Tonight: WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Obama, he doesnt discuss Immigration anymore. Guess he wont until he gets re-elected.

Tuesday,, 2 Illegals arrested for rape of 11 yo and 15 yo girl in Michigan.
Both working for some Employer who hires these guys. Meanwhile Unemployment at 15% in MI and Americans cant even buy a job!

Where is the fairness and Justice ??

One thing about it , his answers are so long he doesnt have to answer many!!

On a day where IBM announced the layoff of 5000 high skilled, high wage jobs being outsourced to India President Obama stated in his town hall meeting that the solution to the outsourcing problem is to create high skill, high wage jobs. The very jobs that he said are the solution to outsourcing are being outsourced. When will our politicians realize that the high tech jobs they promote as an economic panacea are exactly the jobs being sent offshore?

I wish our new president would stop the gimmicks online and on talk shows and on every magazine cover and simply start doing the job without all this fanfare he appears to need. Please stop with the schmoozing and get to work!

I can think of a few things that no one seems to mention....#1 remove the $3,000 capital loss limit. It's absolutely ridiculous! Come on, $3000 a year against the losses most have incurred. #2 Remove the 10% penalty on early withdrawal from 401K / SEP accounts. People have been penalized enough. #3 put back the old IRS rule of 3 year income tax averaging that was allowed in the 70"s.

He cannot remain silent on immigration issue while dealing with every other issue which is definitely intertwined with the economy
I completely agree with him being more apporachable and accessible to American people during this difficult time by doing TV shows and press conferences. It is a totally baseless argument that he is wasting his time on TV. Does he need to dug a hole and burry himself some where?

Larry the president is doing what need's to be done to save this country,if he has to arm trist a few Dem so be it.

I was one of the volunteers who searched for Patrick McNeil , On more than one occasion we had received information of seeing a man who matched Pats description in the park the night he disappeared to only be found in the river at a later date. I want to know why haven't police followed any of the leads we gathered during our endless nights of searching. I also want to wish best wishes to the McNeil family. we all love you and support you.
Frank Perna

Hi Larry,
I came early and I want to say i'm excited about Jack Caferty being on. Eceryday I send him messages responding to his blogs and some of the messages are just incredible. I look forward to his second book cause I know it's full of real straight talk lol. C-ya at 8 CDT.

I think that the online questions are important, because they represent a voice of people who are active and interested in the goings on of their society. The thing that Troubles me , Larry , is how The President seemed to "laughed off" the cannabis legalization inquiry, without even delving into the issue of Hemp, the oil and textile producing crop. How is it fair to hold back a multi million dollar industry that can gain revenue for this country , and create a large number of jobs for Americans?

Regarding the president's throw away answer on legalizing marijuana today. I believe this topic is NOT going away. We're debating the issue and even the president is commenting on it. I think it will be legal within a few years.

Now is NOT the time to retreat on the war on drugs. period. No legalization of marijuana.

I LOVE that President Obama is taking online questions! Very savvy. Very 2009!

After all these years in questioning "What happened to Pat McNeil" the answer is still not known. In our town of Port Chester, NY, we all still have an empty spot in our hearts for this terrible loss of our friend Pat who dissapeared while he was attending NYU. I hope that this unsolved mystery comes to close for all the family & friends of Pat, so we all may have some closure one day. R.I.P. Pat and we are all thinking of you!!

Can you ask your guest if they believe the smiley face murders have anything to do with the occult. Thank you!

Hi Larry,
I submitted my question to this online townhall meeting. To my surprise it was the first online question that the President answered. I asked the question when the jobs that had been outsourced would return back to the United States and be made available to our unemployed workers. This just proved to me that a everyday normal American citizen can submit a question and get an answer. God Bless America!

I approve of President Obama's availability to the general public in whatever forum. I do think we need a definitive answer on the issue of IBM taking taxpayer money and firing American Workers only to hire replacements overseas. I remember he promised to stop giving tax advantages to business shiping jobs overseas and I would like to see something tangible in this regard.

Its nice to see that The President is using his access to the technology of holding "e-town hall" conferences using the internet. But the questions i hear are interesting yet disappointing. Educational costs and how the economy is doing are good topics to bring up. But when it comes to legalizing Marijuana thats redundant. The drug is already illegal. And should remain illegal.

If we could stop the drug usage in the US, there would be NO drug cartels

I thought it was a good idea, but the question about marijuana was just un-ethical. it was the number 1 question and it got the least time and not even a real reason why not.

Refreshing! Here's a guy who is sincere about getting 'out of the bubble' – to the degree that that may be possible. It was interesting to see what people in general are interested in, not filtered through political or media machines.

Larry,

This Mexican thing is scary......What are the US going to do about it? With all of the illegal Mexicans and illegal immigrants in this country, and steady coming, what can the US do without talking some type of a drastic approach. For a lack of a better analogy.....this reminds me when I was in college, I had a literally roach infested apartment. Regular treatment didn't cut it....I had to pile lots of Boric Acid in every corner coupled with a powerful spray, roach disks, and of course massive cleaning, all at once. This worked. Maybe some combinations of drastic approaches is what it will take to remove the illegal immigrants from this country.

President Obama, did a great job!

Too bad Ed Harvey wasn't there to ask the "HARD" questions. What a joke.

President Obama done a swell job in touching on the objective to better educate teachers so they can have a better grasp on teaching in the class room. Education to me is one of the most imporant thing to bringing the economy back and surpassing what we once for.

Larry the prohibition of marijuana is equivelent to the prohibition of alcohol the violence only exists while it remains illigal

Transparency? I don't think Obama knows what that means. Someone should tell him that the campaign is over.

As the nation’s number one cash crop the issue of marijuana legalization should be looked at seriously, instead of laughed off. Why wasn’t it? I’m disappointed in the president for laughing off a serious question from the American people.

Just legalize Marijuana. I is much better than Alcohol. I have never seen a marijuana high person beat his wife, get crazy in public... I have seen that kind of violence with both alcohol and meth.

Great,, we should legalize cocaine and heroin too... the government can tax that too!!

We can use the money to pay for this "stimulus" package

Hi Mr. King: Here’s a novel idea, what if the U. S. were to offer Mexico Statehood? It would raise the income level there to minimum wage, consequently stopping the flow of illegal aliens who would much prefer to stay at home with their families, and are only seeking a higher wage; it would also stop the expense of trying futilely to maintain the hundreds of miles of border between us. Industry could build there, which would mean jobs and tax dollars for the U. S. There are hundreds of miles of beachfront property that would undoubtedly be developed into new resorts, which would create jobs and tax dollars, and would appeal to a much larger population after the country was being policed by State and Federal Law. I can think of many more positive aspects to this seemingly ridiculous idea, but I bet if you put it to a vote in Mexico, it would be a very popular notion. Prohibition on entering a country is a ridiculous undertaking, just as is trying to prohibit free-thinking adults from getting high. I believe that ending prohibition on pot at the same time as making Mexico a state would end much of the violence as well as solve many, many of our societies greatest dilemmas.

Nick Lawson in Colorado

We should legalize heroin, meth and cocaine.... legalize it now.

Hi Larry,

Can you ask your panel if it is possible that President Obama is reaching out the everyday people rather then just reaching out to typical political players?

Larry,

Why don't you ask the guests if they would trust a doctor to perform surgery on them who is a regular marijuana user or if they would let their kids be bussed by a driver who uses it?

We can't control alcoholics, how are we going to control drug users?

The treasury secretary is a TAX CHEAT,,,, he can't do his own taxes and he's going to fix the economy?

You can't spend yourself out of debt.

Dodie Im sorry I must disagree with you. If you legalize the drug...it would be so much easier for people to obtain and uses the drug. Think about the students. They could even have the ability to bring it in to school. I say that without these drugs america would be a better place.

What Mr. Obama said is that legalizing marijuana is not a good strategy to grow the economy. He did not comment on whether it should be legalized for other reasons.

Folks should go tour south side Chicago,,, see how much that place has "changed",,,, answer is,,, it hasn't.

I believe that the legalization of marijuana is not only a moral, but an economic must. We must learn from the failures of the last Administration, realizing that military force is not the best solution. Let's put the drug cartels out of business, simply by legalizing marijuana and decreasing the demand for their goods. Oh, and maybe that tax revenue would help, too: I heard we are in some debt?

Rob: Heroin was legalized in England with great success. All users were registered. They received their dose morning and night and worked. Non violent Crime was down 75%

Your guests who say Obama is "overexposed" are wrong. The American people are HUNGRY for this direct form of contact from the President. As media reps, quit trying to dictate what is enough. The people will let you know when it's enough! Until then, just stick to what you know and not your speculation.

I think President Obama is doing exactly what he did when he was campaigning...reaching out to communicate with the American people
Dont listen to the talking heads who try to put him down for every single move he makes every single day
At least hes not like Bush and hibernates in the white house
He said he would *include the american people* in his governing and thats exactly what he is doing

Great to see Jack Cafferty on the show
I watch him every day on the situation room
He is always honest and tells you like it is
I also admire him bc he doesnt have a big ego.He puts up the negative mail as well as positive on his part of the show
Your first book was great Jack and I fully intend to read this one too
Good luck Jack

Thank you very much Jack. The drug war has been tearing down our country in terms of wasteful spending, police corruption, incredible racial disparities in arrests and prosecutions. Legalizing drugs is one of the big things that wouldn't really take much work. Don't worry there are plenty of smart enterprising Americans ready to take hold of a legal marijuana market and would be more than happy to pay taxes to do it without the threat of arrest.

Larry,

I believe this marijuana question is a concern of more people than anyone want's to give credit for.

I, for one, fully support all efforts to end Marijuana prohibition and wanted a serious conversation and some time spent on the question.

I don't think liberty and oppression is a laughing matter. He lost my future vote.

I thought the President's Internet Town Hall Meeting was wonderful. It appears that most of the journalist are critical of whatever the President does. I feel if the news media are going to critize most of what the president does, offer more positive solutions instead of critizing. I don't feel that this town hall meeting was an extension of his campaign but a promise he made during his campaign. Give the man a break, he is doing something compared to the past administration who got us into this mess!

Weak – pick and choose his questions. Get to work Mr. President the campaign is OVER!! You're the man!

We finally have a President that listens to the people...novel idea isn't it?!?

Charm does not fix the economy !!

Even if we legalized all the illegal drugs on the market now the drug dealers would create new ones. What would the government do then, make every drug legal?

Look at the health care costs for alcoholics, tobacco, and those using illegal drugs now. If you create a society of addicts it will be out of control.

Jim, it's Ed Henry, not Harvey. You just wouldn't like anything Obama does.....no matter what.

As far as Pres Obama goes, he's damned if he does, he's damned if he doesn't by some people. At least he is working for us, and not taking a vacation after 3 weeks in office ..hmmm...like another recent Pres did. Maybe that's why we are in the fix we are in....too much time spent in Crawford TX, riding horses.

IT Is So great to see Jack Cafferty commenting on current events. He always has a unique insite and a mature fair opinion. right on Jack keep up the good work. Lets see more of you.

Todays town hall meeting was great....NO MSM in the room. I'm so
fussed by the dumb questions asked by the press. Trust me this was not a "RIGGED" town hall meeting.

I'm so happy to have not had the usual people asking the same questions...over and over, trying to be the days star.

Are you kidding me? Making money of the drug is easy. But its wrong. People would spend there money for the dope. And with an economy like this.. you have to be kidding.

I think Obamas brush off of the Marijuana question is completely unacceptable. To debate the moral and practical issues of legalization is one thing, but to brush off a completely legitimate question and laugh it off is ridiculous. Legalizing creates new industries and new jobs, how does that not benefit the economy? I think if Obama is going to take peoples questions, he should take them seriously.

Well, Obama is NOT listening to the public. He's saying whatever they want to hear and he does whatever he wants. Two different things.

He broke too many promises, from no earmarks, to "reading line by line", and he and the democrats passed a bill that they did not read.

I'm glad President Obama did the online thing, which I participated in, but I didn't like the fact people could vote it up or down. There were duplicates of some questions, but others were put on the back burner when they shouldn't have been. He should address all the questions, someone should've taken the time to just get rid of duplicate questions.

I agree that pot should be legalized, but Jack is wrong when he says that it will put the cartels out of business. There is too much cocaine, heroine and meth being sold to do that.

Opening questions to the public via the Internet is good government for the people and by the people. The broadcast was truly informative. Our President's responses were forthright. It was a real pleasure to watch and listen to this and other of his "live" broadcasts without the media interrupting to "interpret." for intelligent Americans.

Regarding outsourced jobs returning...IBM is laying off in CA and a number of those jobs are reported to be outsourced to India...Americans jobs, money and dignity are going to be drained and outsourced until there is no more and finally because we cannot produce competent leadership our country may be governed by an outsourced entity, get together Mr. Obama and stop being the politician...

Jack's math is good, but he forgot, who is going the pay the salaries of all the law enforcement members who are doing such a good job keeping drugs off of our streets, oh wait if they all become unemployed there goes Jack's math.

Plus legalizing drugs would make us worse. Driving in the city with a drug addict infront and behind you. Yea your safe!

Karthik, it is even easier for teenagers to get illegaly.

How many students do you know that sneak beer or some vodka to school? Not alot, because of the AGE requirements of it.

We would have age requirements as we do with tobbaco and alchol.

Good for Jack for his comments on legalizing, or at least decriminalizing, marijuana. I'm only a couple of months from turning 64, so my analysis is a policy one and not one that is based on empirical evidence. Still, having lived in The Netherlands for a short time, locking up and policing a bunch of pot smokers is, in a word, absurd.

We need some common sense in Washington . Hey, pot shouldn't even be a darn issue. Marijuana should be legalized immediately so we can all get on with our lives. A little bit happier I might add:) Todd

Thank God for Jack Cafferty. President Obama blew it when he ridiculed the marijuana question. That was a legitimate question. His snarky avoidance was cowardly and hypocritical. It's indisputable that legalization of marijuana, and ALL drugs would end the violence that their prohibition produces. AND, legalizing marijuana would unquestionably provide jobs and tax revenue. I think Obama was very wrong also to impugn the intelligence of his online supporters. I am one of them, and I didn't like it a bit. The president himself smoked pot in the past. Apparently, it didn't leave him a slobbering, potato chip munching addict.

President Barack Obama is doing a good job. He is not a miracle worker. This situation is gong to take a long time. I don't see why people are knocking him, its only been 64 days or so. At least he is trying his best. Things will get better. But I assure you negativity talk will not help or do anything at all.

