John McCain: Just Another Autocrat

By Jeralyn, Section Elections 2008
Posted on Wed Nov 14, 2007 at 11:11:17 PM EST
Tags: John McCain, medical marijuana (all tags)

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Drug War Rant and Hit and Run pick up on John McCain's recent statements on a blogger conference call about medical marijuana. The question posed was:

"Should federal law supersede the will of the people in a given state when it comes to medical marijuana?"

McCain's answer:

McCain started chuckling. "The will of the people, my friend, is that medical marijuana is not something that the quote 'people' want," he responded. "Certain people feel strongly about this issue, and they show up at most town hall meetings, obviously feel very strongly about it. There is no convincing evidence...there's evidence, but no convincing evidence to me that medical marijuana relief of pain and suffering cannot be accomplished by prescriptions from doctors... So, when you're talking about the will of the people, you're going to have to show me the will of the people besides the will of a small number of people who feel very strongly about the issue, as obviously you do."

More...

The questioner then pointed out that California voters had approved the use of medical marijuana.

"There may be times when the will of the people, for example Iraq, the will of the people, unfortunately is that we withdraw from Iraq immediately or very very soon," McCain shot back. "I don't share that view of the will of the people."

Translation:

The will of the people isn't the will of the people, except when it is the will of the people, in which case my will is really the will of the people, whether they know it or not.

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John McCain: Just Another Autocrat | 32 comments (32 topical)

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McCain has missed a whopping... (5.00 / 0) (#17)
by desertswine on Thu Nov 15, 2007 at 10:36:44 AM EST

53% of Senate votes since running for president.

Missed votes:
John McCain (R) - 53.1%
Joseph Biden (D) - 35.4%
Christopher Dodd (D) - 33.9%
Barack Obama (D)- 33.7%
Hillary Clinton (D) - 18.2%

And for the House:
Tom Tancredo (R) - 28.8%
Ron Paul (R) - 22.7%
Dennis Kucinich (D) - 10.8

: What do you expect from him? (none / 0) (#18)
by Edger on Thu Nov 15, 2007 at 10:40:21 AM EST

He's a busy guy. He has a full time job to do.
Shilling for Bush.

I've known (5.00 / 2) (#21)
by tnthorpe on Thu Nov 15, 2007 at 12:31:48 PM EST

too many people with AIDS who've benefitted enormously from medical marijuana to tolerate McCain's dismissive blather about convincing evidence. This is another example of big pharma and its big money hobbling democracy and good medical practice. If Congress weren't in big pharma's pockets they might, repeat might, be expected to do something about medical marijuana. The voters have, but then they can't be trusted since they can think for themselves.

If Congress weren't in big pharma's pockets? (5.00 / 1) (#23)
by Edger on Thu Nov 15, 2007 at 01:12:06 PM EST

Drug Lobby Second to None
How the pharmaceutical industry gets its way in Washington

WASHINGTON, July 7, 2005 -- The pharmaceutical and health products industry has spent more than $800 million in federal lobbying and campaign donations at the federal and state levels in the past seven years, a Center for Public Integrity investigation has found. Its lobbying operation, on which it reports spending more than $675 million, is the biggest in the nation. No other industry has spent more money to sway public policy in that period. Its combined political outlays on lobbying and campaign contributions is topped only by the insurance industry.

astonishing isn't it? (5.00 / 1) (#24)
by tnthorpe on Thu Nov 15, 2007 at 01:38:08 PM EST

Guess that's why we have the best gov't money can buy.


: Heh. (none / 0) (#25)
by Edger on Thu Nov 15, 2007 at 01:47:32 PM EST

I guess money doesn't buy much does it? Except corrupted pols.

"Medical" marijuana (1.00 / 0) (#6)
by Deconstructionist on Thu Nov 15, 2007 at 07:36:04 AM EST

is a subterfuge. We all know that.

To be legitimately prescribed by doctors and dispensed by pharmacists acting in accordance with any known "medical" standards a substance needs to be available in uniform dosages and delivery methods. Maijuana varies widely in THC levels and levels of many other chemical compounds and the ingestion by inhaling particulate combustion vapors obviously also varies greatly depending on the physical characteristics of different samples.

I believe marijuana should be legalized for adults to possess and use and regulated similarly to the way we regulate alcohol, but I don't find either the "medical" marijuana proponents or the people who advocate the supposed zillion and one miracle uses of "hemp" to be anything but transparent.

