With all this discussion of economics, I find it difficult to take either side seriously. The reason is because there is an EASY SOLUTION to our economic problem. Unfortunately, no politician has the balls to discuss it or even put it on the table. But there is no doubt in my mind that it’s a solution whose time has come!
What is it? It’s really very simple. Just remove marijuana from the controlled substance list. Then regulate the industry and tax it. By doing this, in one significant move, they could raise enough money to pay off the deficit in a decade without raising taxes on anyone or cutting government spending as well as cut unemployment in half. And POTUS Obama doesn’t even need an act of Congress to accomplish it. And since the devil is in the details, I’m even going to spell it out for him.
HOW: The POTUS issues an Executive Order directing the FDA to immediately remove marijuana from the controlled substance list.
I have studied the Controlled Substance Act. It doesn’t take an act of Congress to change the list. It just takes petitioning the FDA who is in control of the list. No, the DEA is only in charge of enforcing the law, not making it. Since POTUS Obama as well as the past 2 other POTUS’ have smoked pot and understand that it not the same dangerous substance as heroin and cocaine which it is currently classified with, this should be a no-brainer. His order could go something like this:
“-Since 20+ states have recognized that marijuana has valid medicinal uses.
-Since 2 states have now legalized marijuana
-Since the Federal Government legally provides (and has been for over 40 years) marijuana to American citizens for medicinal purposes
-Since marijuana clearly does not provide the same dangers as heroin, cocaine or even other drugs classified below it,
The FDA is hereby instructed by order of the POTUS, to remove marijuana from the Controlled Substance Act of 1970 and inform the DEA of this change to drug enforcement. It is time that 60 million American citizens no longer have their constitutional rights abused and made into criminals for consuming a non-dangerous substance in the privacy of their own homes especially when there are significantly more dangerous substances whose use could be completely eradicated. “
If the FDA doesn’t comply, take them to court and force them to prove their position that there is no medicinal property in marijuana. This they will not be able to do because the FDA position is that marijuana has no medicinal properties which is total and complete BS. But we all know that the FDA is paid for and controlled by BIG CORPORATIONS like the alcohol and pharmaceutical companies.
Then he directs the Justice Department to drop all marijuana prosecutions except where other violent and serious crimes have been committed.
Now if Congress has the political will to attempt to reclassify marijuana as a controlled substance, let them try.
HOWEVER IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT WHEN 80+ YEAR OLD WHITE CONSERVATIVE MALE VOTERS FROM DEEP IN THE HEART OF RED STATES ALL AGREE THAT MARIJUANA NEEDS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE ACT, THEN THE TIME HAS COME. I know this because I’ve had the conversation with these very voters. In fact, marijuana is the one area where there is bipartisan agreement in our country.
THEN WHAT? Ok, at the same time, it would be prudent to introduce legislation that would regulate and tax marijuana. It should go something simple like the following:
GROWERS – people who grow marijuana in order to sell it. Must have a permit to grow pot and legally sell it. Cost should be about $100 annually so not to be a big burden on legitimate farmers. Having a new crop will help current farmers. We can stop paying them not to grow crops and allow them to grow pot in these federally subsidized empty fields. Pot actually helps replenish the fields as well. So we could help farmers and cut agriculture subsidies at the same time for a SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS TO FEDERAL BUDGET. Growers must only sell to licensed processors.
PROCESSORS – Processors buy the pot, categorize the pot as to type, determine the strength of the pot, and break down the pot into seeds, stems, shake, tops, etc. Why is this important? Processors are vital to the industry because if you are a manufacturer or distributor, you need large quantities of pot that is the same type and same strength. You cannot afford a hodgepodge of large quantities. Btw, this is the area where there will be huge new job creations with mostly blue collar type jobs.
Once again processors register and pay a permit to do business, same as growers. In fact, so do manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers. The funds collected from these permits could be used to set up the computer program that allows the taxes to be collected and paid easily and honestly.
MANUFACTURERS/DISTRIBUTORS: Manufacturers are people who manufacture products using marijuana. There are a significantly large number of products that can be made from every part of the plant. Distributors are companies that distribute a particular part of the plant such as seeds or buds.
WHOLESALERS: Same as the current system except you need a permit to sell it, just like you need a permit to sell alcohol or cigarettes.
RETAILERS: See Above.
Now if you collected a $10 per pound tax (or the equivalent thereof) at each of these levels, you essentially collect $50 per pound. This is not going to have an adverse effect on the price of pot. Do the math. A pound has 16 ounces. It breaks down to about $3 per ounce or about 10 cents a gram. No big deal. Add a law that says State and Local Taxes cannot exceed Federal Taxes and you have a $100 per pound tax which still does not have any effect on the price.
If they did this and marked this money SOLELY FOR THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF PAYING THE FEDERAL DEFICIT, the deficit would be gone in less than a decade. Between the significant budget cuts that would be enabled, the significant increase in tax income from the taxes as well as the significant increase in tax income from the new job creations, the government could pay off the deficit without raising anyone’s taxes or cutting government spending. THIS IS REALITY!
Who would be helped by keeping marijuana on the controlled substance list???? DRUG DEALERS WHO MAKE MILLIONS MAYBE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND DON’T PAY ANY TAXES!!!!! So opposing this politically, puts you on the side of drug dealers. Let’s see a politician keep his job voting for something like that! Truth is, they won’t survive politically if they oppose it. I can see the spin now…… Congressman Smith supports protecting drug dealers while your taxes go up!
The truth is that it is no longer a matter of IF MARIJUANA WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONTROLL SUBSTANCE LIST BUT WHEN! Why? Because now that Washington and Colorado have voted to legalize marijuana, there becomes an issue called INTERSTATE COMMERCE. And it is for this reason that the Federal government cannot wait for states to decide what to do. In fact, states can still regulate and/or criminalize marijuana within their state despite it being removed from Federal Controlled Substance Act. That’s what States Rights are all about. It’s how it is done with alcohol and cigarettes. It’s how it should be done with pot. And it’s what would have been done if not for Richard Nixon’s paranoia about hippies smoking pot!
Once again, POTUS Obama could make history. In fact one would think he would act, if not solely for the reason that this law unfairly has targeted African Americans over the 42 years it has been in place. Don’t have to take my word for it. Statistics clearly show that African Americans make up over one half of pot arrests. And Obama knows that marijuana isn’t dangerous or life destroying. He smoked it and it didn’t make him a lazy good for nothing stoner. He smoked it just like POTUS Clinton and Bush and they all still became POTUS. He smoked it and was lucky he didn’t get arrested for smoking it. If he had, he might not have become an attorney or the POTUS.
Look, if our politicians really are serious about the federal debt, this is the best and only solution that will make a significant difference. However, if all they are doing is blowing smoke up our asses again (which is what I suspect) then they will continue to ignore this simple solution and argue over stuff that won’t solve anything really. Unless, we the people, take up the issue just as we have with civil rights, gay rights, etc.
If the GOP wants to dig in and drive us over the fiscal cliff, the POTUS Obama should step up to the plate and give them something else to argue over. After all, there still is pending bipartisan legislation in the House, introduced by Barney Frank and Ron Paul. With Colorado and Washington legalizing, with Canada and Mexico revising their marijuana policies, with the will of the people in favor of taxing drug dealers instead of taxing the rich, this makes perfect sense. The problem is when was the last time our politicians did anything that was made sense?