Legalizing marijuana only leads to abuse,, like alcohol, etc.

Why stop there, legalize meth, cocaine, heroin,,, why import it,, it will create tons of jobs here. We can also tax it, ,use the money for "wind turbines",,,, what a joke

The legalization of marijuana is the easiest, cheapest, and most effective way to neutralize the violence on the border of El Paso and Juarez, not to mention help pull this country out of the economic crisis. 60% of the money flowing to these cartels is coming from marijuana and the easiest way to bring them down is to cut off the flow of money, the money that is funding the weapons, the corrupt police and the curriers of these drugs. Marijuana and the growing of cannabis have been proven to be less detrimental and more lucrative of an industry in the United States than alcohol. The billions of dollars per year this country could be making/saving from the taxation and redirection of law enforcement should be reason enough to legalize this substance.

Larry I am mad as hell! How dare Secretary of State Hillary Clinton blame us....We have asked our government for the last six years to protect our borders and they have turned the other way. Now that it has escalated in Mexico it'sour fault. Do the right thing send the troops to our borders, finish the fence and take out the Drug Cartels in Arizonia and Texas and protect our families in our own states. Show them we mean business. Catering to Mexico makes me ill.

Finally a president reaching out to the people.... I am so tired of hearing Bush on his ranch and never reached our and never was honest.... I like the use of new technology and the president willing to be out there.

We have had too many presidents looking out from only the white house completely out of touch with the 'normal American' ....

Good evening, Larry:
The idea of legalizing drugs including marijuana follows the same line as legalizing prostitution which may be a good government revenue source but society is not that lame or stupid to fall for such reasoning. Only those that participate in taking drugs, indulge in women of the night, or would benefit directly from either will push for their legalization.

I can only hope that an MMJ using cancer patient doesn't hold a mic at his next town hall meeting. Care to laugh at the sick in America and the dying in Mexico again Mr. President? Or would you prefer to let them die in prison and the cartels to kill some more?

No,, standard will decline thanks to Obama's national debt over the next 10 years.

I definitely agree with Larry Cafferty that legalizing marijuana would stem the violent crime on the border, along with eliminating the lifeline for the drug cartels. Additionally, US government control of drugs like marijuana would actually create jobs in the US, thereby helping the ailing economy.

If all the marijuana smokers came out of the closet it would be legal tomorrow. That is what the cartels are counting on. Legalize It.

I applaude President Obama for reaching out to the American people in a very 21st century method. It connects the people with their leader which is key for Obama when it comes to getting what he wants.

Larry, Why do you allow the conservative pundits to refer to President Obama as simply "Obama" or "Barak"? It is disrespectful. He is the President and should be called the President or President Obama.

Rob... like i said previously it would help the economy in a negative way. and sure we would get dealers and buyers but these could be even 11 year olds

Well it is god that we are finnaly talking about the subject of legalizing marijuana and not just keeping quiet.

Stop asking "should we legalize drugs?", the correct question is whether marijuana should be legalized. No one in their right mind thinks cocaine, heroin, meth., etc. should be made legal. BTW, Jack Cafferty is wrong about his numbers.

He was great, as always.

I heard it mentioned on your show briefly about legalization of marijuana , it saddens me there can't be a more intelligent discussion about it. Funny I remember being taught about prohibition and its ill effects in school and it seems we have learned NOTHING from it. It also saddened me to see the show right before larry king had a short interview with Ron Paul and a conservative counterpart and I hope for an intelligent discussion but what I got was to watch CNN let the conservative run over Mr. Paul and talk over him the whole time by talking over him a favored tactic of FOX news and Bill O'Reilly, I would have thought you would rise above that. You can edit that last part if it seems to harsh a criticism to air if my comment catches any attention.

It may be a political hot potatoe..however drug dealers dont card teens buying marijuana..nor do they opay txes..usually they also deal addictive deadly drugs..Adults who want to relax with a joint instead of a martini are forced into the criminal world..dealing with people who are lawless and have guns..in dangerous areas..WHY? alcohol is far more distrustive..cigarettes are deadly..yet noone needs to support cartels..or risk their lives to buy these..Also if i drink Whisky everyday and pass out with my kids in the house thats legal..if i puff a joint with them at school THEY CAN take your kids..is this better for society? Marijuana being illegal is far more dangerous than using it...our citizens are in cages FOR USING AN UNALTERED NATURAL PLANT! Someone needs to do something...forget taxes..and the billions we would collect..we are inprisoning innocent people..fathers mothers sons and daughters..who are using something far less harmful than alcohol...very sad

My comment is this: We thought we elected a president., but apparently we got a TV oersonality instead..a comedian, yet! What gives? Why can't he just stick to the serious problems of our country?

I think President Obama is basically showing that when you know what you are doing and you have intellegent people on your team, you can live a normal life, go out and do town halls meetings, play basket ball etc.

Well, if Illegal drugs are going to be legal in the US.. What would the rest of the world say?

Illegal drugs are illegal drugs because it does nasty things to you and to your surroundings. There's no such thing as legalizing things that could harm anyone.

If the US is legalizing drugs, I don't know what else in the world they couldn't legalize.. To be honest this really starts to look like the Opium Wars in the 1850s..

hi!
this is more of a question then comment,can you please let me know when we'll start to see less taxes taking out of a pay check and about how much per week.thank you!

I think President Obama is wrong on saying that marijuana wont help the economy because if you were to tax marijuana you would be getting billions and billions of dollars and if that doesnt help the economy i dont know what will

how can you compare alcohol abuse to marijuana....you cannot overdose on it dummy

I am angered by Obama's laughter at the marijuana policy question. He didn't back up his position, and he laughed when this is no laughing matter. Our current marijuana policy is not funny in the least, our laws ruin lives. All our policy does is produce a black market which is quick to furnish the demand that our current market refuses to.

If we were to legalize marijuana, violence related to the drug trade would drop significantly and we would finally be tapping into a billion dollar industry. It is so obvious, but people are so stubborn. Politicians need to quit acting as if they own the monopoly on moral objectivity and approach marijuana policy with common sense.

Obama can brush us off as a joke and mock us, but we represent a significant amount of the population who is finally finding their voice and we will be loud.

Drugs, pot or otherwise, will never be legalized in this country. The agencies and the numerous jobs created to fight this bogus "war"make way to much money and command to much power to let that happen.

Jack, you rock! I love your book!

President Obama is the Micheal Jordan of communication. Anyone who isn't stunned by his ability to perform on a level above anyone in the
"game" is missing a a thrill of a lifetime. Go with this man! He is a great leader.

I am currently unemployed and am looking for a job. I have been losing hope towards our economy and even the current adminstration however, after seeing this interaction between average citizens and the president an inch of hope was revied into me. I feel that the president is truely trying his best to help struggling families out. I agree with many of the things President Obama has said except for the idea about legalizing cannabis because i feel this is not the current approach we should be taking to help improve the situation in Mexico- American boarder. I still have faith that this nation will change becuase Change has come.

Yes- to legalizing marijuana and then don't import it. Pay American farmers to grow it and make sure it's pure, untainted, organic product. And Jack...I've been watching you for years and I always (well almost always) agree with you. Loss is never easy-hang in there. I'll be thinking of you!

I support legalization of marijuana. The Govt could issue bi-annual permits (for a small fee) to alcohol legal aged adults.
Collect Retail TAX to the seller and buyer. Start sales from pharmacies initially. Gradually open to specialized cafes, parks, events, etc... This would be a GREAT FAST FEDERAL REVENUE GROWER.
Eliminate JAIL sentences for these minor offenses, issue summonses similar to a parking ticket to collect fines for expired "POT" licenses etc... and reserve prison for violent criminal.

Check on the Isrial doctors investigation about all the use of pot in the transplant reception or all the other items of health they have discovered . Are we waiting for the cartels to take all the citys over?

Nice to hear from you Jack...

French I became American in 1992. The adversity against the just elected president Obama is pitiful and un American.
America needs to become the beacon again it is pitiful to see how many sore loosers in America.
Obama has Human quality never seen in many years.
We need him and to support him that is the American dream united we stand.

jason,

just because there's an age limit doesn't mean they can't get it,,,, I drank more alcohol in high school than after i turned 21...

If all the marijuana smokers came out of the closet it would be legal tomorrow. Cartels are counting on our prohibition.

Legalize It.

Don....alcohol + abuse + = alcohol abuse
marijuana + abuse = marijuana abuse

Simple as that

Honestly, I'm looking forward to the idea of Marijuana becoming legalized and controlled the same way alcohol is. A license to make, and a different one to distribute. From there we can get the funding to deal with the actual problems with drugs that are actually worse than alcohol. You can't OD on Marijuana, and yet it's more demonized than binge drinking! As for the Gateway complaint, the only thing about Marijuana that is a gateway is that the culture around it is made secret and illegal, and as such in the same undercover realm as hardcore drugs. Add in that there's a lot more medicinal value to Marijuana than to alcohol or tobacco, and it seems really unbalanced to not have it legalized and controlled.

I'm very disappointed in Obama's choice to simply shrug off the marijuana issue.

It is obvious that this is a volatile issue. But it is an important one. A change in our country's marijuana policy could greatly effect not only our border safety and our economy, but the lives and futures of what is obviously a large number of Unites States citizens.

But, in a terrific display of politics as usual, Obama has shown that the voice of the people can never cry loud enough to drown out a presidential ego. So sad.

Its time! Less spending on prisons. Less spending on drug war. Revenue from all the products food, oils, textiles, fuel, plastics, medicines (that cure cancer) and recreation (even though many don't like that idea)

I like that President Obama is getting his message out to the American People and giving us the opportunity to communicate with the him. I definitely think it is a good idea. I wish people would leave the Secretary of Treasury alone and let him do his job. President Bush and his people are the one's that got this country in a mess and it will take a while to get it back in order. People need to be patient but no one seems to know what patience is....They inherited a terrible mess and the republicans need to keep their opinions to themselves they had eight years to fix the economy and they made it worse. They have no room to talk about the spending because while Bush was in office that's all they knew how to do and now that the country is in a mess they know want to stop doing that and voice their opinion on how to fix the country. We cannot trust the Republicans!

Dale from North Carolina

Glad you're hosting Jack Cafferty. He's a such a terrific straight talker and his sarcasism is well aimed. We need more "real deal" journalists like Mr. Cafferty, instead of the slick types who are trying to make the news themselves. I'll definitely look for his book as I'm sure he has something worth saying.

President Obama is really wonderful. I disagree with the media that he's overexposed. I look forward to more of his town hall meetings online. Mr. Cafferty is great too. I plan to purchase his book. Thanks for sharing those parts of your life. As a veteran, I have great confidence in our President and we're going to be just fine in due time.

A mistake to not legalize marajuana? Interesting. We are on a very slippery slope when we base decisions to moral questions on financial return.

I find it interesting that the topics that are of most interest to the public like the legalization of marijuana, gets dismissed so easily. I would think that the administration would give a little attention to the citizens that are funding their "stimulus package". We had no say in how the president spent ours and our childrens money, we deserve at least the right to be heard.

Karthik,,

I think we agree on the issue,, just using different words. Not time to talk about marijuana when socialism is nocking at the door....

As a Legal immigrant from a communist easter european country... Obama SCARES me !!

you know i think it's riddiculous that we would say this internet base conversation is to gimmicky because for so long we have'nt had the access that reporters or other connected people may have had to have questions being answered by everyday common people "stop living in a microwave"

i know this, i am still under 21. I know it is still easy to get beer and what not.

But studies have shown and polls have been taken and teenagers said it was more easier to get pot then it was to get alcohol.

Hey Jack,

Thanks for speaking so highly of the Obamas......I too think they are real people....Many people want the president to get out of the main light and go behind the curtains and closed doors and work. We have had enough of that. I like it that the president is out in the open working, holding town hall meetings to find out what the people are thinking and feeling, ect. I like this president too, Jack.

The dollar’s 41 percent drop against the euro during Bush’s term writes the economic epitaph.Bush represents the worst-performing economy in the G-8 after Italy.America’s dependence on imported capital to finance a $9.5 trillion debt — up from $5.7 trillion when Bush took office — has driven down the currency.

The G20 summit meeting in London on 2 April will be discussing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the weak American Dollar.With the above information, which is shown in a number of articles, how can anyone see Obama as the one crippling the USA?

And for the Republicans to want President Obama to fail, you are as foolish as you were when supporting Bush, unless you made a billion dollars in off shore accounts!!!

I think that if they legalize weed, they should take it like they are cigarettes. Sin taxes are rising faster than the stock market dropped last year.

Larry, its great President Obama is in touch with the American people like no other President. This makes us feel like we count. Most of all we can see the facts and do not need the miss representation of the REP media.

Good Evening Mr. King,

I think that one source of "Bad Ink" come from the behind the sceens work of people like Karl Rove. yPeople who want to create as much negativity as possible to make the President look bad. If he suceeds the Republicans will simply back peddle, if he don't suceed they can always say "I told you so". They are just covering their own butts. For years, since Reagon, we have been sitting on our hands doing nothing thinking that if we close our eyes the problem will simple go away. No one has tried anything, This guy, Obama, as least has the guts to try something. Right or wrong? Lets let history do it's thing. It will with Reagon history will condem him. In short I'd put my butt on the line for him in a nano second!

Jack Cafferty rocks!!
Obama is awesome!

Alright Rob you are right!

I just watched Jack and Larry and I have to pass along my condolences to Jack. I understand how devastating it is to lose a spouse. Please tell Jack that his strength shows through his programs on CNN, and while I have not read his books as I should, I admire Jack a great deal. Oh! And, if Jack is still a single fella........;))

I believe Jack Cafferty is incredibly wise. I wish I had him as one of my graduate school professors. Keep up the good work Jack!

Marijuana is the least harmful drug that we know of today. More people die yearly from overdosing on over the counter medicines than they do from marijuana. We are putting a bunch of people in jail a year for possesing a joint, giving them a criminal record for no reason. The United States should legalize marijuana and sell it themselves it would create hundreds of job opportunities and bring a boost to our economy. Even though marijuana is illegal it is still widely used so how about the U.S. starts selling it and putting the money into their hands instead of those criminals.

We are all so busy focusing on the "Mary Jane" story, we seem to be forgetting about the other drugs the cartels are making available, like cocaine, crystal meth, etc. So here's my thought...

Do you really think that legalizing marijuana will end the cartel battles in Mexico? I don't. It seems like only Anderson Cooper and I are aware of those other – not so harmless – drugs they are moving for the benefit of the drug users who cannot seem to live without them.

