Congressman Jared Polis questions DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart during a hearing on the agency’s priorities. He repeatedly pressed the administrator on the relative health impacts of marijuana versus other drugs
Obama doesn’t have to come out for drug reform, but should he have someone this out touch in charge of this agency? I remind you that over 800,000 people are arrest each year for marijuana possession. 75% are Black or Brown. Answer this, is marijuana more dangerous than a felony conviction at 17?
Full story: Polis 1, DEA 0. Can the head of the US DEA be this clueless?
I’m thinking duplicitous…they intend to give no ground on this, I suspect.
It is my theory that the American people are only days or weeks away from more overt, aggressive, tactics from these mercenaries. The for-profit prison industry is very much against any effort to stem the flow of cheap labor into their facilities. And the DEA is one of their primary income stream providers.
Our government, bless ‘em, pays pretty well for the care of our criminal underclass, the quality of the food notwithstanding, eh, Mr. Bruce?
Even in places where pot laws have eased, one of the things that is in many laws, I am told, is language that makes it legal only if it is “not in plain sight” (or whatever prose may be used). Once a young man/woman (predominately of color) is stopped and ordered to empty their pockets, voila’, instant crime.
But, back to Ms. Leonhart. She was either just obstructing substantial discussion…or she was on heroin… :)
Just goes to show you how even a capable administrator like President Obama can have trouble ferreting out every rat on the ship. He should sack her, forthwith.