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> presidents should be accomplishing these things in the legislature through party discipline and direct appeals to voters to help him rid himself of specific l

> presidents should be accomplishing these things in the legislature through party discipline and direct appeals to voters to help him rid himself of specific legislators And how, exactly, do you propose he do that, given the current political landscape in the US? Congress is gridlocked. Incumbents almost never lose their seats. The people who care enough to vote and support the issues are already voting as hard as they can. This announcement? This is him doing what he can, both in terms of his legal ability to change things, as the chief executive, and in terms of using the bully pulpit, making clear where his and his administrations' priorities lie. Basically, it sounds like you're saying "if the President can't force the legislation he wants to materialize and get through a Congress that is historically dysfunctional, that means he doesn't really care about the issue."

pessimizer 4y ago
> And how, exactly, do you propose he do that, given the current political landscape in the US? This can always be an excuse. Things can't be done because they can't be done. The fact is that he's giving speeches about how much he hates China and Russia, and not about legalizing pot. He's also one of the engineers of the shitty situation that we're in, he's had an abusively and militantly anti-drug pol his entire career, so I'm not ever going to be convinced by this woe is me lark. He's not doing his best, he's being pushed (if he's even being adequately informed.) The best case scenario is that some people in his administration think that drug law reform is important, either morally or politically. There is no scenario in which the actual Biden is sympathetic towards drug users, or regretful of the lives that he personally contributed to ruining over drugs. > how, exactly, do you propose he do that The answer is do politics. If he doesn't know how to do politics, it would be better if someone else were doing the job.
- danso 4y ago
  > he's had an abusively and militantly anti-drug pol his entire career Ok sure, not only that, but he is the president who has the least number of spare brain cells to devote to an issue that he opposes on principle. And yet of all the presidents we've had in the past 4 decades, it wasn't the B-movie star, nor the frat boy, not the draft dodger(s), nor the iconoclast reality TV star, nor even our first and only Black president -- but Biden the Old Catholic who actually got this seemingly simple reform with simple possession of pot. As you said, he's the guy with the least reason and capacity to get it done, and yet here we are. How are you managing to complain that what he did was so simple and miniscule, and yet no one else came close to doing it? > The best case scenario is that some people in his administration think that drug law reform is important, either morally or politically. There is no scenario in which the actual Biden is sympathetic towards drug users, or regretful of the lives that he personally contributed to ruining over drugs. I wouldn't be too sure that Biden had staff more devoted toward drug reform than Obama [0]. But I guess you're stuck with that position since you can't fathom that Biden personally pushed for reform. So how did Biden end up with this successful drug reform team, just random chance? If Biden is so stridently anti-drug, so absolutely useless toward pushing reform as you think he must be, then how did that not trickle down to his senior staff and who they hired and what the prioritized? > The answer is do politics. If he doesn't know how to do politics, it would be better if someone else were doing the job. Politics is all about building consensus through compromise and collaboration. Biden may hate marijuana reform, but he prioritized and executed in a way that past presidents didn't, ostensibly because he knew it was something that lots of people love. How is that not great politics? [0] https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-book-obama-considered-decriminalizing-marijuana-but-then-trump-won/ https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-book-obama-considered-de...
  - cudgy 4y ago
    Biden still deserves the criticism that he does not believe in marijuana reform and may not follow through any further. For example, he excluded/discriminated members of his own cabinet that admitted to marijuana use while choosing a Vice President that admitted to marijuana use, which is puzzling.
- danaris 4y ago
  > He's not doing his best, he's being pushed (if he's even being adequately informed.) If this is true, then this is politics working as intended. Seriously, that is exactly how the system is supposed to work: The officials we elect do what we, the people, want, not just push their personal beliefs at all costs. I would 1000% rather elect someone I agree with on 50% of issues, who is willing to be swayed by popular opinion, than someone I agree with on 80% of issues, who is going to try to enforce their personal beliefs as law no matter what the people actually want.
- Bud 4y ago
  He's being pushed? He promised to do this himself during the campaign. There is no credible evidence of any kind that he did this because he was "being pushed". In any case, it's the right move, and he did the right thing, and honestly, people like you need to pipe down, relax, smoke a fucking joint, be honest, and give him credit here where credit is due. As for Biden "knowing how to do politics", you might want to spend some time studying Biden's astonishing legislative results over the past few months. He's apparently quite good at politics.
- Bud 4y ago
  Just for fun: these "people in his [Biden's] administration" you speak of...who chose those people? I'm a little confused. Perhaps you can clear this point up. Just be honest: you have 937 axes to grind and you are desperate to avoid giving Biden any credit, ever, for anything.