Love you, Larry

There is a difference between social economy and Socialistic economy.

I forgot to mention that if marijuana was to be legalized we would be getting rid of the drug dealers that we have now

Edrita,,,

you counted until you voted,,,, then you'll have your taxes go up and standard of living go down.....

Personally, I'm disturbed and offended that the President would laugh about the subject of re-legalizing cannabis. The war on drugs has been long and costly on many levels, and it's no laughing matter. Too many innocent people have lost their lives. This subject should be taken very seriously.

Hi Larry,
am currently watching your show and was surprised to hear from Jack Cafferty that the statements made by the treasury secretary, Timothy Geithner actually spurred the financial markets.

But i am also watching fox news and Saun Hannity has just delivered a completely opposiing view to Jack's view and am not sure which of these two opinions to trust...could you clarify this before your program ends tonight

Rob, I know, i am still under the "legal" drinking age. But studies and polls have been proven that teenagers can get pot easier alcohol. I know, i saw people in my high school drinking more than any one i have ever seen. But being legal is what took the crime and violence out of it.

Hi Mr. Larry King! I support President Obama's hard-work and dedication to turn our economy around, but I guess sometimes, too much talking, press conferences, tv appearances and the like are not necessarily needed to make the work done. Hoping that sometimes we will work in silence with loud voice of actions. Thanks.

The Bush budgets were 3 trillion dollars plus each year. Why wasn't anything said... The Republicans need to learn respect, responsibility and cooperation rather than dissension. They need to support President Obama's economic policies.

Oh, yeah, legalize marijuana. We need to make sure Obama hears our opinions on this one.

Larry,
Good Evening. I don't think the issue of Marijuana is going to go away and as much as I admire President Obama, I think it was not polite to laugh about the issue when so many Americans took the time to provide feedback towards what seems to be a massive national problem at one of our borders. Perhaps he is right or perhaps wrong, but when you solicit participation, don't make fun of an issue from those you yourself (Obama) seeks feedback from (i.e. The American People).

OMG..This internet town hall didn't accomplish a thing!!!

Our leaders need to focus on JOBS..JOBS JOBS...

Sure, education is important..no one has said OTHERWISE but
the focus should be on creating JOBS for the American people for God sake!!!

Sure, healthcare is important...Helping people get jobs can help
some get healthcare coverage...Deal with the big picture of healthcare after Economy starts to pick UP..For God Sake!!

Sure, energy independence is important!..But work on it after
the Economy turns around and people are working..holding long term jobs. Not 2-3 year energy related jobs...

This crazy budget with runaway spending is not helping the ordinary person needing a JOB.....

We should not be waisting taxpayers money on projects that doesn't address JOBLESSNESS in America...

BTW..About outsourced jobs that are not coming back??? terrible
answer. At least those manufacturing jobs in the past gave Americans some form of security, healthcare and other benefits..What? is everyone in the future suppose to become engineers etc...

I am watching Larry King live, and just wanted to comment on your interview with Jack Cavarty. I am going to buy his new book, not only have I admired this man for years on his views, but this new book of his this time is personal, and I commend him for including this in his new book. It takes a lot of courage for any one to write about their own pain, especially for a man. I am so looking forward to reading his book, I am sure it will be a best seller and beyond. I am sorry that he lost his loving wife at such a young age.
Helen from Victoria B.C.

prohibition never worked with Alcohol. It only allowed Organized crime to become very rich

Whenever you hear talk about drugs (and problems they bring to society), the first thing I ask is: where's the source for your opinion? One of the best source of facts and myths on drug and alcohol problems is Dr. Erickson Carl (Associate Dean for Research & Grad. Studies for The University of Texas at Austin).

I like the fact that the3 president asks the people for input, however I think what he did today by asking for questions and then disrespecting and stereo-typing them on a very serious question ( the number one question) was totally wrong and unproessional. Way too much harm is being done by the prohibition of a substance the DEA administrative law judge himself said," was one of the safest nontoxic substances around.
An apology to a large percentage of the people that vote for him is in order.

Jason,

If you think that legalizing it creates less problems or crime,,, I don't think
so at all.

Jack is my hero Larry he explained President Obama just how I think of him! Obama and his family are the best reality T.V. show ever.

Marijuana should be legalized and taxed accordingly. I believe many Americans are under the impression that marijuana is a powerful mind altering drug. I would argue that tobacco is way more harmful and much more mood altering.

Hi Larry,

Last year, a male Ithaca College student was found dead in a pond on the college campus. He had left a party off-campus late night, said he was fine and walked home to his on-campus dorm alone. His body was found in the pond a few days later. Very, very suspicious! And, hush hush! Not too much investigation news but the local blogs concensus was he was definately not suicidal and definately not intoxicated enough to "fall" into a pond and drown. Do the investigators on your show know about this incident? If not, they sure should.

Thanks,
Cindy Massicci
Ithaca

I hope the people against legalizing marijuana also want to bring back alcohol prohibition, a much more damaging drug that kills thousands, because I would rather relaxe with marijuana as it is alot safer, be fair for once people and use your brains

SAM,

welcome to the new "change",,, its aweful,, what an answer,,,, i guess Obama's going to create millions of jobs by makeint "wind turbines""

is this guy for real??????

We the people of the usa hired this highly intelligent,professional dude for this position, obviously he was and has proved to be qualified. Let the guy do his job,and let us do ours. And, to the critics I would prefer to be lead by someone @least if he doesn't Know he does believe we know that together we can that's enough.

lary is it going to get any better for the american workers are not

America has the power to export peacefully the American dream of the past century to billions of people worldwide we need to have a quickening of the mind and rally behind a genuine kindred spirit like our President in order to elevate the human consciousness. Massive railroad and bullet train will put millions at work, convert obsolete auto industry and reduce our depandance on fuel. America has the human , financial and spirit ressource to succeed.
The post industrial model in Europe and in the states is obsolete and cannot promise jobs to citizens. The future is in growing the underdevelopped countries and start to sell US made goods again, Now that's the true American dream. China and India Africa represent 3 Billions consumers market.

Anyone who thinks that legalizing marijuana will not hurt the cartels income is a fool. Even though they may be diversified, we are still taking a significant amount of their income as well as bettering our own country at the same time. There was just a truck that was stopped crossing the boarder carrying a load of 900 lbs of marijuana, that is not chump change. It is a billion dollar industry, we are just allowing the black market to control it and fulfill the demand that we nonsensically refuse to.

Hey Larry, watch you all the time but it was a "treat" to see Jack with you tonight.

Luv ya, Jack!

I am appalled at the media for always having cynical remarks anytime President Obama laughs or elects to jape. He is a human being as we all are, not inhuman. He is a man of character,charisma and intelligence. This country made it's own mess,not one man.

Why do we continue to be such hypocrites about the "war drugs". The fact that people take drugs is indisputable. This is the same thing as the prohibition. Isn't the government happy to collect those taxes? If alcohol was bad before, it was bad after too. But nobody freaks out if an adult has a glass of wine. Suppose someone doesn't like alcohol, and would like to relax or take the equivalent of a glass of wine. They either get marijuana from their dealer or they take pills that the doctor prescribes. Did you ever wonder how North America become the "Prozac Society"? Because Prozac, Paxil, Effexor, Retalin, Valium, etc...highly potent drugs, are OK to buy at the pharmacy, making the pharmaceutical companies rich, rather than taking a natural herb. Why is marijuana illegal? Because the justice system would fall to pieces...and we all know that greed has no limit...

And just in case you're still wondering, the greatest consumers of drugs, both legal and not, are the medical personnel. You really don't want to know what they're on while they're cutting you up.

I would like to see CNN bring in people who can discusst the positive sides of the US economy . Even with all these problems the US remains the strongest economy in the World and without a doubt will come out even stronger after the slump gets resolve. The public needs positive reinforcement you in the news media can have tremendous positive influence in helping all of us in getting out of this mess. The constant bombardment of nagtive news is too much to bare. PLease Help! I am fan of CNN. Thanks.

Gibriel, easy answer: trust Jack Cafferty; NOT Sean Hannerty who is a drama queen and trying to be the news himself through his antics. Jack doesn't have an agenda.

Change is scary and stressful... True.

But Obama is on the right track... That's what scares a lot of you. That and some people are just unrealistic. Stop expecting him to wave a magic wand. This mess didn't happen over night. Evolve and pull your head out of the DARK AGES of coal and oil... It's dirty and it's killing our planet. Get beyond it.

By the way... Notice how oil stocks are up and so are fuel prices? It's a NO BRAINER. Do the math and do some research on what drives oil prices.

Thank God people are waking up and not buying the political Big Oil propaganda... Most of us are sick of it. '

Oil companies have leases ALL over the country...

They don't need more public lands, our ocean, and political power.

I'm sick of reading about coal sludge and oil spills. We need renewable energy.

Obama/Biden 2012

Pascal,

I'm sure the hitler youth also thought that hitler had a "genuine kindred spirit",,, stop drinking the coolaid

Smiley Face
are there any gay connections such as gay bar attendance?

Rob,
all you have to do is look at that the 20's with the prohobition of alcohol. Once it was made legal what happened to the Al Capones? Plus, it was legal up till the 1930's. In fact our founding fathers grew it. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, the Decleration of Independence and the Constitution was written on hemp paper. It has only been 70 years in the worlds history since it was made illegal.

and how would it create more problems? and do not give me the think of the kids and the gateway cause those have already been debunked several times.

Lincoln was the first President to use the telegraph, we need new thought and ideas.

If the US is going to legalize illegal drugs, then I believe you are destroying your own lives with drugs.. As I pointed out earlier, look what the British did in the Opium wars in the 1850s.. they made the entire populace so dependent upon Opium that you cannot not have it.

The entire world is watching the US in its involvement in the drug wars and how the US would give out as a reason to legalize these drugs that have killed so many people in the past years. I'd say its time for the US to take action and help mexico in its drug wars by sending troops throughout the border and make intensive operations inside the US to take out the drug dealers inside this country.

GO Dodie in Irvine!

Larry,,

I can't believe were talking about a possible serial killer,,,,,, his death was in 1997??? its 2009 and socialism is knocking on the door and were talking about smiley faces

This is why the world wants to get rid of the American dollar and start a world currency. This is why France is burning anything that seems capitalistic. Its almost dangerous traveling under an American passport because of the world rage.

This is why we are collapsing...

highly paid hedge fund managers
John Paulson earned a record $3.7 billion last year
George Soros earned $2.9 billion
James Simons earned $2.8 billion
The top 25 on the list earned an average $892 million, up from $532 million in 2006.

This is Capitalism at its ugliest!

The consequences of having politicians controlling and saturating the air waves, like Obama has, include mass support based on emotions and not facts. The markets are moving due to oversold conditions. House sales are improving because people are taking advantage of the deals. Obama will be credited for a “turn around” due to his policies that have not taken effect and if anything have been falling apart as demonstrated with the return of TARP money, and the weak TALF participation. The market and other economic settling would have happened as a system adjustment. The limitations to the upside of this administration’s plans will be seen later and any failure can easily be attributed to other economic factors. Controlling the communications enables the outcomes of bad policy decisions to be wrongly placed and mutes preferable options.

From now on, the strategy of saturating communications will be the norm. The race to be the “first mover”, who will capture the masses and the control, will be continuous. Social movements are easier to stir and get support before logic. This enables fringe groups to gain more control than in the past and influence policy decisions.

In the future, expect to see more volatile social swings, since that is how political groups will operate to campaign and pass policies. The social and democratic structure can swing far in either direction before supporters of manias change their mindset.

Good Evening Larry. You have a great show.

On the issue of legalizing drugs. There is no amount of money from drugs to help the economy, that is worth the destruction it causes to the lives of individuals and families. It doesn't matter if it's marijuana, herion, crack, meth, cocaine, etc., the result of its use can cause you to loose your job, your family, your life. If you have ever seen some poor soul try to kick the habit, and the agony they experience, you'd burn every field that grows it. The withdrawal is overwhelming and the addiction the epitomy of torment.

We need to legalize marijuana. Obama is completely ignoring our voices, it seems. Those against the legalization is either confused, profiting off of it's criminalization, or believe themselves to be riding a moral high-horse and able to dictate the behavior of those around them, even though they are not harming anyone other than themselves. And to best honest, if you're smoking marijuana, you're not causing that much harm.

to the redhead on the Panel
You said the President shouldnt waste time on the people-but the congress who do you think elected him and them. To make a fact we voted obama in all the people of the US and I see no reason why we should have any problem letting him go for OUR DREAM to make the US a respectiable super power again.. At least he deserves a chance Hell it cant get much worse than the last 8 years Congress back up the majorty vote and jpass what OUR PRESIDENT thinks we need he won remember . One More thing Larry I have worked here in Idaho for 40 years went to the top of my catagory -then became disabled. My top Salary was 27,000 but I did have Ins heath for my family. Now I know most people in this area top salary runs under 50,000
. Wde have learned to live with in our means. I cant even imagine making mill dollar bonouss in any thing . Including pro sports. No one should make more money a year than the dPresident of the United states . I do understand that there are things like in sports where you could get injured so yes a decent 10 yr contract.OK But not for all. More people need dto go back to a reasonable wage . And big companys should dibby up alot more for all health care ins ect. After all its all the people in the country that have purchassed their items or products.

Nolan, Ditto!!!

we need to enforce our laws.!!

This is in reference to the 'Smiley Face Murders.'
Have the investigators looked into the background on the smiley face itself? There is an anime series that deals with terrorism and a smiley faced persona. It is the Ghost in a Shell series. It may be of some use towards the psychological state of this murderer.
– Chris

We are no longer the land of the free, we are the land of the free to do what you are told.

I agree with the legalization of marijuana, however not the legalization of any other drug such as cocaine,meth,crack etc. Marijuana is not addicting, you can not overdose on it, and you can gather a lot of revenue. To people who are saying that it's a gateway drug, look at the studies that have been done...it simply isn't true, the reason it's perceived as that is because it's the most common drug so thus the majority of people who do hardcore drugs usually smoked marijuana first.

So the top 25 Hedge fund managers all made or made close to ............

ONE BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR EACH

I want to take a class called... HEDGE FUNDS MANAGEMENT 101

Marijuana produces no withdrawal effects, as it is not a physically addictive substance such as alcohol or tobacco, or any other drug for that matter. It doesn't destroy lives, that is a myth.

