AG’s Marijuana Policy Slammed by GOP Senator
EmailABC News’ Teddy Davis and Brian Hartman report: Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley (R) ripped into Attorney General Holder on Thursday for announcing on Wednesday that the Obama administration will ease enforcement of federal marijuana laws in states that have authorized the use of medical marijuana. "This Attorney General is not doing health care reform any good," said Grassley. "The first rule of medicine – ‘do no harm’ – is being violated by the Attorney General with this decision." Grassley, the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, said that Holder’s announcement is "counterproductive" to US goals on preventive medicine because the farmer-turned-senator sees marijuana as a "gateway" drug which leads to addiction to more potent drugs including methamphetamine. The Justice Department announced Wednesday that federal agents will target marijuana distributors only when they violate both federal and state law. This is a departure from policy under the Bush administration, which targeted dispensaries under federal law even if they complied with the state’s law allowing sales of medical marijuana. Grassley singled out Holder for criticism while participating in a roundtable with reporters on health-care reform at the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington, DC. On the contentious issue of whether health care reform will include a public insurance option which will compete with private insurers, Grassley said, "At this point, everything is on the table." "Everything has to be on the table if you are negotiating in good faith," he said. "Abortion is the only issue that is not compromisable." Although he said that a public insurance option must be on the table, he also expressed his view that "government is not a fair competitor." Grassley cited a study by the Lewin Group which he said indicates that a government insurance option will lead 118 million Americans to opt out of private insurance. He thinks this will have the effect of shrinking the private insurance market and driving up costs, particularly on small businesses. Advocates of a public insurance option think the public will benefit from the government applying downard pressure on prices. Grassley was emphatic that health care reform must happen this year to have a chance. "If it doesn’t get done this year, I don’t think it will get done in the next four years," said Grassley pointing to the election calendar. The Iowa senator said that he has "not thought through" what the employer contribution should be to their employees’ health care costs. He said, however, that he wants to consider the "problems they are having" in Massachusetts, which implemented a universal health care plan, in addition to problems faced in California, which scuttled health-care reform due in part to disagreements over the mandated employer contribution. Grassley bristled at the suggestion that the GOP would pay a greater political price than Democrats if health-care reform fails. "Can you tell me where you are coming out with a question like that?" asked Grassley. He sought to dispel the notion that Republicans want health care reform to fail by pointing to workshops the party has held to educate members of Congress on the finer points of policy. He also said that no Republican senator has told him that he doesn’t want health care reform to happen, adding that his GOP colleagues are never shy about telling him that he is cooperating too closely with Senate Democrats. Grassley sidestepped a question about whether his concerns about a public insurance option would apply to legislation permitting non-government employees to join the Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan (FEHBP), a government-administered set of private insurance options. Some progessive leaders with close ties to the White House, like Andy Stern of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), have told ABC News that they think an FEHBP-style plan can become an attractive compromise since it exercises less market power than inviting all Americans to buy into Medicare, the government insurance program that is currently limited to those over 65. Asked to sum up the key dividing line between the parties on health care, Grassley pointed to disagreements over the extent of government involvement in offering insurance. "The major difference is the extent to which we will have a market-based insurance system or a government-based insurance system," said Grassley.
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…the farmer-turned-senator sees marijuana as a “gateway” drug which leads to addiction to more potent drugs…
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Just because he sees it that way doesn’t make it reality. How about some facts and/or proof?
Posted by: Deep Release | March 19, 2009, 10:53 am 10:53 am
“Grassley cited a study by the Lewin Group which he said indicates that a government insurance option will lead 118 million Americans to opt out of private insurance.”
So, when given a free choice he fears that a majority of Americans will flock to government run healthcare over for-profit insurance companies? Think about that for a moment – he is against public health care because he fears it will be TOO POPULAR.
Who does he work for again?
Posted by: jhw539 | March 19, 2009, 10:55 am 10:55 am
Follow Ron Paul on this one. Check out the recent debate between Ron Paul and one of those Baldwin actors on Larry King.
Posted by: Huh | March 19, 2009, 11:01 am 11:01 am
Are we to listen to a man who just a couple of days ago asked and encouraged people to commit suicide?