pessimizer 4y ago

> And how, exactly, do you propose he do that, given the current political landscape in the US? This can always be an excuse. Things can't be done because they can't be done. The fact is that he's giving speeches about how much he hates China and Russia, and not about legalizing pot. He's also one of the engineers of the shitty situation that we're in, he's had an abusively and militantly anti-drug pol his entire career, so I'm not ever going to be convinced by this woe is me lark. He's not doing his best, he's being pushed (if he's even being adequately informed.) The best case scenario is that some people in his administration think that drug law reform is important, either morally or politically. There is no scenario in which the actual Biden is sympathetic towards drug users, or regretful of the lives that he personally contributed to ruining over drugs. > how, exactly, do you propose he do that The answer is do politics. If he doesn't know how to do politics, it would be better if someone else were doing the job.

danso 4y ago
> he's had an abusively and militantly anti-drug pol his entire career Ok sure, not only that, but he is the president who has the least number of spare brain cells to devote to an issue that he opposes on principle. And yet of all the presidents we've had in the past 4 decades, it wasn't the B-movie star, nor the frat boy, not the draft dodger(s), nor the iconoclast reality TV star, nor even our first and only Black president -- but Biden the Old Catholic who actually got this seemingly simple reform with simple possession of pot. As you said, he's the guy with the least reason and capacity to get it done, and yet here we are. How are you managing to complain that what he did was so simple and miniscule, and yet no one else came close to doing it? > The best case scenario is that some people in his administration think that drug law reform is important, either morally or politically. There is no scenario in which the actual Biden is sympathetic towards drug users, or regretful of the lives that he personally contributed to ruining over drugs. I wouldn't be too sure that Biden had staff more devoted toward drug reform than Obama [0]. But I guess you're stuck with that position since you can't fathom that Biden personally pushed for reform. So how did Biden end up with this successful drug reform team, just random chance? If Biden is so stridently anti-drug, so absolutely useless toward pushing reform as you think he must be, then how did that not trickle down to his senior staff and who they hired and what the prioritized? > The answer is do politics. If he doesn't know how to do politics, it would be better if someone else were doing the job. Politics is all about building consensus through compromise and collaboration. Biden may hate marijuana reform, but he prioritized and executed in a way that past presidents didn't, ostensibly because he knew it was something that lots of people love. How is that not great politics? [0] https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-book-obama-considered-decriminalizing-marijuana-but-then-trump-won/ https://www.marijuanamoment.net/new-book-obama-considered-de...
- cudgy 4y ago
  Biden still deserves the criticism that he does not believe in marijuana reform and may not follow through any further. For example, he excluded/discriminated members of his own cabinet that admitted to marijuana use while choosing a Vice President that admitted to marijuana use, which is puzzling.
danaris 4y ago
> He's not doing his best, he's being pushed (if he's even being adequately informed.) If this is true, then this is politics working as intended. Seriously, that is exactly how the system is supposed to work: The officials we elect do what we, the people, want, not just push their personal beliefs at all costs. I would 1000% rather elect someone I agree with on 50% of issues, who is willing to be swayed by popular opinion, than someone I agree with on 80% of issues, who is going to try to enforce their personal beliefs as law no matter what the people actually want.
Bud 4y ago
He's being pushed? He promised to do this himself during the campaign. There is no credible evidence of any kind that he did this because he was "being pushed". In any case, it's the right move, and he did the right thing, and honestly, people like you need to pipe down, relax, smoke a fucking joint, be honest, and give him credit here where credit is due. As for Biden "knowing how to do politics", you might want to spend some time studying Biden's astonishing legislative results over the past few months. He's apparently quite good at politics.
Bud 4y ago
Just for fun: these "people in his [Biden's] administration" you speak of...who chose those people? I'm a little confused. Perhaps you can clear this point up. Just be honest: you have 937 axes to grind and you are desperate to avoid giving Biden any credit, ever, for anything.