The manner in which pres. obama addressed the question of legalizing marijuana is what disturbed me. It has been frequently the most popular topic by online voters many of those who voted for Obama, yet only has been mocked at and received ridicule with only short answers. I would atleast like to hear an answer that has been givin thought and lasts more than 2 minutes. As a supporter for legalizing, i find it essential to end the war on drugs, in that it is an utter failure, it affects our youth more than ever before in making them criminals; it has also gave the rise to a deadly war that is spreading onto our own soil (the cartels) that may of been prevented. It is in the opinions of many Americans and shown to be factual that it is much less harmful and addictive than alcohol and cigarettes. I find it outrages that the majority of Americans do in fact support legalization but its still seen as political suicide. As we look at examples in Europe and etc. they practically have no problem what so ever with drug trade, drug abuse, and drug addiction. Yet we in the U.S. have spent so much money on something that only fuels drug trade.

legalization of mariguana,will be the new way in this country to open up to reality,many patients desperet need it for diferents illness.We need to change, think openly,take care are people,insted of destruyen peoples life.yes we can change old ways"

Les,,,

man you need to stop drinking the coolaid,, so we should wait like he "changed" south side Chicago. Obama has no EXPERIENCE !!!
He hasn't even ran a ice cream shop and you trust him to run a country,,,,, by spending money we don't have????????? Are you kidding?

I have a husband addicted to marijuana and it would be a crime to legalize it. He has so many health problems because of his life style choices. I can just see those marijuana commercials years from now, just like the cigarette commercials that we have now on television. People need to get educated on the fact that marijuana is far more deadly than cigarettes.What's the words that come with smoking pot. Stoned, loaded, dope. Regina

its a dang plant

Unbelievable that a government should consider legalizing marijuana for anything but medical use, to relieve a person with chronic pain. We have already been thru this with cigarettes. The government along with cigarette companies encouraged people to become addicted to smoking, to draw in extra tax money. Then the medical evidence comes along and lists what , 10, 20, 30 different carcinogens in cigarettes, things that can kill you.
I would suggest that the same carcinogens that are in cigarettes are also in marijuana so stop this nonsense and do not put the public thru this again in the charade of helping the economy.

PS: We already have any number of drunk drivers on the roads. I wonder what would happen when we start seeing pot-heads on the roads but that’s another story

Smiley Face Murders
Are there any signs of sexual molestation or gay connection?

I am an have been an advocate for President Obama and his policies. However it bothers me that he calls for the U.S. publics' opinions, and asks what is important to them and finally when they respond he simply shrugs them off and chuckles. It bothers me even more that he does this while economic experts are saying that this is a legitimate economic foothold and can help us pull out of this recession.

In Short I was offended, 3 times he has had these Web Polls all 3 times supporters have voted marijuana questions to the very top. President Obama was voted in by these same web friendly people who contributed $10 to $30 to his initial campaign and now he laughs at us.

Yes, the economy is in shambles as are his pledges to the voters that supported him before the economy became the central issue.

@ Nolan

Short of killing every drug user, it would never work. I have a client that said they killed her uncle... gutted him.. by the way, he was an American... put drugs into his body... loaded him in a coffin and transported him across the boarder.

Larry
Marijuana use is not going away. Sad to fry your brain.
Better to make it legal and let some conficted of light crimes out and make room for crooks that scams us out of life savings

Dodie,,,

Good for them,,,,,, the "outrage" of all these politicians is a joke,, they voted for a bill they did not read,,, ,Timi the "taxcheat" geitner new about the bonuses of AIG,,, Chris Dodd denied knowing and his name was right on it....

How do these people in Congress fool the masses that are a bunch of sheep is beyond me

Anyone who claims they are addicted or know someone who is addicted to marijuana is a dirty liar.

we love Jack Cafferty ! he tells it like it is ! will go to Borders tomorrow & look for his book..Sean Hannity is like the devil..sorry, Larry, he belongs w/Karl Rove..

I think the people should let Obama have the budget his way. I know it will be costly but look what a debt he has to start with. I have been in business all my life and sometimes you have to spend to keep things going.Things sure didn't work with the Bush adminastration. or we would not be in this mess. Obama can't do any worse, besides things are starting to look up and he's only been president for a little over two months. It took Bush 8 years to get in to this mess.

Cigarettes are FAR more dangerous than marijuana this is a FACT.

FACT: Nobody has ever died from a marijuana over dose.

The medial letal dose of marijuana is over 1000mg/kg. The medial letal dose of nicotine is just 50mg/kg. Which do you think is safer?

Ken March 26th, 2009 9:28 pm ET
(well put)

Dodie,,

you must either be a social worker or a pscychologist,,,, I kick people out of clinic every week because of marijuana.... it only lead to other things like meth, prescription drugs etc....

Regina Vartanian,

what commericals as far as i know didnt they ban those from tv? and you have more than one husband? and how could he be addictive to a substance that has been proven that it cannot cause addiction because of the cannaboids in our body/

The war on drugs has been an utter failure costing us tax payers a bunch of hard earned dollars. Why keep fighting the war on drugs we should try legalizing marijuana. Im not saying all drugs just marijuana and sell it ourselves. The Netherlands leaglized marijuana and though the first couple years the amount of marijuana users increased after a while it began to decrease and also the number of people who use hard drugs in the Netherlands also went down. Marijuana is nearly addictive nor deadly. Cigarettes have killed millions and alcohol is one of the most abused drugs. Marijuana is safer than any drug out there.

Larry..

These are not the times for us to have a huge goverment that is going to tax every individual in our country in some form or another and have a huge budget...WE as a nation are BROKE. When is Washington going to tighten it's BELT. Seems We have lost focus on JoBS for the American people, rather, the government in creating more spending and causing us to get into Huge Debts to foreign nations...Larry??
How are we going to pay the Trillions of Dollars we own to foreign
countries???...Why is it that our government tells the Americans we don't save enough YET, We as a nation are BROKE?????

FACT: We can't even keep drugs out of prisons, which are completely controlled environments.

How can we ever expect to keep drugs out of the country? Shall we have a police state??? If you want a police state do it in your home. If you want to keep your kids off drugs then you take that responsibility. The government doesn't need to do your parenting for you!

Just as alcohol,,, and prescription drugs,,,,, I'm terrified to find out how many people in traffic are high while they drive,,, marijuana will only add to that

@ Rob in Tampa

It is these people who are creating the mess in this country. People like Hedge fund managers. AIG bonuses are nothing compared to these people. Hedge funds are people who purchase billions of dollars of land... with NO money... then sell it at a profit and take that money and pay the person they bought it from. It is legal gambling. It is why AIG went down.

So if you think they are great... so be it. But it is because of this kind of non regulated behaviors that has caused this mess we are all now in...

Well,, Kelly,, unfortunately the masses just elected some parents to take care of us... thats why Obamas extending wellfare benefits,,, were only making people dependend on big brother

PLEASE READ Rob in Tampa does not know what he is talking about.

If you were driving on a two lane road would you want a drunk driver, driving 80 thinking he was doing 40, or would you like someone that is high driving 20 thinking he's doing 100 to be the person coming towards you.

It is safer than alcohol. Look up the statistics. No one has ever died from marijuana usage. People die every day from alcoholism. You can't over dose on marijuana.

About the other drugs you referred to, they need to stay illegal. They are not natural, you have to mix chemicals and it is man made. Marijuana has been growing naturally for 1000s of years. God put it here but not to be abused. If drivers can't drink and drive, I don't think they should be able to smoke and drive. If marijuana was legalized there would be less cars on the street, because every one can sit at home when they get off of work and smoke marijuana and be happy no matter how bad their day was. It would help alot with people that have a lot of stress. You would be amazed at the people that do smoke that you don't know about Dr's, Lawyer, Senators, Like posted earlier someone said if everyone would come out of the closet about smoking it would already be legal. A little pot never hurt anybody

@ Rob in Tampa

you must be a lawyer or a psychiatrist

Dodie,,

How about Soros, who's bragging about how much money he made from this economic mess.. and he's #1 support of Obama and his liberal socialist crew,,,

maybe people should go protest in front of his house

@ Kelly Copley

That is correct!!! Many drug cartels are run from the prisons!!!

Thank you brian!

There has to be a responsibility when you use marijuana. You should not be able to drive when you are "high" i agree with that, but alot more people lose their lives in drunk driving accidents than they do when people are high and driving.

Larry..

Please get some guests on that tells us the Truth about America's
financial position, that we as a nation are BROKE.. Please get some guests on that talks about the future budget that is underway..How much more in debt to foreigners it puts us into. Please be fair and let us hear the pro's and con's about the proposed budget...

I would think that the smiley face murders are connected in some way to a chat room or other web site connectionon the internet.

Dodie,

neither,, but in the medical field. I detest lawyers,,, congress is 95% full of them,, that's the problem with this country,, too many lawyers

@ Kelly Copley

You are so correct! The drug cartels are most often run from our prisons

@ Brian in Wisconsin LOL

That is a great analogy!

Zack,

I get drug screens for it on a daily basis,, i don't need a lesson on marijuana. I know who smokes it,, and most are not doctors and politicians like obama. I put all of them in the same category. Heroin is natural,, maybe we should legalize that....

Rob, most of those people in your clinic are forced there.

It is a wonder they want to leave so fast cause people like you treat them like addicts and they cant function as well as any other person.

and to your other state ment about driving, Speed had a video or a driver that ran a test sober, then ran a test high, and he did better when he was HIGH. it dosent blur your vision or cause your reaction time to be slowed at all

To Rob in Tampa,

I would argue that driving under the influence of marijuana is no more dangerous that driving under the influence of tobacco.

Just wanted share my thoughts about legalizing marijuana its time this subject gets put on the table as a nation we're broke an were wasting billions on trying to eradicate a plant nearly found on every corner of the earth. Seems to me it being illegal does more damage to our society then in which it wasnt.,, prohibation has never worked an seems catching up with us once again.. marijuana never going away so lets legalize it an take control of this money . I say tax it , set the age of possesion 21 presay .. spend the money on reform an education like we do with alcohol , just keep the money out of cartels hands.

Larry....

Please get an independent accountant, economist etc. (someone not political) to TELL us the truth about the proposed budget...What is it going to do to our country...What is it going to do to the future generation..??..Thank you...

@ Rob in Tampa

I don't care how much someone makes financially, unless it brings down this country. Then, yes... I get irritated....

I do not think we need to legalize drugs marijuana, cocaine anything, I tried marijuana when I was in junior high and grew out of it. Now I have a job that you have to take a urine analysis tests at lease three times a year or more and I been working there 23 years. We need to give drug analysis tests or people who work or receive driving license.

Smoking marijuana do not have anything to do with the Constitution...

And you think that hospitalization is high now try treating a bunch drug addicts, with tax dollars

@ Dodie from Irvine CA

Look at it this way.. Why does so many teens got addicted with drugs in the first place? These are the questions that all of us should be asking.. What led to the events that are now happening? It's all back to what caused it.

@ Richard in Miami

To what end should the US legalize marijuana or all illegal drugs just to help it rise through the recession? Do you want to sacrifice your future generations just for the sake of helping the economy now? Rather than thinking in the short term, try thinking the long term effects of legalizing these drugs..

March 26, 2009

Jack Cafferty mentioned tonight that perhaps one way to combat the war on drugs was to legalize marijuana and therefore destroy the lucrative market that the mexican cartels are killing each other for. I agree with Jack. some of us are old enough to remember the days of prohibition when the gangsters were killing each other off to gain control of more territory within which they could control the sale of booze. The effect of legalizing booze simply caused the illegal market to dry up. As Jack mentioned, the $ that marajuana and other drugs generate could be capitalized upon with the taxes that would be generated by the legalized sale of same. The same motivations ($$$$) that existed in the 20's & 30's that sold lots of illegal booze back then exists today and is the primary cause for wars between drug cartels in Mexico. I say legalize the drugs and eliminate the $$$ market for illegal sales. It won't be easy, but this approach makes more sense to me than what is happening today with the drug market. I side with Jack all the way on his comment in this regard on your program tonight.

Somebody with the exposure like your show coming out in favor of legalization will go a long way toward converting the bleeding hearts that would not doubt will come out strongly against this position. I don't see any current progress being made toward other solutions to the problem. The wars continue to grow and now are not just in Mexico, but are moving into this country. If somebody has some better ideas about how to gain control over this situation let them come forth. I don't hear any ideas being kicked around. Everyone just sit around wringing their hands and complaining that the government isn't doing anything about the problem. It's going to take someone with some balls to stand up and take charge. It will take some time and effort, but when the $ market dries up selling illegal drugs, that market will dry up just as it did during the days of prohibition.

Ernie

@ John

That is what our governor wants to do... Tax marijuana and legalize it. It is just too costly not to do this. Our jails are filled with marijuana users, our court system is at a stand-still. This is the system I work in. And its a mess

I think Obama is doing a good job dont forget he came in too this mess so give him time to try and fix what happen eight years with the Bush and his Republic an party.

@ J.A.R, i assume that was pointed at me, the Constitution was written on hemp paper which is the by product of ground up marijuana stalks, and do you think we already dont do that now? If you dont you are absurd.

@ Nolan, you need ot stop abusing the next generation propaganda, it was made illegal in the 1930's, which is the nect generation you speak of? And you want better drug control, go the parents not the government, it is not their fault that you did not do a good job as a parent

Kelly Copley The government found that pot killed cancer in 1974 they hid that and made harsher laws against it, to much money being made on cancer,
I am no bible banger but it is clear the beast people blindly follow is the government

@ Nolan

I have thought about it Marijuana is the least harmful drug that we know of. It less harmful than alcohol and less harmful than cigarettes so arent those destroying our future generations more than Marijuana which in medical records has not killed a single person ?

Never fear the Republicans with their 19 page budget will save us.
10% tax rate for the rich, that solves all the problems

Let the Gov't make the money from MARIJUANA sales taxes, licenses, etc.. Citizens can be responsible licensed posessors similar to gunholders, liquor retail stores, and legal aged adults consuming alcohol.
I hate cigarettes, but never supported making it illegal for others.
Back to the PURSUIT of HAPPINESS.

@ Nolan

The cause is too wide spread. Over the years, I have seen too many women using drugs and having born addicted children. I think this is one of many causes....

If the cause was simple, we would have come to some resolve by now. We are now in our 4th possibly 5th generation of born addicted babies. Many grow up using drugs. This is not to say that every born addicted baby will end up an addict, but probably 99% will

@ Brian in Wisconsin

I had a discussion with this before... remember, the internet is a wonderful source of information, but studies do not mean absolutes... studies can be slanted....

example... I want to write research on the positive effects of marijuana. To make my point valid, I might just select those articles that coiencide with what results I want to turn out... Research should not be carried out in this way, but it still does...