Posted by: hang | March 19, 2009, 11:01 am 11:01 am
jhw539 – THANK YOU!!
Posted by: hang | March 19, 2009, 11:03 am 11:03 am
The Netherlands decriminalized marijuana *35 years ago*, and it is sold legally in government-registered shops. It is taxed,too. Citizens may raise four plants apiece for personal comsumption. The Netherlands has lower rates of marijuana use than neighboring countries that prohibit it. In addition, the WHO rates them as being the healthiest nation. As far as it being a “gateway drug” that is ridiculous. The real gateway drug is alcohol, but since so many “upstanding citizens” are addicited to it, they won’t admit it……… LEGALIZE IT AND TAX IT !!!!
Posted by: fuzzy | March 19, 2009, 11:05 am 11:05 am
Pursuing and prosecuting marijuana users is a waste of time of resource yet Republicans don’t see a problem with that? As for gateway drug….so is tobacco and alchohol yet they are legal..
Posted by: indy_voter | March 19, 2009, 11:06 am 11:06 am
DEFINITION: Republican — a person who has never smoked marijuana……. (How can these people be so frikkin uptight about everything?)
Posted by: fuzzy | March 19, 2009, 11:18 am 11:18 am
Didnt this Man just tell Aig To commit Suicide?
Posted by: Angie In Pa | March 19, 2009, 11:19 am 11:19 am
How about for at least the next 8 years we do the exact opposite of what the Conservatives/Republicans want? The world might become a better place.
Posted by: Mack | March 19, 2009, 11:22 am 11:22 am
I think all drugs should be made legalized, but in a controlled environment. The way things are now, we just add to the problem of drug addiction. Control them in a medical setting, but allow addicts to use if they have to. We would have less crime, disease, prostitution, and other hideous acts by people who will do anything to get their next fix. Besides, it would pull the carpet right out from under the drug cartels that are sadly making billions of dollars off drug addicts and the crimes they commit. Sad that there are so many addicted people who are useless to society, but that won’t change. Let’s just make it legal and the government can get the money. Let the drug cartels go broke.
Posted by: geecee | March 19, 2009, 11:27 am 11:27 am
So Grassley is for big government when it comes to pot. The federal gov is just getting out of the way of state governments, normally something that repubs can stand behind. Frankly this is an issue probably best left up to states, the fed govt should have better uses of their time.
Posted by: Ordermonger | March 19, 2009, 11:31 am 11:31 am
Could Grassley be any more wrong? About either issue!
Posted by: Kathleen | March 19, 2009, 11:46 am 11:46 am
When will Republicans learn their Christo-Fascist Dictatorship is over? Republicans should stop trying to ram their extremist, religion-based, lunatic fringe ideology down the throats of other Americans.
Posted by: Sammy | March 19, 2009, 11:49 am 11:49 am
Oregon has propossed the state take over the sales of medical MJ…right now, medical users can grow their own…Haven’t seen these severely ill people moving up to shooting heroin…and prevents them getting hooked on painkillers..might be something Rush L. might look into
Posted by: cowgirl | March 19, 2009, 11:57 am 11:57 am
I think Grassley overdosed on his viagra and is having a testosterone rush
Posted by: cowgirl | March 19, 2009, 11:58 am 11:58 am
another republican genius with his deep, well thought out plans ,based on actual facts.
after the last 8 years of such “geniuses” leading this country ,its no small wonder we are where we are today.
Posted by: Lenny | March 19, 2009, 12:00 pm 12:00 pm
always the insurance come first.
insurance = ponzi scheme ,where the total pay for the fraction’s problems.
if that isnt socialism what is?
there are immediate ,satisfying ,long term fixes that could be done to the insurance industry ,but said fixes would decrease profit margins and allow less skimming and conniving .
republican politicians like this knucklehead will fight tooth and nail for the insurance industry (aig) to remain unchanged with little to no transparency or real regulations (i.e. those regulations with painful penalties/consequences for those who abuse the system) because the republicans (and way too many “democrats” ,most blue dog moderates who need to be purged from the democratic party to begin with ) are ,have been ,and will continue to be on the insurance lobby’s payroll ,under the table of course.
insurance is ,for many things , legally required ,and as such MUST BE MOST TIGHTLY REGULATED!