It is medically relevant (5.00 / 3) (#10)
by lilybart on Thu Nov 15, 2007 at 08:47:37 AM EST

We have helped parents of our friends, OLDER people who would normally think that pot is bad, get marijuana during cancer treatment.

These are people who would normally agree with you, who experience the help that mj gives them. They are believers.

I hope you never need to think about this issue because of your own illness, but if you haven't got experience with it, talk to those who do.

And you know what? If it just helps a sick person feel like eating and it makes them feel relaxed and happier, I would say that is a great benefit.


Prohibition.... (5.00 / 3) (#11)
by kdog on Thu Nov 15, 2007 at 08:48:40 AM EST

created the medical marijuana issue. If not for prohibition, reefer would be just another home remedy like tea w/ honey and lemon for a sore throat, or chicken noodle soup for a cold.

But thanks to prohibition, we need a way for sick people to get a remedy that works without risking arrest, hence we have the medical marijuana movement.

Unfortunately, the state says we can't be treated as free adults and medicate ourselves as we see fit with the help of our doctor....we need state approval and a permission slip like children.


It would be more akin (none / 0) (#12)
by Deconstructionist on Thu Nov 15, 2007 at 09:18:55 AM EST

to a snifter of brandy but I generally agree.

Marijuana is a psychoactive substance and 99.99% of the use historically was and prospectively will be because a lot of people find it a pleasant and enjoyable psychoactive effect. It's demonstrably less dangerous in both acute and chronic terms than alcohol and in chronic terms less dangerous than tobacco. It is not even in the same ballpark with opiates, cocaine, and countless prescription drugs that are commonly abused.

Equating it with "medicine" though is both transparently disingenuous and counter-productive to the goal of legalizing it for purely recreational use. It should be regulated as a consumer product for adults not as a controlled substance.

I think.... (none / 0) (#14)
by kdog on Thu Nov 15, 2007 at 10:12:19 AM EST

remedy is a better description than medicine, sure. For the reasons you mentioned about dosage and such.

Whatever we wanna call it, we need to let people use it without the state on their backs.


I agree (1.00 / 0) (#15)
by jimakaPPJ on Thu Nov 15, 2007 at 10:21:52 AM EST

But tying it to transparent claims is counterproductive, and won't win the argument.


: People who have benefitted (5.00 / 2) (#22)
by lilybart on Thu Nov 15, 2007 at 12:56:22 PM EST

would disagree. As I said below, many older people we know were helped during chemo and other treatments with mj. These are people who would normally agree with you.
I agree though that it is not government's business to tell us what we can grow in our backyard and we can smoke for fun or relief from nausea.

for sure (none / 0) (#34)
by RichLon on Tue Sep 23, 2008 at 07:35:00 PM EST

I'd say tying the MJ debate so closely to strictly Medicinal issues dilutes the many other legitimate calls for legalizing the drug. Severing ties to the black market, adding some much needed funds to the National Treasury in the form of regulation and taxes, relieving our severely overpopulated Jail system, etc. There are so many legitimate platforms for marijuana legalization that seem to be completely overshadowed by the platform of Medicinal Use, when that particular platform seems to be easily dismissed by Politicians.

Even so, the platform of Medicinal Use is a legitimate one. There are a lot of people out there dealing with painful ailments that deserve to be relieved. You can't even argue that Marijuana is hazardous to one's respiratory health because all you have to do is use a vaporizer.

This is an issue bogged down by the Pharmaceutical industry and their lobbyists. Thankfully things are being done at the state level (Cali, RI, etc) to set things right.


Exactly (1.00 / 0) (#9)
by jimakaPPJ on Thu Nov 15, 2007 at 08:46:15 AM EST

I don't use it and don't care if others do. But you aren't going to win based on it being beneficial. (See Deconstructionist's comments.)

Why? Because it is not beneficial. It is a drug that alters reality, and yes, some people do become addicted. While the addiction is probably no worse than tobacco and probably not near as bad as an addiction to alcohol, it exists.

The argument should be that using it is not a criminal act anymore than tobacco and alcohol and that laws against its use has created a criminal class of suppliers who also provide other drugs and engage in violent actions to maintain their "business."


: Speak for yourself old-timer:)... (none / 0) (