So, I do not think marijuana cures cancer... but I definitely have not seen someone high on pot, going around killing people! I definitely prefer marijuana to be legal over alcohol

Drug Addicts are created when the popular Marijuana dries up & the Dealers Dealer sends in Cocaine & Meth at bargain prices for a few months – to create a Trade Zone.

Marijuana is preferred over Beer by many youth and adults – treat it as Wine & Tax the Sales.

Cocaine users would be Registered – would pick up their Party Supplies @ their local Pharmacies and have supplies monitored and receive counseling.

If the youth have Marijuana as their Alternative to Beer – most will turn away from "Hard Drugs" – a situation I've seen repeatedly over the years.

When there is nothing but Alcohol available – they they're willing to try something else – because Alcohol is a pretty ugly Party Companion.

I'm not crazy about the English way of Registering Cocaine Users – but
it's better to lower Heroin & Meth rates this way than do nothing but wage a war of attrition decade after decade.

Jack Cafferty mentioned tonight that perhaps one way to combat the war on drugs was to legalize marijuana and therefore destroy the lucrative market that the mexican cartels are killing each other for. I agree with Jack. some of us are old enough to remember the days of prohibition when the gangsters were killing each other off to gain control of more territory within which they could control the sale of booze. The effect of legalizing booze simply caused the illegal market to dry up. As Jack mentioned, the $ that marajuana and other drugs generate could be capitalized upon with the taxes that would be generated by the legalized sale of same. The same motivations ($$$$) that existed in the 20’s & 30’s that sold lots of illegal booze back then exists today and is the primary cause for wars between drug cartels in Mexico. I say legalize the drugs and eliminate the $$$ market for illegal sales. It won’t be easy, but this approach makes more sense to me than what is happening today with the drug market. I side with Jack all the way on his comment in this regard on your program tonight.

Surprisingly, the answer to this Drug War is Responsibility – with cause & effect , just like Alcohol.

With Registering as a Drug User, the curious would be deterred from
Registering since there would be a astigmatism attached to 'Hard Drugs' – which would serve as a deterrent.

Those coming in from the cold – users – would receive counseling and monitoring so IV users would have a better chance of cleaning up & survival.

1920's reference:

In the 1920's , we had the beginning of Regulation due to the large number of well to do Businessmen & Politicians Wives becoming Opium Addicts by their frequenting chic Opium Smoking Dens while Hubby was at work.

Inhaling Snuff , Cocaine or Heroin was Vogue as well – didn't play well with the Law Makers who were first to vocalize on their glowing Junkie Wives attributes.

Snake Oil Patent Medicines and Soft Drinks > Coke , had to remove Cocaine from their products since bad side effects , strange behavior and Deaths were becoming obvious for both Children & Adults.

As a Society, one can't just toss open the door to Legalizing all Drugs & scream "Rock 'N Roll Baby"..

What one would hope for is that by Legalizing Marijuana , there would be a lesser evil choice available – which much of Society has already made – to Alcohol.

I don't smoke but personally I detest Alcohol and Beer.

Growing up in the late 60's – the Kids were very vocal against Hard Drugs – since they had their Pot Plants – and weren't buying that much Beer either.

The Mafia were still moving Cocaine & Heroin to inner cities heavily back then and dried up the Pot – overnight – for months.

They poured in cheap Cocaine everywhere – it eventually got tried & a market sprang up – in part as an Alternative to Alcohol – and it was a whole new market again.

@ Brian Tourville

I want to ask you if you are in recovery. If you do not answer, I respect that too....

@ Brian Tourville

People clean up when they are ready to. A drug treatment program can help point the direction, but the addict will not see it until THEY are ready....

@ Jason B from GA

Well, for one; I'm not a parent but a student. There's always the next generation growing out there and the threat of drugs are still present. I might not be a parent, but I can understand the implications of drugs.

I'm not abusing anything, but I look at what happened in my home country and what happens here in the US.

@ Richard in Miami

It's not just about the usage of marijuana, but what people would do to take possession of it and to sell it to the outside. I'm very concerned as a student because I've seen the effects of drugs on people. People are killed in relations to wanting to have more or getting into other illegal drugs and finally they would kill just to get the money to buy more.

Larry
what are we going to do with the people that are serving time for using drugs. Release them. Legalizing drugs will not stop drugs smuggler's from selling drugs, it will only be called a black market. What they need to do is stop the user and strengthen the border this will eliminate the drugs coming in to the United States. United States need to go to war with these drug smugglers. It's time.

we do not have anything against people trying to make a living. But this type of living is affecting the minds of our kids. 908 pounds of marijuana be for real…

Americans can become licensed gun holders, and consume alcohol and tobacco at a legal age.
This is our answer for MARIJUANA!

Violence at the border and anywhere else has to be eliminated, and offenders punished.

Now is a good time for the economy to benefit from legal sales and tax of Marijuana.

Brian Tourville

I agree... I think marijuana should be legalized. Do I smoke it? No

Did I? yes... in the 1970s

Harry... I completely agree with you

@ J.A.R, your method would call for lock down, which is impossible, you would never be able to stop the flow, it would aways come in. like said above you can get them in prison, how in the hell do you think we would be able to keep an entire country out of it?

@ Nolan, still like i said before, what generation, you have to specific, over 70 different generations. which one will it be,

@ Nolan

Again Nolan like I've said in past posts Marijuana is one of the least addictive drugs. If u legalize marijuana and the U.S. sells it, it would be no different than cigarettes. Do you see people killing each other for cigarettes and do you see people selling cigarettes on the corner of streets. Cocaine is addictive, Crack is addictive heroin is addictive these are the drugs people are killed for.

Jason B from GA, I have done a good job with these kids, but I know legalizing drugs will not help the future kids that will be coming up with legalize marijuana. You thank that we are behind in education now, I would not like to see the future kids coming up on marijuana. This is something that is being discussed daily in my home. And I thank God that my kids say legalizing is not the way.

Rob in Tampa

Maybe possible murder and serial killing mean nothing to you but it does to those of us who were personally affected. Please do not minimalize the feelings and heartache of those who have to go on not knowing what happened to their loved ones. Is there a bunch of junk going on in our society today? of course there is but that does not mean we cant be concerned about the other crap that is going on. 1997 or 2009 doesn't matter, a crime is a crime!

@ Jason B from GA

The Generation I'm referring to is the current teenagers, and 30 or lower age generation where I believe are the most drug users than any other age groups.

@ Richard in Miami

Referring to Brian Tourville, from Marijuana can come many different paths.. such as cocaine and other stuffs.. It's just step one of the process from marijuana to other drugs.

To quote Macchiavelli: "The end justified the Means", I can say that sometimes "The end does not justify the Means".

@ J.A.R

I am in school and i have seen many people around me use marijuana when those people are not high they function just fine they do good in school and out in the enviorment. Marijuana isnt the reason why our education is declining, maybe its the education budget cuts that have impacted our education.

@ J.A.R, i have only had one anti-drug class and that was in the 9th grade for 2 weeks. My point is, it wont stop it never will. I am not saying you arent doing your damndest. Because it is illegal do you honestly think that that is doing anything? This problem will not ever go away. And what do you fear that if marijuana would become legal that it would be horrible for the children? Like i said, you cannot give the governent total control over the parental issue.That is up to you, you are just on a moral crusade. Stop it. You cant shove your morals down others people throats. You just cant, drug education is important, but not so where you say this is right and that is wrong because i think it is, because then you wouldnt be free at all.

@ Nolan

About 1/3 of the American population has admitted to using marijuana atleast once wouldnt you think if it led to those things we would see alot more addictions to harder drugs ?

This will drive accident rates out of the room, companies need to enforce drug tests for all employees. Anyone working for the government should take drug tests. We should have ended this drug problem a long time ago. The veterans coming from Vietnam should have showed United States, the problem with drugs…. our President and parents should continue enforcing the drug laws…. CNN keep doing a good job bringing this problem light…

@ Nolan, you are using the weel known stepping stone theory, ohhh ahhh. Once again, if you go buy beer, do you see coke or meth sitting in the aisle next to it? No you dont, but if you go buy lets say a few grams of pot then you see your dealer with all the other drugs and he tries to make you buy em.

And your generation thing again, as was the last one, as was the last one and so on and so on. You cant just say this is the one generation that people have said since the 1930's. That logic is like trying to prove that an apple is an orange. All you have to do is look at the senior generations and i bet most of them would have said, yes i tried it. Look at Obama, he tried. And most of all the famous people have tried it. And look, they run our country.

@ J.A.R

Its illegal now and a huge number of Americans use Marijuana. I dont think any of those drug prevention classes or all that propaganda against marijuana is working.

WE ARE NOT WINNING THE WAR ON DRUGS.

It hasnt worked and it wont work. So why not do the smart thing let the government sell it bring in close to $40 billion a year to a suffering economy and create hundreds of jobs from it.

@ J.A.R., dont bring the vets in. you are just using the hey i am running out of ideas card with that one. Driving accidents? This still happens, you cant just imagine right now that they dont and if drugs to become legalized it will be like the first car accident in history. It isnt the drug it is the person. Some people cant have common sense even when they are sober, so should we outlaw freedom of choice as well so no accidents will ever happen.

Scatch that, lets just outlaw cars.

@ Richard in Miami

Well, I believe those who are addicted is already too many. And I really do think that it is time to stop using and not use it at all even if the temptation is great. I might be a very traditional type of student, however I am holding to my views that drugs are bad no matter what they are.. Even Marijuana..

Cheers!

@ Nolan

I respect your views but i do believe legalizing marijuana would bring positive change instead of negative.

@ Jason B from GA

As what I told Richard in Miami before.. I'm standing with my views. What matters is what are we going to do about it now? If the US is legalizing drugs even if it is marijuana, what would the entire world say?

With the generation thing, so if the older ones tried it we also should? Even if president Obama had used it, that still does not mean we have to try it. We have an old proverb. "If you follow what you are being told to do blindly, will you also jump from a cliff if you are told to do so?" So the question is, why should we try it? even if its not harmful or anything, it's still a drug.

@ Richard in Miami

And I yours.. The question now is what is the current government going to do? Obama said no in his speech. Now if I might ask a question. Why did you try Marijuana?

@ Nolan, it is a plant., it is naturally gowing on this earth. You dont not make it, that is a drug. As far as I know, you dont have heroin or meth seeds. And I respect your view. I still say we should do it, or at least do it in small stages, federal decrim, then slowly add in more and more drug awareness programs and then full blown legal. We cant just do it all at once.

@ Jason B from GA

And I respect yours. Ironically though some prescription medicines contains Marijuana and I might have used it even if I don't necessarily know it. Its either right or wrong, and the fight continues on. The question is: What is right and what is wrong?

@ Jason B from GA, believe me I am not trying to force my opinion on you. But in this life time I seen decisions that were made on influence of marijuana that have led to death. His sound like you are in school. You will see the world will open up. If we legalize marijuana it will lead to heavier drugs, a some people will try to perform surgery are operating equipment at work under the influence…

@ Nolan, well those test drugs, have a man made THC in them, but they dont work, you cannot recreate nature, you can come close.Yes, the whole issue is about morality. As far as I know, the government is here to

1.keep us safe from invaders
2.supply us with a money revenue system and what not
3. protect us from people who would try to hurt us, such as murders and what not.

but as far as I know, you cannot make morality a law. It is up to the person to chose what is right and wrong, not the gov't.

@ J.A.R, I am not in school. Please tell me what has caused more death in this world, tobacco or marijuana.

Most of your journalist create a panic situation in which they second guess everything and try to predetermine the future.It's rather annoying to watch your newscasts /programmes.I come away frustrated ,not having learnt anything because they spend too much time on rhetoric and too little time on substance.

@ Jason B from GA

I agree that the government has its bounds and that only a person knows whether one thing is right and wrong. However if it is regarding morality, there are some questions regarding why or why not the government should judge by morality.

Moral conscience is important even in government offices, that is the quality that makes us human, and government cannot just implement something without considering the moral implication to its people.. The same as generals who takes action in the field.

Rob in Tampa ,you are so misinformed about our President. There is no man who has the experience being a President unless you have served at least one term in the first place but the President has brains , class and knowledge. Bush had 8 years and never got it right so what was his excuse,he had knowledge on how to be a President and screwed it up royally. You have to start somewhere and GOD love President Obama for wanting to take on this tremendous task. Stop critizing him and realize he is the best man for this mess Rerublicans and their wasteful spending caused. Republicans had 8 years and now their fit throwing ways are childess and they are getting what they deserve,a life lesson with a President who has a true vision on how we can emerge from all of this and become a successful nation again. President Obama's daily thoughts are with the people ,all the people of this country. Read about the President, he is very impressive with his outlook and vision he wants for this country.

Legalizing marijuana will lead to harder drugs like cocaine etc. Doctors and surgeons will be taking the drugs . Death will be all over the place. We will not need to go to war because we will be in a war. Education not drugs is the key out of the mess we find ourselves in these days. I would like to know how many languages Pres. Obama speaks. GOP Budget was a joke. Palin 2012 please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The question of taxing pot is a little ridiculous. Anyone can grow it. Even in a closet with a grow-light. The government knows it won't make them any money....it will just cost money in higher DUI rates, accidents, less productive workers, students, and not to mention healthcare costs. There are benefits to the plant (as material, paper, fuel and medicine for the terminally ill)....but most people who want it legal is just for the high. People seem to have a hard time just getting high on normal life anymore. It's very sad. I get "high" on hearing my kids laugh or watching them play or going down a slide again at 38 years old. I'm no saint. I outgrew pot when I learned I was going to be a parent. I didn't want to be a high parent and miss something or be less responsible for my children. Anyone who has smoked pot can agree that it does make you "foggy" and somewhat "confused". Okay if you have no responsibilities and you are very disciplined about everything in moderation....but the truth is, that is more difficult than most want to admit. Is life a journey or just a constant vacation? Lately I am so eerily reminded of a classic book that most of us read in high school (but they probably don't anymore) called "BRAVE NEW WORLD" by Aldous Huxley. A very socialistic society of the future. The people are in specific social classes according to intelligence. Everyday the people are "paid" for their jobs with SOMA tablets. They go on "SOMA HOLIDAY". They get high. They stay in line and do what is expected of them by the ruling elite. There is no money because everyone has food and a roof over their head and a job. But they have no LIFE. Babies are no longer birthed....they are all test-tubed and "fixed" to be a certain way. At the end of the story, you can see it just isn't a world you would want to live in. It's a wonderful, but scary-idea book that I never thought I would see glimpses of in real life. It was written in 1932. Sorry to go so off-subject, but sometimes you're such a captive audience, as I am to your blogging, as well. I pray for all of us.