Posted by: Tom | March 19, 2009, 12:17 pm 12:17 pm
when a state or federal government requires by law(s) a private citizen or citizens to pay a private entity for a service of dubious merit (insurance) or face legal ramifications , i really think the private entities alluded to previously must definitely be very very closely watched and very very tightly regulated ,as well as the governments ties ,both public and private,to such third parties . basically the aig mess stinks and it happened over the last 4-8 years ,not the last 4 months as well.
seeing that aig is an insurance company ,does anyone have a problem with more regulations on companies like aig ? and why should private insurance companies be running the show in this country these days ,more-or-less ? if insurance is required by law ,and upheld by law, why cant the taxpayers get some of the loot too? OH NO ,GOVERNMENT INSURANCE IS (GASP) SOCIALISM!! OH NO!!!
insurance being legally required gives insurance companies a very big stick to beat up on consumers with ,if they so desire. i am sure benjamin franklin is rolling in his grave right now ,he saw this insurance debacle coming for sure.
Posted by: Dean | March 19, 2009, 12:36 pm 12:36 pm
We need to go back to the banks just being banks-not hedge funds and investment companies, and insurance companies, just insuring..break them apart..inact glass-steagal type legislation again, which the republican congress did away with..to promote unfettered capitalism…realise there is no such thing as ethical behavior when it comes to greed, that those who go unchecked will manipulate markets..We should have seen this coming since “ENRON”..it wasn’t any different than what was going on in gas prices, and the markets..it was lies and manipulation.
Posted by: cowgirl | March 19, 2009, 12:51 pm 12:51 pm
Let these druggies kill themselves.
Posted by: William J. LePetomane | March 19, 2009, 1:21 pm 1:21 pm
Afghanistan is the country that is leading by example. It shows what this country can become. Now we just have to follow their example and Obama will show us the way. DRUGS and OPIUM.
Posted by: Ryan C | March 19, 2009, 1:23 pm 1:23 pm
yes Ryan C , hyperbolic alarmist rhetoric is indeed THE tried and true republican reply to most credible/pertinent questions , and you are keeping the heritage flame burning brightly dear boy.
good job!
Posted by: Dennis Masterson | March 19, 2009, 2:01 pm 2:01 pm
“Let these druggies kill themselves.”
What a hoot! Know of even one case of someone overdosing on THC? Even one case? There is absolutely no evidence THC is a “gateway drug.” Alcohol, on the other hand, is. Until Republicans tackle the problem of alcohol, which has more documented problems than THC, Republicans, as usual, are talking out of their religious and hypocritical orifice. When Republicans play to their base this way, it indicates the kind of uninformed people who make up that lunatic fringe base. Geez, these are probably the same folks who still support Bush and Cheney.
Posted by: Sammy | March 19, 2009, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm
A gateway drug for all those cancer patients? Oh nooooooooo!
Posted by: Mike | March 19, 2009, 3:54 pm 3:54 pm
They may make a Pill that you can Pop but they will never legalize Smoking it, since the Government is in the Process of Banning the Smoking of an already legal substance….Tobacco.
Posted by: Patch W Adams | March 19, 2009, 4:20 pm 4:20 pm
Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley is the right wing who radically suggested Hari Kari for AIG Execs.
Well relax because two archaic comments of stupidity only positively prove this guy might need a dose of the same medicine he knows nothing about!
Dino
Posted by: Dino | March 19, 2009, 6:07 pm 6:07 pm
Maybe we shouldn’t listen to people like Grassley, who obviously knows nothing about marijuana or public health, when it comes to issues involving marijuana and public health.
Posted by: V. | March 19, 2009, 9:49 pm 9:49 pm
Is anyone else somewhat amused at the irony of a man named GRASSley hurling invective over Marijuana?
A gateway drug. Gee. I first drank beer at 18 and by 21 was knocking back black russians. Never saw the damn gateway – guess I was too drunk. It doesn’t get any better than that /sarcasm
Posted by: bbugg | March 19, 2009, 11:01 pm 11:01 pm
I’m a medical marijuana patient in Nevada. Have been for 4 years and as a result I have stopped taking 3 prescriptions for pills from Pfizer. I’ll bet their pissed!
