Will GOP Support Weed Legalization Before Dems?

[JRCF29 8,230]

A lot of attention was given yesterday to the DNC Platform Committee's overwhelming rejection of a plank advocating Medicare for All. The vote shone yet another spotlight on the cracks among the party ranks as Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden try their best to present a united front in the face of President Donald Trump's possible reelection. Sanders backers were quick to blast the committee on Twitter, but it's unclear exactly how much influence the ultra-progressive wing of the party will have on the actual voting process when all delegates vote the platform up or down in the near future; what is clear is that it won't be enough. 

But another provision that the party rejected caught my eye too: legalized marijuana. Joe Biden, as the party's nominee for the Presidential election, is the de facto leader of the Democrats and doesn't have a weed-friendly history; and in debates this Winter the former Vice President wouldn't commit to legalizing the wacky tobacky- leading New Jersey Senator Cory Booker to accuse him of being "high when [he] said it." And so I got to thinking that there actually exists a world in which the GOP could support legalizing marijuana before the Democrats. 

The Republican Party has warmed to the blunt in recent years but is far from sold on the idea of legalization. Even pretty moderate figures like Governor Chris Sununu (NH) and Senator Mitt Romney (UT) remain vehemently opposed to recreational legalization, and with weed foes like William Barr heading up the DOJ, nothing will change on that front in the near-term. But here's the thing: there's a vocal contingent of libertarian-leaning Republicans these days- Sen. Rand Paul (KY) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (Fla.) come to mind- and younger conservatives especially favor cannabis legalization. As Gen-Z members of the right grow their influence in the coming years perhaps the historical "tough on drugs" face of the party will start to soften. 

 

 

 

Vote and discuss.

[GagaSine 7,464]

God the DNC is so terrible I would be unsurprised if the GOP do it first 

[Sister 9,907]

Both should.

[Spyro 8,438]

I think the GOP might warm up to it (eventually).  But no way Trump will do that.  Never.  It benefits people 'not like him' and that's why he's not gonna do it.  Biden might legalize it to boost democrat popularity for the 2024 election for his VP.

[TOSK 640]

GOP would NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Eighteen 5,430]

i don't think the GOP will do it first. progress in my view will always come (albeit sometimes frustratingly slow) from liberals (aka the democratic party and some independents--and on the marijuana issue alone, libertarians [who are NOT liberal on many other issues, particularly economically]). (edit: ultimately i think it will happen in some sort of bipartisan fashion, with a vast majority being from democrats, and a few repubs) 

as i side note, it's understandable and even good to have gripes with the democratic platform, because they obviously need to move on some issues if you're on the far left, but to provide perspective, here is what i found on the republican platform, which i believe they are carrying over from 2016: 

from a vox article (https://www.vox.com/2016/7/18/12200706/rnc-platform-republican-convention-2016?__c=1):

Spoiler

 

Support for Israel: The platform calls for an "undivided" Jerusalem, "removing a reference to Palestine in support of a two-state solution," according to CNN. (The 2012 platform says "we envision two democratic states — Israel with Jerusalem as its capital and Palestine — living in peace and security.")

Teaching the Bible in public schools: In 2012, the platform’s only reference to the Bible was to opposing any bans on it in military forces. Now the GOP platform encourages state legislatures to offer Bible studies as an elective course in high schools.

EMPs as a real threat: The party also adds a fear that "an EMP is no longer a theoretical concern," and urges the federal government to take action over the threat of electromagnetic pulse weapons. (The party is wrong about this, as Vox has previously reported.)

Coal is a "clean" energy source: The GOP platform calls coal "an abundant, clean, affordable, reliable domestic energy resource." In 2012, the GOP merely called coal "abundant" and "low-cost."

"Auditing" the Federal Reserve: The platform also adopts Ron Paul’s once crankish call to "audit" the Federal Reserve. According to Yglesias, the legislation that goes under this name isn’t really about auditing, which already happens.

Lawmakers must consider religion: The platform also calls lawmakers to use religion as a guide when drafting legislation, and says "that man-made law must be consistent with God-given, natural rights."

Calling abortion "aborted children": The platform committee also edited a reference to "aborted fetuses" to instead refer to "aborted children," according to Ball. (The 2012 platform does not mention "aborted children.")

 

and the new york times wrote this: 

"The platform made a steadfast case against same-sex marriage and called for a constitutional amendment overturning the 2015 Supreme Court decision that struck down laws defining marriage between one man and one woman. And it blames “the current President” for seeking to expand workplace protections to include L.G.B.T.Q. people.

'That same provision of law is now being used by bureaucrats — and by the current President of the United States — to impose a social and cultural revolution upon the American people by wrongly redefining sex discrimination to include sexual orientation or other categories,” the platform reads. “Their agenda has nothing to do with individual rights; it has everything to do with power.'"

(https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/us/politics/republican-platform.html)

[Eighteen 5,430]

so yeah. in my view it's pretty obvious that one is relatively alright, the other is really....really... bad. 

[President Biden 5,898]

Not sure honestly. Obviously makes sense for Dems to, hut I could totally see a libertarian Republican endorsing it as a “small government” proposal, trying to out-liberal Democrats on some issue & steal over voters. Someone like Rand Paul or Josh Hawley definitely would in 2024 

 

Still more likely Democrats. But it’s bipartisanly supported so likely both! I can see it being a more populist vs corporatist issue than GOP vs DNC.

[Ziggy 14,133]

What’s going to happen is that they’ll adopt it when the industry proves reliably profitable. That’s it. They wouldn’t back it for no reason but if party backers want it because they’re making a profit than the GOP will care. The industry is big but still nascent, though, so idk if we can expect a support of it super soon. What we’ve seen in a Democrat-run Illinois is that they legalized weed in such a manner that it benefits wealthy business investors most and hurts small sellers through various rules and provisos. That’s something I could see the GOP adopting in the coming years.

 

Now, will they get a female president first? Honestly maybe. 

[TOSK 640]

Jersey is voting this November, it better pass

[Spyro 8,438]

3 minutes ago, President Biden said:

Not sure honestly. Obviously makes sense for Dems to, hut I could totally see a libertarian Republican endorsing it as a “small government” proposal, trying to out-liberal Democrats on some issue & steal over voters. Someone like Rand Paul or Josh Hawley definitely would in 2024 

 

Still more likely Democrats. But it’s bipartisanly supported so likely both! I can see it being a more populist vs corporatist issue than GOP vs DNC.

If (god please) Biden wins, he probably won't do it until 2023/early 2024ish.  I feel he'll legalize it, because if he's running only one term, he may need help to make sure Trump doesn't win in 2024 because Trump can run again in 2024 if he lost this year.  It might be risky, but so was supporting gay marriage on an election year.  It could be a 'dark horse' stunt in case of an emergency.

[JRCF29 8,230]

34 minutes ago, President Biden said:

Someone like Rand Paul or Josh Hawley definitely would in 2024 

I don’t associate Senator Hawley with the pro-reform movement among Republicans

Rand Paul certainly 

Justin Amash certainly 

I could see, maybe, Rubio endorsing decriminalization? Probably Nikki Haley too. 

[NathanC 938]

Here’s how I see it, the blue states will continue to legalize it. Once the red states sees the profits, they will as well. Only then will the feds stop their stupid “war on drugs”... I’m guessing next few election cycles for the states? 

[ShtoopidLahv 710]

No lol. All the blue states are legalizing it while the red states are not 

[NewYorkOnTheWeeknd 1,577]

Be a lot cooler if they did