I strongly believe that people need to stop associating marijuana or pot, with other drugs. Marijuana is not the end of the world, and should not be compared to drugs such as cocain, ecstacy and crystal meth.

An idea I have had for a while is that there should be a curfew on pot, maybe after 6pm people who come home from a long day of work or a hard day of university classes should be able to smoke a joint, as long as laws are still enforced on those who are driving while impaired.

There are ways to keep people under control, and marijuana is for sure not something people need to panic over. I think it would stimulate spending on things like groceries and shopping at convenience stores (helping the small businesses).

The Pot Smokers I have met, have never been the type to go out yelling, causing a ruckus and getting into trouble. They enjoy each others company, share what they have, and relax.

I say give it a try.

How could Obama laugh off the marijuana legalization question? He (along with our last two presidents, at the very least) has used it himself!

I have a better question for our President. Does he think he should have been arrested and punished for his own use of marijuana and cocaine? If so, why has he not already voluntarily checked himself into federal prison to serve the time he owes society, according the rules he advocates? And if not, why does he believe that he is above the law he supports?

Legalizing marijuana provides the U.S. with trillions of dollars, along with cutting the legs from drug cartels.

I want to know when President Obama will adress the legalization of marijuana. This move could very well help recess our economy.

Josh
New Orleans

I thought he was boring.

I wonder how many of the people in this thread decrying marijuana have themselves used alcohol, the most intoxicating drug on the planet, and one that is considered by the government of the United Kingdom to be more dangerous to health than LSD, methamphetamine, anabolic steroids, and- yes- marijuana?

Hypocrites, the lot of them, calling marijuana an orange just so they can conveniently avoid comparing it to the apples THEY like.

Do you think we should legalize all drugs and then sell and tax them
We have fought the war on drugs for 50 years with no results

Obama's web conference appeared to be staged questions, and a waste of time. He is determined to stick to turning so many things upside down...health care, immigration, stimulus, bail outs, etc., things "slipped into a bill not read" that I just don't trust what he says anymore. The questions seemed staged to give his programs the best view. And frankly, most of them were questions of what can you do for me, instead of caring about the direction and financial disaster awaiting us.

Why don't we take the tax revenues for last year and then do a budget cutting everything we cannot afford.

Excellent idea and an opportunity to continue to connect to the American people. We feel apart of what's going on and the decision making process. It shows that our thoughts, ideas and feelings do matter. He's doing a great job in trying to rebuild America!.

Why can't we get the party of NO – which is an acronym for No Obama;
look past the party and the President and do what's best for AMERICA!

I think that the issue of the LEGALIZATION of MARIJUANA should be addressed more!!!!!!

To all the anti-marijuana people out there:

After a half-century of pouring trillions into eradicating the stuff, is it that difficult to believe that outlawing and prosecuting its use is the wrong strategy to minimizing the threat it poses?

A study that just came out a few days ago found that when the Netherlands legalized its regulated sale, the number of pot users... stayed exactly the same.

Imagine. A world with the EXACT SAME number of pot smokers, but without all the cartel violence and overflowing prisons that are side effects of the war on marijuana.

I'd take that over the current state of our society any day; in fact, you'd have to be insane not to.

Marijuana prohibition is on the move

I think it is a great idea to tax and collect reunue , along with many other great reasons

I think obama is getting too much exposure. I am sick of seeing his face EVERYWHERE. he needs to back off. his talking today with the common folk... let me tell you, no one should be mistaken, everyone that he spoke to were in his corner. all questions were easy and he had ample time to prepare. i would love to see him stop all this tv exposure and start staying in his office and work and also get with congress, they need help. bad!

too much of obama... too much of obama... too much of obama.

take a cue from past presidents... good advise

The overuse of any drug, including: alcohol, marijuana, caffeine, nicotine, or prescribed drugs can be detrimental to ones health/lifestyle. It all comes down to how much willpower a person has, and if the drug is used in moderation. Marijuana is one of the safest drugs known to man, has benefits for some, and it has been used for thousands of years by mankind safely. So why has it become so dangerous in the past ~70 years? Because the government SAYS it is dangerous, and wants to decide what we the people should do with our bodies. This is supposed to be a free country. Prohibition of marijuana isn't working, and marijuana itself isn't that bad for ones health compared to alot of prescribed drugs, or alcohol. Legalize it and tax it. It will help our economy, and even halt some of the Mexican violence. Plus officers would be able to focus on more serious crimes.

norml.com

sorry for the link : (

check it out and view comments about obama on marijuana today many dissapointed including me using it as a joking matter

not when will the jobs come back-but when will the jobs be replaced
thats what i wana know-cause alot of us need jobs-that pay enough to live on

Larry, love your show and AC...you and your team are the best.
Question. Why doesn't Amanda go out and get a real job? Get your hands dirty like the ral Americans who watch every night.
Being critical of the new administration just shows ignorance. If Amanda and her GOP buddies have all of the answers, whey don't they offer these to the President and his team at the next Town Hall meeting? Better yet, don't wait if you are so smart Amanda, it is your groups' civic right to anti up the answers Now!!!
Thanks Larry.

Another staged show for his fans, but not for the average American who wants him to quit the campaigning (he won as he's fond of telling everyone). Instead quit laughing and being cute and start listening to the real Americans who want answers and action.

President Obama is not well informed on what jobs are being offshored in thousands daily. All the high tech jobs are leaving this country, leaving our high skilled well paid workers working at low skilled low paid jobs. First it was manufacturing and now high skilled techical. Then the US government is allowing a continual flow of H1B Visa workers to come in to the country to replace our highly skilled engineering jobs. President Obama needs to make bold changes to change this fact or we will all being standing in soup lines.

Hello Mr. Larry King.....Big Fan From ARK

I'm really upset that Obama said no to legalizing marjuana. I think marijana could help the U.S. be a better place.

I do not agree with Anderson Coppers headlines tonight when he was talking about legalizing "DRUGS"???!!! The questions that were asked to Obama was on marijuana. Not just on any drug. That could never happen in the states. But I feel marijuana is nothing compared to the other drugs out there. Even liquor kills more people a year then marijuana ever would. I feel marijuana could be taxed 4 or 6 times more then cigarettes. It bugs me that CNN would have on there head lines "DRUGS".

Thx

Daniel

America must smoke some of this drug considering
To legalize it…NO, it should be enforced

Marijuana is not dangerous. I cannot stand the exaggerated claims that I hear some people make. Not only does the government waste money on the war on drugs, they waste well spent time. People who are not harming anyone are being arrested for the recreational use of marijuana. The time spent on marijuana should be spent on real crimes such as robbery, rape, and murder.

If they legalize marijuana we would be able to cut our prison costs in half that is why they won't legalize it.

I am amazed at those who hold the view that President Obama is wrong in having town hall meeting etc the question is should be listening to just the lobbist etc in washigton or the views of ordinary amerians he is there for the people and should be listening to us more than the powers that be in washington

I just simply can't believe it. Legalization of marijuana is a tremendous idea. Obama is passing this opportunity very ignorantly.

More Americans are in favor of legalizing marijuana now than ever before- by the latest poll, 41% for, 46% against.

Now, that's not a majority, but for the President of the United States to simply laugh off the views of 41% of this nation, and suggest they hold those views because they're all 'potheads'- is despicable, especially for a man who used to regularly use the stuff (as well as much harder drugs).

I am a drug prevention specialist and I see first hand how Marijuana is effecting our youth, family, and community. So often people think that legalizing marijuana will make the country better; when in fact, it will just destroy it. The Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a profound statement when she said we need to educate Americans on the harmful effect of the different drugs. If we, the American people, spend more time education ourselves on the harmful effects of marijuana and stop trying legalize it or make it so glamorous. Then, we will be able to stop the demand because the use will go down.

Larry, Come on!!!
With more and more Baby Boomers retireing daily And their memories of the 60's and 70's "Fresh" in their heads. It's only a matter of time before Marajuana is legalized.

Some of the misconceptions I read here regarding Marijuana explains a lot.

Part of the problem with the solution (ending prohibition) is the illogical fears concerning Marijuana. We need weeks of discussion and education to deprogram a lot of the reefer madness out there. Some people will never change their opinion no matter how many facts you give them.

I think I mostly blame Anslinger and Nixon for this mess.

I believe all Americans should be patient and give our president the chance to make the change everybody has been waiting for. We need to remember that the country did not fall in this hole in one day, so America, please realize that its gonna take time for us to be back on track.

Daniel Saenz
El Paso, Texas

I think Obama dont know what he's doing.

You know the topic of drug war and weed should be looked at as not a light topic alot of crime and wasted time goes into busting people for weed when its used as a medicine we need to think more clear if you make it so the american people can buy it in stores you then take away the people from selling it and then you limit the amount comming across boarders also. i also think the major thing left out is how much money the country could make selling weed. the war on drugs well always be around there are other harmfull drugs out there real harmfull but mainly this one drug weed isnt americas main drug problem its used as a medical medicine for some people its and besides its more the drugs that destroy lives and cause these wars
also on a medical level now we got people selling pills and other perscriptions so we really need to step back and look at the bigger picture where fighten a war on drugs yet we supply them to ease the pain

I had to say my piece about this panel tonight.
Overall, President Obama is doing the right thing & it works & what he is doing will work. People think he's doing too much with being on this show or that or being online. Guess what people; this is the information age & people are craving information. People want to be in the "know" as well as the "now." Now, if you criticize the President, then just think about President Bush for the past 8 years. Can you honestly say that you felt apart of America, or apart of ANY decision that was made? Half of you all didn't even care to vote in the past. Now everyone has a desire to vote. I know I didn't vote in the past 8 years. That has changed. I feel more apart of the United States & apart of governments decisions.

There is one thing that will move our country forward, & that's being innovators & adopters of new technology & embracing the change that's needed. If you don't get on the train, it's gonna leave ya.

@Amanda
It's a shame this Washington Times blogger saw Pres. Obama as a gimmick. As a blogger myself, I question the fact that if she is a blogger at all. Any blogger worth of salt will respect technology & where it is going. But, I digress, she writes for the Washington Times....being a true blogger in the information age, goes against the grain. They are true entreprneuers, being opinionated about the realities of today, as well as generating an income with their blog. My girl, there is nothing gimmicky about reaching out to the people at all times. Thin of it this way, you are sitting on the train with your Iphone or your laptop, or maybe even your Ipod. Because of technology & President Obamas ability to understand that, people have the ability to not only have a voice, but make a choice & be apart of the action in real time. WHAT IS GIMMICKY ABOUT THAT. The future is about streaming & real time information. Just look at Ustream & Justin TV.

@Jack Cafferty
Jack is the only one, for an older guy who sincerely understands what President Obama is trying to do. Jack is the only guy I had respect for on the show. And ya know something, he probably doesn't even Twitter. But he gets it.

@That Other Guy
This guy does not have a clue. Especially, when Larry asked him about the voting system. Any young individual would have understood that the voting system was through the Google API that many people use now on their personal blogs. I could easily tell that this guy didn't know anything about technology. Thus, it was evident why he would be a critic of

There was a problem with the presidents response on marijuana. The issue is that the people did vote, however, if the question was phrased a different way & more specific, then it may have been given more credence. The question was phrased & people thought it was funny during the event, but I bet you there was a strong percentage of people who believe in the intention that legalizing the substance in some form or fashion would not only bring in revenue for the United States, but also solve a lot of the issues dealing with drugs. In reality, you cannot deny that we are already half way there, with medicinal marijuana.

I really want to share my frustration about what I have heard this afternoon on CNN. Lou Dobbs saying about Secretary of State Clinton's comment about drugs demand in the USA "justifying the Drugs cartel activities is like justifying bank robberies because there is money in the banks!". does Lou Dobbs know the difference between illicit drugs and money? this kind of statement from a CNN journalist is an insult to the intelligence of CNN viewers. I do value and respect different opinions from mine but when people plays the "Populist" card too often it's important to react and express our disagreement.

I found President offensive and demeaning with his attitude toward people who asked about the legalization of marijuana. He acted like we were a bunch of mindless junkies with some opportunistic attitude toward this "war on drugs" that continues to make lawmakers and banks rich through the money laundering connections.

He himself struggles with addiction to cigarettes and has for years... I smoke and have for years and I consider that and alcohol legalized drugs.

This is an extremely valid question AND it's a wonderful way to make a difference in this economy. Empty the prisons which the taxpayers are supporting, of non violent recreational users, take the market from the cartels among a million other things.

I voted for Obama, my entire family did. I didn't go to the poles thinking about legalizing marijuana, which I would probably use if it were legal but can't now because it's not and I have to set example to my kids not to break the law. He acted like the same jerk he was as when he made that special olympics comment.

He's an idiot if he can stand in the face of Americans and pretend that legalizing marijuana wouldn't make a HUGE difference on many levels in this economy and in stopping the horrible things that are happening in Mexico and now bleeding into the US.

Thank you, Jack Cafferty! It's about time to realize that marijuana legalization isn't a joke! Not only will it hurt the cartels, the government no longer has to fund the police efforts to raid houses where there's only a plant being grown, or pay to imprison the peaceful criminals who were arrested for smoking it.

In 1996, there were more than 650,000 Americans arrested on marijuana charges.
In 1997, that figure was over 700,000.
In 1998, there were more arrests for marijuana possession than for all violent crimes combined.
The number of marijuana felons in prison in 1999 was approximately 70,000.
In 2008, marijuana arrests in the US total more than 20 million.

How much money is that? Billions, easy.

Murderers and rapists are released early on a regular basis, while cannabis users face mandatory minimum sentences.

Incarceration is the only well-proven health hazard associated with cannabis use.

How desparate have we become in the country to entertain such an idea as to legalize this dangerous drug marijuana and to percieve it to be an answer to our economy. I hope the day never comes for it to become legal and I can't even imagine the harm it would do and the regrets we would have if it were legalized.

I have never seen news of somebody having a fatal car accident while on marijuana. Mr. Obama eliminating "bad Washington policies" was your idea. Get to it! Legalize marijuana.

