Thursday, March 26, 2009

Legalization and Sound Economics


WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama had some fun with at least one question at his online town hall, saying he doesn't think legalizing marijuana is a good strategy for turning around the economy.

Obama told the audience Thursday that one of the most popular questions was whether legalization of the illicit drug would help pull the nation out of the recession. The president jokingly said: "I don't know what this says about the online audience."

In a serious response, he said he didn't think that was a good economic policy.

32 comments:

MelodyStone4 said...

Leagalizing Marijuana is not going to tunr the economy around. its gonna take a lot more of a group effort. although it is an interesting concept to think about. In order to pull ourselves out of a recession we have to work together and all pitch in. it's going to take more than one thing. I think its a funny idea though. It'll be so expensive though.

jacobirwin01 said...

I dissagree with him, because this is a time of crisis and during a time of crisis people want a way to relax and having marijuana could help some people do just that, relax.

AntonSoriano2 said...

Well... Obama has a joking side. I agree with Obama. Maybe as a last resort we should legalize marijuana.

Dorian Rosas3 said...

Becoming drug dealers doesn't exactly point out to me how we are going to leave this recession. The online audience must be the consumers and or dealers of this illicit drug. You know whats on their minds... President Obama was right in saying that he doesnt think this is the right answer for getting out of this recession.

AnaMendoza1 said...

Thats really all he can say too. Either way, his comments are going to anger somebody and nobody will ever be completely happy. But I would agree, doing drugs doesn't stimulate the economy.

elizabeth_hendrix_4 said...

My first question is, is that a picture of our president smokin' a joint? I hope it is, because that would make my day. Well anyway, i dont know what to do with leagalizing marijuana, personally either way it will not effect me much. But in the big picture i guess it would put a lot of people out of work, and make it more expensive at the store. But who knows i dont think it will pass, all the old people in Washington will probably shoot it down before it gets threw the door.

brookemccallon3 said...

Its understandable how he responded to the people questioning the legalization of the "illicit drug". However, I think all of us know that if marijuana was made legal there would be major tax revenues to gain from it. I don't think what we need at this time in our country is to present a solution that might only cause more problems. It comes with its own set of problems: limit, potency, mistrials, etc. I'm for the legalization of weed simply because it would increase school funding and other such positive effects, but I don't believe it’s the right time for it.

SavannahWood4 said...

Legalizing marijuana will NOT solve any issues, with the economy or otherwise. Seriously. Marijuana is illegal and there are more important things to worry about. Sure, we'd make money selling drugs, but that could lead to a lot more problems in the end. Just leave things alone. We don't always have to change things to feel like we've done something.

Unknown said...

Wow,thats crazy why would you ask the president of the U.S a question like that out of all the things in the world

Chris Shute 1 said...

Haha I'm pretty sure he's right about this one. The whole legalizing marijuana issue will not turn our economy around. Who's gonna buy marijuana that's got a gigantic tax on it? No one, the pot heads will still get their drugs from underground sources.

andrealuker4 said...

I agree with Obama's perspective. I feel like legalizing marijuana really wouldn't put a dent in our current economic problem. If it did, what does it say about the citizens of this country? Most everyone is hiding their money under their mattresses and whine and moan when it comes to making frivolous costs by anyone else besides themselves or paying for rising prices. However, no one minds the idea of completely wasting their money on a few hours of being high? I'm already tired of seeing a lot of youth completely go down hill for what? A non-addictive and illegal drug? Pathetic! So, we should condone such behavior and the effects of wasted potential for a weak attempt to solve our economic issue?
My vote says no. Let's try a productive route.

jillchen3 said...

I think if marijuana was legalized and taxed heavily it could greatly help the state of the nation's economy. So many people already sell/buy the drug illegally as it is. However the president must have his reasons why legalizing marijuana is bad...

RobertHiggins01 said...

Mr.P said that it'd work to legalize it and then tax it. It makes sense and marajuana isn't a hardcore drug. It's not chemically addictive so i don't see why this would be a problem.

DanieSaldana4 said...

The legalization of pot is not going to help the U.S. economy out of a recession...sorry. It wouldn't matter if pot was legal because there would be an insane tax on it and no one would be able to afford it. If anything legalization will just cause more problems that we really don't need.

benjaminfincher1st said...

of course obama said that it would not help establish growth in the economy. agreeing to legalize it is basically committing political suicide. i'm pretty sure he would at least like to attempt to get re-elected. agreeing that legalizing weed would help the economy would coast him a heck of a lot of votes for next election.

mattdotray3 said...

haha, i have that exact picture hanging up in my room. If things don't get better in a year or so, I don't see why he wouldn't legalize marijuana. Obviously it would be a huge change and people would disagree, but it would make sense. You brought up a good point in class, in the fact where he should just tax the hell out of it. Plus, it isn't like your local convenient stores would sell the most potent nugs. If Obama wants to just make a baby step, he could just legalize schwag or something cheap like that. I don't think right now it should be one of the most asked questions, but in a year or so, we should definately be looking for different answers.

