March 28, 2024
Search Result For : bernie

Big Pharma’s Obscene Price Gouging of Life-Saving Opioid Blockers

The American opioid crisis continues to worsen. After 45 years of drug war failure, drug addiction and death are at all-time, devastating highs. This new opioid epidemic, clearly a function of Big Pharma’s pill milling and marketing, now kills over 100 Americans each day. In response, Chris Christie’s opioid panel […]

An Extraordinary “Path to Marijuana Reform” by Two Oregon Congressmen

Two Oregon congressional democrats, a senator and a representative, show ground-breaking leadership with their “Path to Marijuana Reform.”  Three pieces of excellent legislation showcase the effort by Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Earl Blumenauer. This proposal has excellent cannabis policy goals. It would: Deschedule Marijuana Completely. No Schedule II, maybe […]

Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017 Gets More Cosponsors

H.R.1227, the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017, has been introduced and is gaining cosponsors in the House of Representatives. This bill would end decades of “unreasonable, arbitrary, and capricious” federal criminalization of cannabis. The legislation was sponsored by Virginia Representative Tom Garrett, a freshman republican in the state’s […]

The Cannabis Community Is Too Powerful to Be Stopped

If there are two things president-elect Donald Trump loves more than anything else, it’s fame and money. Trump’s international recognition a flashy billionaire is undisputed. Despite the obvious thrill he gets from antagonizing opponents, the truth is the Donald wants to be popular. And there is no more popular political […]

Did Lack of Legalization Doom Hillary?

Hillary Clinton and the democrats are searching for reasons for their devastating loss. Was it FBI Director James Comey they ask? Was it the steady drip of WikiLeaks they wonder? It just may be that Hillary’s non-committal and suspicious views and statements about marijuana doomed her. Had she come out […]

Join NCIA at the ICBC and in Its Efforts to Improve Cannabis Laws

NCIA-Logo

The National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) has been at the forefront of cannabis law reform since its inception in 2010. NCIA works for sensible cannabis laws for for cannabis businesses while also supporting efforts to improve criminal law as well. With more than 1,000 members, NCIA has forged a powerful coalition […]

Obama Leaves Behind a Marijuana Nightmare

At the twilight of his presidency, Barack Obama leaves unmet the huge need to change federal cannabis law. President Barack Obama will soon leave office. Although he will re-enter private life as one of America’s better presidents, he has failed to address the calamitous war on drugs, especially the eight-decade […]

Cannabis Legalization Cuts Across the Political Spectrum

Girl Scout Cookies - Top 10 Marijuana Strains of 2016

Cannabis legalization is crossing political barriers in 2016 as Libertarian Presidential candidate Gary Johnson announced his support for California Proposition 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act , joining the democratic socialist Bernie Sanders, and a whole host of political figures across the political spectrum, including Republican Dana Rohrabacher and Democratic Lt. […]

Like A Virgin: The Next President Has Never Tried Marijuana

“Are you experienced?” Jimi Hendrix For the first time in decades, the next US President will have no personal experience with marijuana. Neither Hillary nor The Donald have known the relaxing, yet stimulating, sensation of a cannabis “high.” Or so they say. If so, they are poorer for the lack […]

You Want A Third-Party President? Here’s How!

Range Voting

Since I have dropped my #BernieOrBust stand to support Hillary Clinton for president, I’ve has to deal with so many people urging me to vote for the Green’s Jill Stein or the Libertarian’s Gary Johnson. I think Dan Savage has the best take on the quadrennial third party distraction, but […]

Quick Hits: Democrats Embrace Legalization

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania – The Democrats have become the first major political party in the United States to endorse “a reasoned pathway for future [marijuana] legalization” in their party platform at their convention in Philadelphia. The platform plank, fought for by supporters of Senator Bernie Sanders, calls for the removal of […]

Debbie Be Gone: Wasserman Schultz Forced Out At DNC

Devisive Debbie Wasserman Schultz has finally resigned as Democratic National Committee chief. Followers of MarijuanaPolitics.com may have read this writer’s several posts criticizing Schultz as unfit for DNC chief or as a Democratic Representative to Congress. Her resignation will go a long ways in helping to unify the Democratic Party for the […]

AUMA, Unlike Hillary, Actually Supports Marijuana Legalization

AUMA Hillary

My friend Leland Berger has penned an essay on this fine site entitled “AUMA is the Hillary of United States Cannabis Legalization Initiatives“. He makes very astute points about the Adult Use of Marijuana Act – California’s marijuana legalization initiative – including how it is just as good or better than the […]

Quick Hits: Congress Drops Support For VA Medical Marijuana

VA Medical Marijuana

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A bi-partisan amendment to allow Veterans Administration doctors to recommend medical marijuana to their patients in states that allow it has disappeared from the appropriations process. The VA funding bill had included the Blumenauer Amendment, which passed the House 233-189 in its first vote and 296-129 once […]