We agree with Jack Cafferty that legalization of marijuana could potentially help this economy, and do not understand why Obama thinks this is an impossibility. Can anyone clarify? Does Obama just not feel like dealing with the issue? In our opinion, he could kill two birds with one stone by easing the deficit and dealing with one of America's biggest drug issues at the same time. Is it possible he may be avoiding this issue due to the race issues that go along with it?

yea, you're right people. Marijuana has no debilitating physical effects whatsover. Right. And I'm sure all of you have kids and you want them to smoke pot several times a day too. Whenever things get a little tough, hey, mon, smoke a J! It's all good!! Hey, bus driver, we just ran over Jimmy?....it was like in slow mo! No way, dude! That is soooo crazy!!!!

Forget the taxing crap. Nice dream but just get a seed (there's like a zillion of them in every bag), a little soil and UV and you're good to go!! How the heck are they going to tax that?

The whole argument to not legalize marijuana is somewhat ridiculous.

Now one of the first reasons to legalize marijuana is to help our economy. In these economically challenging times, we cannot let old laws deter our future. People do marijuana, it isn't that hard to get it "legally" in some states like California. In other cases people just get it illegally and cheat the system. Making it legal, and putting an extra tax on this will help our government out. Now I am not going to say it will solve all our problems, but it surely will let the government benefit if someone decides to do marijuana. Seriously, no one would buy marijuana illegally if it was legal, there is just way to big of a risk. Now, currently the United States spends a lot of money to regulate marijuana. For example, the Netherlands where Marijuana is legalized spends 223 euros per capita on the Criminal Justice system, as opposed to our equivalent 379 euros. They still have a lower crime rate.
If you look at it, marijuana isn't even that dangerous as compared to legal drugs. First off, there is NO NICOTINE or addictive substances in marijuana, one of the things that make so many drugs dangerous. Furthermore, to this day there has not been a death caused by marijuana, even former Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders quoted, "Unlike many of the drugs we prescribe every day, marijuana has never been proven to cause a fatal overdose.” In 2003 the top 3 causes of accidental deaths were as according to the American Medical Journal and the State Department, Tobacco with an estimated 435, 000 deaths, Physical Inactivity and Poor Diet with 365, 000, and Alcohol with 85, 000, Marijuana caused no deaths, 0.
It brings me to my last point, it reduces crime by legalizing it! First off, because it is illegal then less people will use, because of the "rebel effect" in our country right now there is a 36.9% prevalence of lifetime marijuana use, in the Netherlands it is only 17.0%. There is proof that it reduces crime in the fact that the Netherlands had incarcerated 100 people out of 100, 000, the United States? 701. Also out of 100, 000 people the homicide rate in America is 5.56 whereas it is only 1.51 in the Netherlands. Drug trade falls out because the market for the product is gone, hence safer streets. This will allow us to allocate resources in a more efficient manner, allowing us to take the War on Drugs money and put it into education, a more advanced police force, or for economic stimulating packages e.g (Subsidies on Energy/Infrastructure etc.). There is also the solution to the problem that those arrested early often become lifetime criminals, screwing up people even more, without it illegal well we won't have as big of a problem.
Frankly, I think the United States should give people the right to fail. We shouldn't be wasting money regulating and protecting people, when they will just try to go around it, making our efforts vain. If you keep doing the same thing and expecting different results...you are crazy. Plus remember it didn't work in the Prohibition neither can it work now.
Legalize Marijuana. Save liberty and happiness! God Bless America.

What about alcohol? How many death's have been caused by this drug? Alcohol is legal cause it's an old drug that the older generations have deemed legal but marijuana still can't be legal cause of it's reputation to be a drug that leads to other drugs.
I think it's time for America to grow up, look at Amsterdamn, tax pot like we do alcohol and lets see what happens, change it's time.

I think people need to focus on how marijuana can help our economy besides for medicinal use Marijuana could provide means of fuel,oil,clothing,plastics,and much more. The problem is that people only want to focus on the personal use aspect and not what it could really do for our economy.

i cant believethe presidant laughed at legalizing marijuana. wow. they took an online poll 3million people, that doesnt mean a thing. Every single person i know has smoked marijuana and over half of anyone i have ever met still smokes on a regular basis. How many people have u heard that have killed or injured a person DRINKING AND DRIVING, How many people do u know killed any one smoking marijuana. Legalizing mary jane probally will put a dent in the war on drugs and will put a HUGE BOOST INTO OUR ECONOMY. IF u dont agree with this ucan not be living in america. U can never stop the cartels they will be here til the end of time demand= $$$ u can slow them down by sealing the border; not by persecuting legal weapons owners!!! people that don't live in million dollar mansions and r part of the gov. or reporters all know this. People need to look at the big picture and understand what I am saying.

Obviously there will be laws and regulations with Marijuana
Like 18
And driving under the influence, but in that sense it is nothing different from Alchohol

As a response to Nick Lawson in Colorado, offering Mexico statehood may not seem like a bad idea, but as a citizen of Central Texas, I can tell you there would be massive opposition to the idea. The sad part is that little of it would have a reason other than pure racism. Though a majority of the country may be beyond this, Texas, I can assure you, is not, on a large level. Though it varies from region to region, (for example, Austin is an exception) there would be HUGE public outrage for an already unpopular president. Though I feel he is doing a great job, in Republican homeland, many hate him simply due to his race and party. For instance, my principal had to make an announcement during school after the election to stop the fighting. People were literally becoming violent in a high school at the mention of his name... Though I agree with you, it may not be such an easy thing to do.

The whole argument to not legalize marijuana is somewhat ridiculous.

Now one of the first reasons to legalize marijuana is to help our economy. In these economically challenging times, we cannot let old laws deter our future. People do marijuana, it isn’t that hard to get it “legally” in some states like California. In other cases people just get it illegally and cheat the system. Making it legal, and putting an extra tax on this will help our government out. Now I am not going to say it will solve all our problems, but it surely will let the government benefit if someone decides to do marijuana. Seriously, no one would buy marijuana illegally if it was legal, there is just way to big of a risk. Now, currently the United States spends a lot of money to regulate marijuana. For example, the Netherlands where Marijuana is legalized spends 223 euros per capita on the Criminal Justice system, as opposed to our equivalent 379 euros. They still have a lower crime rate.
If you look at it, marijuana isn’t even that dangerous as compared to legal drugs. First off, there is NO NICOTINE or addictive substances in marijuana, one of the things that make so many drugs dangerous. Furthermore, to this day there has not been a death caused by marijuana, even former Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders quoted, “Unlike many of the drugs we prescribe every day, marijuana has never been proven to cause a fatal overdose.” In 2003 the top 3 causes of accidental deaths were as according to the American Medical Journal and the State Department, Tobacco with an estimated 435, 000 deaths, Physical Inactivity and Poor Diet with 365, 000, and Alcohol with 85, 000, Marijuana caused no deaths, 0.
It brings me to my last point, it reduces crime by legalizing it! First off, because it is illegal then less people will use, because of the “rebel effect” in our country right now there is a 36.9% prevalence of lifetime marijuana use, in the Netherlands it is only 17.0%. There is proof that it reduces crime in the fact that the Netherlands had incarcerated 100 people out of 100, 000, the United States? 701. Also out of 100, 000 people the homicide rate in America is 5.56 whereas it is only 1.51 in the Netherlands. Drug trade falls out because the market for the product is gone, hence safer streets. This will allow us to allocate resources in a more efficient manner, allowing us to take the War on Drugs money and put it into education, a more advanced police force, or for economic stimulating packages e.g (Subsidies on Energy/Infrastructure etc.). There is also the solution to the problem that those arrested early often become lifetime criminals, screwing up people even more, without it illegal well we won’t have as big of a problem.
Frankly, I think the United States should give people the right to fail. We shouldn’t be wasting money regulating and protecting people, when they will just try to go around it, making our efforts vain. If you keep doing the same thing and expecting different results…you are crazy. Plus remember it didn’t work in the Prohibition neither can it work now.
Legalize Marijuana. Save liberty and happiness! God Bless America.

I love President Obama! I am a Republican but I have not been proud of that lately. I am glad that we have a President that is not self serving! I reluctantly read his book the audacity of hope and I must say he is really a good person. I do not agree with most of his policies but I trust his intentions.

@ Nancy

Your whole post is a little ridiculous. To answer the grow your own tax question, though –

Seeds cost money – Tax
Potting soil costs money – Tax
Fertalizer costs money – Tax
Lights cost money – Tax
electricity costs money -Tax
Plant Food costs money – Tax

Small business Mom and pop garden store's open all over creating jobs. Yay!

Don't foget the user purchases.

Vaporizers (who smokes anymore?) – Tax
Cook books – Tax
Pipes, papers, bongs – Tax

You get the idea.

Hey Nancy- Foggy? Confused? What do you think alcohol is doing? Ever seen that drunk Bush video on youtube? look it up sometime.

Gimick? We've had a president behind the wheel for the last last 8 years that was careless. Wouldn't take suggestions and left our "luggage" (livelihoods) scattered all over the road. President Obama is now in the drivers seat and has to regain the trust of the passengers...The American People.

I thought of giving an idea I came up with about drugs. Well knowing me, I lived a sheltered life and never touched any stuff like that, not even ciggerettes or alcohol, even though I recently turned 21 in November, I vowed never to get hooked on it. But sometimes it doesn't make me feel better knowing other people do it even if I don't know them. My friend smokes and even I wish him to stop. But I know pretty good stuff, not a lot but I not only feel that even marijuana should be outlawed. People would still do it. You never know, right? Well... outlawing maybe isn't enough. I thought maybe the longest shot of having people to stop smoking pot is to stop the source where it comes from. Someday I wish to be congressman to pass new laws to the president so we can save our economy. I want our world to be going in the right direction. I'll work hard to make it happen. I wont' be able to say a lot here but I do wish to be able to talk to someone about my thoughts and feelings about changing the world like what Obama is doing as president. He's doing a great job. I want part of my wisdom and ideas involved. I thought... idk, maybe in a talk show like the Jay Leno show and share my stuff to people. I am but one unknown civilian but I have a dream to help people and a strong will to do whatever it takes without morally wrong decisions. If people would understand, they would then start becoming good people and not lowlife junkies killing each other or hurting people or themselves. Right? That's why sometimes, they must learn the hard way by the men and women of law enforcement.

My problem with Barack Obama right now is his blatant dismissal of the subject.
He created a joke of it, which is ridiculous. As the leader of a country you actually need to check your facts, and think about the situation before you make such a grotesque statement. It is not just a joke. There are not just junkies asking for the legalization of marijuana. There are those who just want to see this country move on, and benefit. Those who just weep when they see their country being abused like this. It is an opportunity we can't miss.
Did I mention how when it creates a new industry, it will give jobs? Revenues?

In response to those who say taxing marijuana is a problem, it is not as simple as planting a seed. There's many types, potencies, and varieties of cannabis, and to make them commercially available would create a huge market.

Also, many people who do not smoke choose not to because of the fear of being arrested. There's no way to know how many exactly, but I know over 30 personally.

Cannabis is legal in Amsterdam, and they sell it and tax it, no complaints. You could grow your own food, if you wanted to, but not many do. It comes down to convenience, simple as that.

It's also worth mentioning that hard drug usage rates in Amsterdam are lower than almost anywhere else in the world.

Nancy Nancy... Why throw something under a UV lamp when you can just go buy a pound and be set for months or even spray a liquid in your mouth. Look at cigarettes.... How many people do you know that roll there own??? Honestly!!! Thats like Americans having a garden and growing all there vegetables. Maybe next we will start sawing are own clothes. I will start looking into that right away 😛

I will end this buy this my pot smokeing friend's. Just becuse he said that!!! I'm going to stand marijuana.

MARIJUANA 4 LIFE YALL
Bryan out.

Marijuana should not be legalized. Legalization will not change anything for the better. This would be a huge mistake and accomplish nothing on the war against drugs and the mexican cartel. Legalization will just promote more drug use and cause more harm in our young.
The majority of the young as they aged stopped smoking marijuana and the drug scene, not because it was against the law but it was damaging their life. We should enforce our border if it means putting troops from end to end. Enforce our laws and protect our young from the misguided perception of marijuana and all drugs.

Jacqueline....I don't ever mentioning that alcohol is good either. It is worse. I agree.

The story about these young men appearing dead in water after having been drinking and having a good time is very similar to one that happened in Germany early this year (1st week of January) in which a young Portuguese man disappeared after having been in a night club drinking with friends. His body appeared in the town river as well two months later. It was concluded that he fell in because he was drunk. As I hear the stories you are featuring I see a tremendous similarity. Is there a similar serial killing going on in Europe?

I would appreciate a reply; this young man was a friend of my family.

I was not aware that it was so many potheads that pay attention to current events I guess iv just been too drunk!

When will RICH America learn? Chances are when its too late. Seal the border!! u can get weapons from anywhere but u can NOT bring them IN or OUT if u have EXTREME border security. Legalize marijuana = HUGE ECONOMIC BOOST + less deaths. Its obvious.

Hey does anyone know the reason Marijuana was made illegal?
Because oil/coal companies were afraid that hemp (cannabis) would become a better energy source, and it would be replaced, displacing the rest of the industry. Or well, for their own selfish needs. So they lobbied, and because of connections within cannabis was banned.
That is right folks...
Hemp can be used as a fuel source.

Well, Daniel B., I guess if you have lots of money and your LAZY. That's kind of the problem here, isn't it? I'm sure if the government plans to make lots of money on selling pot, they will find some way to put an addictive additive in (Just like cigarettes). By the way, do you have kids?

I am proud to be an American right now feels good to be able to discuss such important issues like legalizing marijuana (you wouldn't believe how long it took me to figure out how to spell marijuana) anyway this leads me to realize how important education is, is anyone as concerned about education anymore or have I stumbled into a smoke session

The government isn't selling marijuana, it is just legalizing it
What you are thinking of is Nationalizing it..
Companies would come under control, and it is really easy to put legislature to prevent the use of nicotine in it.
Plus no one actually wants to start using Nicotine Marijuana, when they will have non-nicotine marijuana, people don't want to get addicted.

Larry, you really must do a much longer story on the 'smiley face' killings, this was very intriguing and requires further investigation!

Well, then by all means, lets make Hemp a fuel source, the new cotton, stop cutting trees for newspapers.....it's all quite good in that respect. I agree. Why legalize the drug usage aspect? It's debilitating to society (ok, you twerps, just like alcohol and just like cigarettes). Most people who are proponents here just want to smoke it. By the way, it is not good for your lungs to smoke it. Ever notice that black residue on paraphanalia? In your body too. Go ahead, smoke up, Johnny!

If marijuana is legalized like alcohol there will be laws to govern its use. For those you are saying jimmy will get run over by the stoned bus drive...im sorry the bus driver is already high.