Oh, and I haven’t gotten any urge to take meth or heroin as the gateway theory says I should. I have a job, support a family and just want to be left alone by these evil greedy pharma lobby loving Republicans. Their arguments are getting tiresome and history will surely shine a very negative light on them.
Posted by: David Glenn | March 20, 2009, 2:02 am 2:02 am
Grassley,Grassley,Grassley…and I hope that’s the last we hear of that name. (((PEOPLE OF IOWA)))…please unelect this nitwit.
Posted by: RED | March 20, 2009, 10:36 am 10:36 am
If weed is a gateway drug than how come everytime I go out drinking with my friends it only takes them a couple hours before they decide to go get a bag of coke?
Posted by: JEFF | March 20, 2009, 11:38 am 11:38 am
Billions of dollars wasted on the War on Drugs since Nixon annouced it in 1969. Now at a time of budget disasters and a real war raging in Mexico between the drug dealers and the government, we continue to go down a road that has proved to be futile.Then with mounting evidence of the medical value of marijuana and its lower health risks than either tobacco or alcohol, you have to wonder why? Lets ask the politicians like Grassley looking for political advantage, ask the pharm industry who don’t want to lose their customers, ask the prison industry, public and private, who don’t want to lose their inmates, ask the lawyers who don’t want to lose their clients, ask law enforcement who find it easier to bust for pot than rape or murder, and ask the American people who are tired of the wasted tax dollars and the ruined lives. Also ask those living near the border areas that a scared of the Mexican drug war spilling over into their neighborhoods.
Posted by: Rich | March 20, 2009, 1:24 pm 1:24 pm
If state medical marijuana is recognized as OK by the Federal Government doesn’t that open the door for a equal protection argument, that the Federal Government cannot choose to enforce the law in one state and not in another, potentially invalidating the law altogether? Lets hope so.
Posted by: Rich | March 20, 2009, 1:30 pm 1:30 pm
There are lots of Republicans in favor of total legalization, not just medical. Cigarettes are far more dangerous.
Posted by: T13 | March 20, 2009, 1:30 pm 1:30 pm
“The first rule of medicine – ‘do no harm’ – is being violated by the Attorney General with this decision.”
Someone needs to tell Chucky that the Attorney General isn’t in the medical field. Oh and neither is the federal gov’t.
As for the christian argument against marijuana or drugs in general:
http://www.equalrights4all.org/religious/bible.htm
American christians need to, you know, actually READ the bible. For example:
“Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; that which cometh out of the mouth defileth a man.” (Mat. 15:11)
Posted by: Guido | March 20, 2009, 4:38 pm 4:38 pm
Oh and as for the “health” argument against marijuana. The only argument against it is the negative impact on your lungs. We have the technology to not smoking it, thus mitigating any negative effects to your lungs….It’s called eating. The only reason people smoke it is because it’s illegal, thus expensive, thus you use less when you smoke it. So one could make the arguement that prohibition in and of itself has created a situation where marijuana could be detrimental to your health. Things that make you go hmmm.
Posted by: Guido | March 20, 2009, 4:45 pm 4:45 pm
Sen. Grassley is all that is wrong with the Republican party (i’m not a democrat); all for freedom until a freedom goes against his personal beliefs, all for small-government until government sends money to his own special-interests or goes to war. When will they learn?
Posted by: Zach | March 20, 2009, 8:20 pm 8:20 pm
Mr. Grassley and Mr. Holder
If your reading this, Mr. Grassley, this is your statement
“The first rule of medicine –’do no harm’ –is being violated by the Attorney General with this decision.”
YOUR WRONG when it comes to Marijuana, show me the dead bodies sir, The only dead bodies you can show is the people who have died by other means in this bogus BS of a drug war when in reality the Governments prohibitional law exposes more children to harmful drugs because there is no regulation or restrictions on a black market which was created from prohibition. A drug dealer don’t ask to see no ID to make their sale…they recruit teens into selling. ALL drugs should be legal, regulated and sold on an open market…thus you destroy the black market…GET IT RIGHT…protect our children.
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