AUMA is the Hillary of United States Cannabis Legalization Initiatives

AUMA Hillary

I had such high hopes for California when we were drafting Measure 91 in Oregon. I hoped that criminal penalties would give way to fines, and that California could improve on what we created in many significant ways. I understand that each state is different and that California is the […]

Freeing Up Florida: Three Important Cannabis Votes Coming Soon

In upcoming elections, Florida contests for US senator, US Representative, and a medical marijuana initiative will help decide the legal future of cannabis both statewide and nationwide. Senate Race He’s baaaack! “Little” Mario Rubio will be running for senate reelection after all. This prohibitionist Republican used his first Senate term […]

Feel The Johnson: Getting Gary (and Marijuana) Into The Presidential Debates!

Libertarian Presidential Candidate Gary Johnson adds a clear and sensible alternative to the 2016 election. Should he qualify for the the Presidential Debates, he will bring cannabis reform to the national stage. Governor Johnson will argue for winding down the drug war, ending marijuana prohibition, achieving smaller government, and pursuing a […]

The California Primaries, Candidates and their Marijuana Positions

california primaries 2016 candidates marijuana positions

With the California Primaries just four days away, many participants and enthusiasts in the cannabis space are looking to the five remaining presidential candidates (or three, depending on your perspective) to see what are their Marijuana positions and who would be their greatest ally. It’s a difficult question to answer, […]

Obama’s Rare Opportunity to Reschedule Marijuana

President Obama has a rare opportunity to make history by rescheduling marijuana. As it so happens, the DEA is currently deciding on a five-year-old petition to reschedule marijuana, supposedly in the first half of 2016. This decision coincides with some of the final months of the Obama administration. This coincidence […]

Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders Debate?

In this historical election cycle where the impossible becomes possible, Donald J Trump and Bernie Sanders look like they might be debating each other in California before the June 7 primaries there. Sanders had already accepted Fox’s proposal to debate Hillary Clinton, but after Clinton declined the invitation, Trump said […]

Everybody Bern! Bernie Sanders Rolling Papers

Bernie Sanders Rolling Papers

Despite the political establishment and mainstream pundits calling for Bernie Sanders to drop out of his race against Hillary Clinton, Bernie, and millions of supporters, are still fighting for the political revolution. Propelled by an upset victory in Indiana, Bernie Sanders, now sensing momentum behind his insurgent campaign, proclaimed, “I think […]

Too Little Too Late? Bernie Sanders Hints at Elizabeth Warren as VP.

ElizabethWarrenBernieSanders

I’ve been a huge supporter for Bernie Sanders’ political revolution as his call to end federal cannabis prohibition, reform the Drug War and tackle civil rights abuses have been far and away the best of any mainstream candidate, especially after Republican Rand Paul dropped out of the race. Hillary Clinton, evolving […]

UNGASS 2016: Sir Richard Branson and 1,000 Other Leaders Plead For New Drug Policy

The United Nations General Assembly is running a Special Session, UNGASS 2016 in April. The purpose is to examine (hopefully) the institution’s drug policies. Sir Richard Branson, Warren Buffet, Bernie Sanders, and 1,000 other leaders have pleaded for needed change in a powerful letter to the U.N. The UN’s positions on drugs for the last half […]

NCIA’s Aaron Smith Giving Federal Law Update at the OMBC

NCIA-Logo

It is clear that the states have led the way on cannabis law reform and that the federal government is playing catch-up. However, there are new and upcoming developments at the federal level that impact the cannabis industry. In many ways, Oregon, with representation from Earl Blumenauer, Jeff Merkley, Ron […]

Thanks for Endorsing Bernie Sanders, Senator Jeff Merkley!

Jeff Merkley, the first United States Senator to back a marijuana legalization measure announced his endorsement for Bernie Sanders, the only Democratic candidate advocating to end the federal war on the cannabis community. Senator Merkley, one of the most progressive United States senators, has plenty of reasons for backing Senator […]

Bernie Sanders Political Revolution Takes Wyoming, New York Up Next

BernieSandersItsARevolution

The Bernie Sanders political revolution rolled through Wyoming, marking 8 victories out of the last 9 contests for Sanders over Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. Senator Sanders earned 56% of the vote in the closed Wyoming caucu while Clinton won 44%. The all-important New York primary is next, with both candidates […]

Bill Clinton Wrong to Double Down on Racist Language

BillClinton

The political debate around Bill Clinton’s 1994 Crime Bill is rather complicated complicated as Hillary Clinton championed the bill but Bernie Sanders voted for the legislation, so he can’t get a free pass. Sanders does note that he criticized parts of the bill and ultimately voted for the bill because […]

