, but now is on the brink of legalizing marijuana statewide come November. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg supported New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s effort to decriminalize marijuana in New York State, while at the same time supporting a ban on extra-large sodas. A 32-ounce Mountain Dew is bad for you, but pot isn’t?

The logic is dumbfounding. For many years, health-conscious liberals have waged a deafening, public war against cigarettes. Smoking bans in public places like restaurants and bars have been enacted in states all over the country. Recently, New York City, New Jersey and several other cities and states have extended those bans to include the newest tobacco fad—e-cigarettes. Yet, when it comes to smoking marijuana? Crickets.

What explains this obvious paradox? Do these liberals think that marijuana is somehow less harmful than a Big Gulp soda or a bucket of fried chicken? It’s hard to believe that’s the case, given the vast amount of social data and medical science on the dangers of marijuana.

Offline peacenlove613

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Re: Liberal Paradox
« Reply #1 on: January 23, 2014, 04:22:23 PM »
Interesting article.

Offline Achas Veachas

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Re: Liberal Paradox
« Reply #2 on: January 23, 2014, 04:32:49 PM »
What's the contradiction? No one wants cigarets banned they say they should be regulated and restricted, and that is what they want to do with marijuana.

Offline Dan

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Re: Liberal Paradox
« Reply #3 on: January 23, 2014, 04:33:58 PM »
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline Yehuda57

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Re: Liberal Paradox
« Reply #4 on: January 23, 2014, 04:34:34 PM »
Last I checked, cigarettes and alcohol were legal, and there aren't millions (billions?) being spent and lives being lost to combat their sale. On the contrary - millions are made off sin taxes.

It may not be "healthy" - but neither are a lot of other things that are perfectly legal - albeit regulated.


Online CountValentine

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Re: Liberal Paradox
« Reply #5 on: January 23, 2014, 05:18:54 PM »
I would ban alcohol before pot.
Only on DDF does 24/6 mean 24/5/half/half

Offline Penguin711

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Re: Liberal Paradox
« Reply #6 on: January 23, 2014, 05:56:44 PM »

Offline daganster

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Re: Liberal Paradox
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2014, 06:37:27 PM »
I would ban alcohol before pot.
I wouldn't! I enjoy drinking. Live and let live.

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Re: Liberal Paradox
« Reply #8 on: January 23, 2014, 06:43:48 PM »
I wouldn't! I enjoy drinking. Live and let live.
I enjoy drinking also. IMHO alcohol is worse than pot.
Only on DDF does 24/6 mean 24/5/half/half

Offline U-no-me!

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Re: Liberal Paradox
« Reply #9 on: January 23, 2014, 06:49:09 PM »
The only thing that needs to be banned is liberals.
Vote U-no-me '14!

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Re: Liberal Paradox
« Reply #10 on: January 23, 2014, 06:52:54 PM »
The only thing that needs to be banned is liberals.
Yo Yo Yo Whats Up?
Only on DDF does 24/6 mean 24/5/half/half

Offline Achas Veachas

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Re: Liberal Paradox
« Reply #11 on: January 23, 2014, 07:07:20 PM »
The only thing that needs to be banned is liberals.
ברוך מחיה בבתים

Offline ari2955

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Re: Liberal Paradox
« Reply #12 on: January 23, 2014, 08:14:23 PM »
The only thing that needs to be banned is liberals.
+1
The thing is, that conservatives are also hypocrites in reverse (want marijuana banned but alcohol, cigarets, soda.. legal).
I think if we believe that goverment shouldn't be dictating what is or isn't good for us, it should apply across the board.

Offline Yehuda57

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Re: Liberal Paradox
« Reply #13 on: January 23, 2014, 09:20:20 PM »
http://mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Gov-Rick-Perry-for-decriminalization-of-pot-5168667.php

Why do the right and left have to be pigeonholed into specific viewpoints? Judge each issue on its own merits, without worrying whether it makes you a liberal or conservative.

Offline efflpetzel

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Re: Liberal Paradox
« Reply #14 on: January 23, 2014, 09:31:39 PM »
-1
Are you if favour of banning cigarettes?

btw great artice @YankyDoodle

Offline sky121

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Re: Liberal Paradox
« Reply #15 on: January 23, 2014, 10:09:09 PM »
I enjoy drinking also. IMHO alcohol is worse than pot.

In what way?
"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline Nitantnel

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Re: Liberal Paradox
« Reply #16 on: January 23, 2014, 10:44:54 PM »
I think the distinction is simple:

No one will smuggle in salt and large sodas. A little push and help from the government to help you stop engaging in these habits may be something that most people would welcome.

However, pot is something that the "help" from the government clearly does not suffice for anything. Instead it leads to an entire unwanted underground industry. Thus, keeping it illegal is counterproductive as was the case with probation.

Offline daganster

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Re: Liberal Paradox
« Reply #17 on: January 23, 2014, 11:01:30 PM »
I think the distinction is simple:

No one will smuggle in salt and large sodas. A little push and help from the government to help you stop engaging in these habits may be something that most people would welcome.

However, pot is something that the "help" from the government clearly does not suffice for anything. Instead it leads to an entire unwanted underground industry. Thus, keeping it illegal is counterproductive as was the case with probation.
If sodas were illegal mafias would be all over it, that's just the way things work. 

Offline ari2955

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Re: Liberal Paradox
« Reply #18 on: January 23, 2014, 11:14:40 PM »
I think the distinction is simple:

No one will smuggle in salt and large sodas. A little push and help from the government to help you stop engaging in these habits may be something that most people would welcome.

However, pot is something that the "help" from the government clearly does not suffice for anything. Instead it leads to an entire unwanted underground industry. Thus, keeping it illegal is counterproductive as was the case with probation.
:o If it was really so, why did a 'health board' need to approve this, why not put it on the ballet?

Offline PlatinumGuy

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Re: Liberal Paradox
« Reply #19 on: January 23, 2014, 11:27:37 PM »
I don't think either pot or alcohol is a major national issue. Obesity is our major epidemic. And that's in part because the government subsidies things like corn syrup. At the very least we ought to tax McDonalds.
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