Mike Onion 3 said...

I disagree with president Obama on this one. I think legalizing this drug would be a great way to pull the economy out of this recession. It would give the government a chance to vastly increase revenue by taking this drug and others very highly. People like to smoke pot and i think that many people would pay this steep price. With the tax money many jobs would open up and we could get our economy back on the right track (going upwards)

gloriasanchez4 said...

Legalizing marijuana probably won't completely pull us out of this recession, but it could help in some ways. By legalizing this substance, the government would probably put a high tax on it, and it would also create at least 100,000 jobs such as:

-Marijuana plantations would rise across the US. (Farmers, John Deere company would rise again, buyers, company contracts, etc)
-Factories would also be created. (Factory workers, packagers, truck drivers, etc)
-Legal division in the government. (Lawyers, politicians, etc.)

The biggest impact it could make on the US economy would just be a small dent. Nothing big, but people would be happy haha.

gloriasanchez4 said...

Legalizing marijuana may not be exactly the answer for this recession, but it may make a small dent into your economy. By legalizing the substance, the US government would probably put a high tax on it, but it would create jobs for within the US such as:

-Plantations: Plantation owners, farmers, John Deere company, land owners, business contracts, etc.
-Factories: Factory jobs, trucker drivers, etc.
-Government: FDA divison, lawyers, politicians who are for it, etc.

It could create up to 100,000 jobs and as we see today on CNN, "A job is a job. You'll be lucky to have one as unemployment rate increases."

AndrewRiojas1st said...

As of right now I don't think legalizing marijuana would be a good thing for the economy, not to mention the public would have a field day with all the people against it. But I would have to say we should legalize it some day it really isn't that bad of a drug its not man made its a plant. I honestly also think alcohol is worse than pot.

AmandaCaughron1 said...

I definitely don’t believe that legalizing Marijuana will turn the economy around. It is an excuse to make a stupid drug legal. Nothing good can come of it.

StephaniePleasant4 said...

As much as it sounds good to legalize marijuana, I think that it would just be a bad idea all the way around. If we legalize marijuana to make money what will we legalize next? Are we that desperate for money? I mean people have some wild ideas like legalizing prostitution, because you can make money that way too. We should just leave well enough alone. I think that in time the economy will fix itself because it has done it before it can do it again.

Jayse Hulett 4th said...

Potheads save America averting economic disaster

miguelsmith7th said...

I don't think that legalizing sells of marijuana would help out the econamy enough to breing it out of the recesion. But if they do legalize i don't care it's not hurting me.

diamonddavis1 said...

I love Obama! I'm sorry but I do. Now I don't do drugs or think that it's a great idea for getting us out of a recession, but you have to commend the guy for having a good sense of humor with the audience. I mean seriously he's really a good guy, and can I just add that he was really hott back in his druggie days.

JA7 said...

I think that Obama is doing a good job with the economy. He obviously doesn't want to legalize illicit drugs, he knows the consequences of mj and doesn't think it would be a good idea to legalize it.

VictoriaGarcia4 said...

Well, i suppose that relying on marijuana to turn around the economy is probably not going to be the key factor in digging ourselves out this crises. However, it is a likely source that has the potential to contribute to the economy in at least some sort. This addition to the market would definately make for a more interesting American society. It leads me to wonder if this "taboo" associated with marijuana in the U.S.A., would finally be diminshed.

Ezequiel Savedra 7 said...

I think that it was a good idea to legalize Marijuana because most people but this drug, then they do with their own supplies needed for home. Also, why ask the president that question? Is there not another interesting and more of a crisis question or topic in this world then to ask "Legalization of the illicit drug would help pull the nation out of the recession?"

patreaferrell1 said...

LOL this is what I'm talking bout this nothing wrong with Marijuana. This is a funny picture of our President smoking a joint. President Obama should legalize marijuana it would make all the grandpa's and grandma's with glycoma very happy. Especially Mine!!! LOL.

patreaferrell1 said...

LOL this is what I'm talking bout this nothing wrong with Marijuana. This is a funny picture of our President smoking a joint. President Obama should legalize marijuana it would make all the grandpa's and grandma's with glycoma very happy. Especially Mine!!! LOL.

bryahdaniels3 said...

Thats HILARIOUS! Of course their not gonna legalize weed... I think somebody just wanted to put that picture of Obama in a newspaper. Whoknows though maybe if they did legalize the illicit drug we just might come out of a recession... NAN!

ashleyledesma7 said...

I believe that legalizing marijuana has its good and bad.
Its good, because it would have more relaxation for people and some people that have a type of sickness would relieve stress and just help them be calm. Then again i believe its not a good idea, because it reacts differently to different people. Some in good ways some in bad, but i guess whateva obama decides will be ok