Bernie Sanders Political Revolution Rolls Through Wisconsin, Onto Wyoming

BernieSandersWisconsinVictory

It was apparent that the Bernie Sanders political revolution was surging in Wisconsin as the anti-establishment challenger was clearly climbing in the polls. However, no poll had Senator Sanders winning by more than 10 points, but he cruised to a clear double digit victory against Hillary Clinton, the Democratic front-runner. […]

Hillary Clinton’s Email Scandal is About Lack of Transparency

Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton’s ongoing private email server scandal is not an engineered right-wing smear. Even though Bernie Sanders hasn’t made Clinton’s server and corresponding ethical questions an issue during his anti-establishment campaign, that doesn’t mean that Clinton’s server and lack of transparency isn’t a legitimate issue to the American people. We […]

Protesters Follow Through with White House Smoke-Out

Joint at the White House

Following through with a protest that has split the cannabis law reform movement, activists marched in Washington, D.C., and, in an act of civil disobedience, smoked marijuana in front of the White House. The smoke-out was supposed to start at 4:20pm Eastern Time, but according to Twitter, protesters may have […]

Adding to his Legacy, President Obama Commutes 61 Drug Sentences, More to Come

President Obama NAACP

President Obama added to his criminal justice reform legacy by commuting the sentences of 61 federal drug offenders, bringing his total number of commutations to 248, more than the previous 6 presidents combines. Criminal justice policy reformers had high hopes upon President Obama, with many backing him over Hillary Clinton in […]

Democrats Could Dump Debbie This Primary!

Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz could be dumped in the August 30 primary! Schultz’s failings as a Democratic congressperson are huge. Supposedly a progressive, she instead opposes medical marijuana and joins corporate Republicans to support the predatory payday loan industry. Her neo-con, prohibitionist, and money grubbing politics belie her “progressive” […]

Bernie Sanders Path to Victory

Bernie Sanders Birdiecrats

A Little Birdie Told Me The Bernie Sanders Path to the Nomination With another set of wins in the western states of Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii, Senator Bernie Sanders has chipped away at Secretary Hillary Clinton’s delegate lead for the Democratic Presidential Nomination. However, the math in the remaining states makes […]

Did Jimmy Kimmel Show Hillary Clinton Further Evolving on Marijuana?

Hillary Clinton on Jimmy Kimmel

The racist Drug War, especially the war waged upon the cannabis community, is clearly losing support from the American people. The success of the cannabis law reform movement is evident at the ballot box, public polls and the 2016 presidential election, especially on the Democratic side. On the Republican, side […]

Bernie Sanders Wins 95% of Country Committees, Defeating Hillary Clinton 69% to 31% Among Democrats Abroad

Bernie Sanders

Democrats abroad voted in record numbers with a turnout more than 50% above 2008, giving Bernie Sanders a much-needed victory over Hillary Clinton heading into Tuesday’s elections in Utah, Idaho and Arizona. Democratic front-runner Clinton has pushed her lead to more than 300 pledged delegates and the anti-establishment Sanders needs to […]

Bernie Sanders Correct in Criticizing Sheriff Joe Arpaio

Joe_Arpaio

Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s conduct in Maricopa County, Arizona, is a national disgrace that should be declared unconstitutional and should be stopped. Jane and Bernie Sanders should be commended for shining a light on Arpaio’s abuses, from racial profiling to neglectful, inhumane treatment of people in his custody. These abuses are […]

Chicago Activists Celebrate Defeat of Anita Alvarez, Prosecutor Soft on Police Killings

#ByeAnita

During the latest Super Tuesday, black Chicago activists flew banners across the city skyline criticizing Mayor Rahm Emanuel and State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez for their shameful response to the police killing of 17 year-old Laquan McDonald. The banners read: “Chicago Stands with Laquan, Hillary Stands with Rahm— #ByeAnita #ByeRahm” as the […]

Black Chicago Activists Fly ‘Chicago Stands with Laquan, Hillary Stands with Rahm’ Banners Across Windy City’s Skyline

Activists ly banner over chicago

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, a Hillary Clinton supporter, has become so toxic that he has had to stay away from the Democratic front-runner while Bernie Sanders has run anti-Emanuel ads tying Clinton and the embattled mayor together. Mayor Emanuel has come under fire particularly for the police shooting of Laquan McDonald […]

Ending the Machinery of Death, Another Needed Criminal Justice Reform

ElectricChairSingSing

“I no longer shall tinker with the machinery of death,” Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun wrote in a 1994 dissent where he declared, “the death penalty experiment has failed.” More than 150 death row inmates have been exonerated by evidence of innocence since 1973. A recent study has examined exonerations […]