There is always a price to freedom Nancy. If you think it will come for free your more ignorant than I thought. Having kids has nothing to do with it. This comes down to basic rights. If we pass this as a law it will be a right. Our right to grow, smoke, consume etc. Add addictive ingredients seriously? Can you say Conspiracy theory. That would not happen from the huge mistakes the Tobacco companies have setforth

Reading through this, I've noticed that no one has mentioned...

Our founding fathers grew, and smoked, hemp(marijuana). Many of the founding fathers notated in letters their pleasure in smoking marijuana, including Washington, Madison, Monroe, Jefferson & Andrew Jackson.

Benjamin Franklin owned one of the first paper mills in America and it processed hemp.

For skeptics, Washington was quoted as separating the genders of seeds. As everyone should know, the female plants create the smoke able material, and has been quoted as saying "What was done with the seed saved from the India Hemp last summer? It ought, all of it, to have been sewn again; that not only a stock of seed sufficient for my own purposes might have been raised, but to have disseminated the seed to others; as it is more valuable that the common Hemp."

Also worth mentioning is that capitalization rules of the time dictated that you capitalize any word that is important. Notice he capitalizes Hemp.

Okay it took me way too long to spell marijuana and my liver has shrivered due to over the years alcohol use my job just recently cut my hours in order to balance their budget I got enough problems does anyone have any sollutions?

hahahah addictive addative i think it will hold its own

Okay I'm surrounded by educated fools and pot heads when will the hurting stop!

The Reason Marijuana was made Illegal – and Scorned in the Press:

The Hearst News / Publishing Corp. and Dupont Chemical Corp.
bought and paid for Washington Politicians at the time:

This from CBS’s Hugh Downs:

“The reason marijuana is illegal is because the pro marijuana groups claim that hemp is such a versatile raw material that its products not only compete with petroleum, but with coal, natural gas, nuclear energy, pharmaceutical, timber, and textile companies. It is estimated that methane and methanol production alone from hemp grown as bio-mass could replace 90% of the worlds energy needs.

If they’re right, this is NOT good news for OIL INTERESTS, and could account for the continuation of marijuana prohibition.”

But if you’re wondering about the actual day that hemp was made illegal in this country it has to do with the DUPONT CHEMICAL CORPORATION and their friend newspaper magnate WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST.

Dupont manufactures all of the chemicals which bleach wood pulp into paper.

Hearst manufactured the machinery to make paper and had invested in forests to provide the pulp.

Hearst, owning newspapers, was responsible for headlines such as “Marijuana makes fiends of bvoys in 30 days.”.

Those two corporations made a lot of money due to the prohibition of hemp."

[end]

And don't believe for a moment these two Corporate Interests wish to see the Marijuana Ban Laws changed anytime soon – as nothing has changed with their Business Models – other than losing money.

Wow, It's amazing how many of us come out of the wood work when the president makes a comment. It is about time. I am a huge Obama fan but I am very angry he laughed off the question about legalizing Marijuana. The response from people makes it obvious this is a major issue for the general public. Obama, pay attention to the general public like you say you do. Talk about this issue in a serious matter, don't laugh, shrug your shoulders and mock your supporters on the Internet.

I don't believe all drugs should be legal, but I do believe marijuana should be legal. If we legalized this plant, organized crime would have a huge portion of their profits taken away. The time and resources that every city in the United States spends towards marijuana would be freed to focus on hard drugs. The regulation and taxes would be beneficial to every American, pothead or not. Regulation of this plant would make a safer and pure product for consumers, and the taxes would benefit everyone. I believe marijuana is much safer than tobacco and alcohol, which kills people. Although smoking a big fattie or hitting a two foot bong may not be the best for your lungs, there are ways to consume this plant...i mean "drug" that is much better for your health...a vaporizer! I'm a complete advocate for legal pot, but there should definately be certains laws that go along with it being legal. DUI is DUI, and you should not operate a motor vehicle while high on anything. I don't believe it would be a great idea to let semi-drivers be stoned while being responsible for such a huge vehicle. What you do in the privacy of your own home, or what you do to your own body should not be a concern to anyone but yourself to a certain degree. Now some say sure, legalize pot...but when you want health care, sorry. This isn't Canada, we don't get free healthcare. I don't have healthcare right now as it is, and probably could not afford it anyhow.

I live in North Dakota, and yes i've done plenty of sandbagging this week. Methamphetamine is a terrible problem in my state, and I believe it would be very beneficial to our justice system to be able to focus on this nasty drug. Instead the police spend time arresting someone because they have a pipe, the courts get backed up with these petty offenses, and good people serve time in jail. How much does it cost to have an inmate incarcerated for one day, and who does its cost...taxpayers?

Nothing is perfect, and I'm not saying legalizing marijuana would be the best thing ever for society. The people of the United States should open their minds from the cold war era reefer madness ideals of marijuana, and see it as the wonderful plant it is. I'm very pleased to see the issue of legal marijuana being discussed on CNN.

Thanks for listening, and god bless the people and their homes here in North Dakota.

Nancy you are being fairly ignorant, like Obama in this situation.
You support legalization, that means you must want to do it, you druggies/stoners.
But that isn't true.
I simply don't see why the government pays for marijuana to stay away when people do it illegally, and no one benefits. If they are idiots enough to do it, I don't care, but don't stop me from benefiting from that.

I would suggest you all look into International history channel show on Marijuana. They made it illegal because they noticed that the farms in Mexico were making profit. So American took action and just took it out of the hole picture.

Daniel, I can see from your answer that you don't have kids. It has a lot to do with everything in life once you do. It is called love and responsibility and respect for life and can't be explained. Little kids don't need pot to be happy....now, why is that?

Although, I've seen plenty of pothead parents; I used to go to Grateful Dead shows (for the great music); let's put it this way, their kids health and welfare was not the first thing on their mind when they were stoned.

Conspiracy theory.....yea, and that's why cigarette companies have gone out of business. You can't fix a wrong with another wrong.

Daniel you are partially right
But it was also stopped because of coal lobbyists fearing overtaking, because hemp was cheaper.
Plus it could be used for paper.

hi larry,i'm not a blogger but i;ve been watching a lot of cnn lately.I work construction,nuff said.I think we should legalize pot outright and decriminalize most of the other drugs. regulate,control it and tax it just like alcohol.we spend billions of dollars fighting this war which cant be won!!! 75% of the people in prisons across our great country are in there for some kind of a drug offense most of which would not be criminals if not for drugs.just as we are all responsible for our own happiness we should all be indivivually responsible if we choose to use drugs.the penalties for crimes committed under the influence should be increased and education not incarceration should become our top priority.prevention,education and rehabilatation will work a hell of a lot better than law enforcement,roosevelt showed us that.

Okay I get it some people get high and some people may just need to lighten up a little more, however, this does not require using a controlled substance. I feel really good when I read, can we focus more on education?

Nancy are you saying you let your kids drink? Because last time I checked there is a age limit on that. You can get in trouble for that... you know that right? uuummm can you please list what cigarette companies have gone out of business. I would really like to know this. Micromanaging your children will not keep them away from drugs. Your a fool if you think you can control you children. Smoking weed does not make you a bad or good parent. Plus you dont need children to understand LOVE, Responsibility or respect. Dont confuse having children makes you understand these things or make you a good parent. If that was so all those people who shake their babies understood love and responsibility

Brian, that was way too long, Prajit, you need to lighten up and legalize, you might need to go a head and light one up and calm your nerves cause Im sure President Obama has more important issues to deal with besides marijuana!

Why not spend the money from Marijuana for education? I have a hard time right now trying to pay for school and work a full time job as is :(. I love watching tuition go up every other year. As if I make more money
-_-

I want all 50 states to have labor laws that exalt the workers who make our American economy strong. Unionization helps all workers, and I am really tired of getting "trashed" by non-Union employers and just terrible line bosses and American companies and corporations and employment agencies and really fantastically malevolent American Coworkers, too. Americans do not need politicians who do not respect working people, who run so-called "Right to Work" States, who work against American Unions and the American Labor Movement, who give tax breaks to rich corporations who move our jobs Overseas, and who think it is fine when American Employers screen Applicants and Workers not for Abilities, Good Potential, and Work Experience, but rather for behind the scenes corporate and government and political and health and credit records, as in the "Bad Old Days" of the "Robber Barons" who resembled Lionel Barrymore playing "Old Man Potter" the Banker in the James Stewart/\ movie, "It's a Wonderful Life". I could say a lot more, believe me. I could write a book.

I got a Kidney Transplant that went Bad and I work on your campain and someone was going to help with my home but they never did. and Gwen
Moore was going to help with Donateion and never but I work my but off even win I was sick on you guys campain and no help.

thank you both GOD BLESS

Lets not forget the importance of education. We need to come up with solutions to improve it I live in California and they are laying off teachers too much we are about to have some really dumb kids in over crowded classes with frustrated teachers. Now thats just wrong!

Not only do Corporates have an interest in Marijuana not being Legalized – except the Tobacco Companies who are ready to go – the Alcohol Manufacturers do not want Marijuana Legalized.

You have our Government that is hugely Funded by 'indirectly Taxing Marijuana Use' :

Police Departments – Arrests / Convictions – Drug Enforcement Grants – Confiscation and Sale of Vehicles / Houses / Properties.

Courts – Arrest – Arraignments – Trials – Convictions – Legal Fees .

Court Clerks – see above.

Lawyers – Arraignments – Trials – Appeals – Convictions – Fees.

Prisons – Pay per Inmate Privatized Prison Systems – State & Federal Prison Fundings.

Probation Dept. – Probation Officers – associated Buildings costs etc.

And all the support Secretaries & Staff that needs to get paid – all Paid
from 'indirectly Taxing Marijuana' – Pot Busts .

These area of Revenues are distinctly on the 'do not address these topics' for Politicians.

Legalizing – Decriminalizing Marijuana will NOT come from a Presidency – it must first come from the People and then the News Media.

With Public Opinion [ our News Media ] squarely on the side of Real World Reason and Logic – going Public will allow
Politicians to find reasons to agree :

our Prisons are too full –

it hurts Kids with Arrest Records for Marijuana –

it should be treated as Wine and Taxed which will then take it out of the Drug War and provide an alternative to Alcohol allowing Educators
some wiggle room when talking about the True Evils of Meth – Cocaine & Heroin.

If alcohol is legal why cant marijuana be...I mean come on, can't anyone think anymore?

i feel better when i read high

Whatever works Daniel, Education is important, I don't know if using money from marijuana is the answer but Im glad you attempted to come up with something.

ok, legalize it and tax it and enforce new laws about it, age restrictions, DUI's (although it's hard to do a simple breathalizer on that one....guess every cop needs to carry urine cups and a small laboratory in his car), then rehabilitate for it, put some money in the healthcare budget for lung problems, extreme weight gain, etc (since it's the govt. that legalized it), import some more paraphanalia from China.....sounds easy enough!

Oh, yea. Let's plan on hiring even more of our scientists and doctors and economists from other countries that are sober! With the exception of Amsterdam, who would be as "high" of a society as we are? They would think, wow, the Americans did it again. They are so forward-thinking!!! What a smart bunch!

smoke weed everyday

Brian that is way too long I hear ya but thats way too long are you kidding me? So what do you think about improving education? Wow so much passion. How bout that education aah!

I think they should legalize marijuana. It can be used to make fuel, clothes, tires, and many, many other products from it's fibers and oils. I think it is ridiculous that we are letting the drug cartels get rich off a resource that we should be taking advantage of, instead of spending 44 billion dollars on trying to stop it, we should make 33 billion dollars taxing it, and using it's properties to make fuel and other products cheaper for the consumer. This would surely put a lot of drug dealers out of business and Big Oil in check. When they started making fuel out of corn, the price of corn sky-rocketed because it's being made from something we have a great need for, corn feeds our nation and people in other nations, the demand goes up the price goes up. They should make it from something that grows wild, cheap and everywhere like marijuana, this way the price of corn won't go up, and we can still have enough corn to feed the masses without the worry of a shortage. Drought alone could hurt the corn industry, imagine if we also use it for fuel, the price would be astronomical. There is a car on the internet called the "Hempcar" which has already driven cross country on hempfuel, so no-one can tell us, it can't be done. We need to stop being such goody two shoes and get with the times. I have smoked it all my life and I am a successful and respected businessman working for a television network with a beautiful family living the american dream and I have never killed or raped anyone, crashed, or gone crazy from smoking marijuana, I do not like to drink, cause I've seen alcohol destroy more families than anything else and that's legal. so in the privacy of my own home, I sit back and relax and smoke a little and I do not get drunk and stupid like people do when they drink alcohol. I mean let's get real, we have to stop living this fantasy of a perfect world, it isn't going to happen, unless we do not change with it, and part of that change is legalizing marijuana. I think we should stop wasting time and legalize it before it's to late. It's going to be legalized eventually anyway once we understand how valuable all of it's uses are, so why let our country get worse than it already is, WE NEED TO ACT NOW. I strongly feel that marijuana is going to give us the independence from Big Oil Companies and all those oil rich countries that are also getting rich off of us, The Cartels and these countries are going to leave us broke, and all that's going to happen is we'll spend more money fighting more wars against drug dealers and oil rich countries and lose more of our brave soldiers lives, our sons and daughters whom are dying needlessly. If your willing to sacrifice your son or daughter just to keep marijuana illegal or supply the rest of this country with oil, then you need to check your head, remember, just cause it's legal does not mean you have to do it, look at alcohol or cigarettes, you have a choice to do it or not do it. Growing and using this valuable resource is going to put us on the right track, environmentally and economically. It's ironic that a drug that some people consider so bad is what I think is actually going to save our country and our planet, "We Need to Think More Green".

I'm trying to get my input into all of it "Noworriez". 🙂 I am trying to get up to 10 to 12 credit hours in college. I just find it very hard to work a full time job and go to school at the same time. Plus tuition going all the time. Yes I do agree on what you say on that. Action really needs to be taken in Education.

indeed education is a main goal for the president... the only reason these marijuana questions are coming about because the tv saw a vote on this issue earlier and it seemed to be a shock to the public...older public generally

Can you imagine a nation full of pot heads, no seriously imagine that! You see once again this goes to prove how important education is and by the sounds of it we are certainly going to have to reform health care at this rate Im sending my kid to school to be a lung doctor he's going to make a fortune.

"Oh, yea. Let’s plan on hiring even more of our scientists and doctors and economists from other countries that are sober! "

The past Administrations since Regan have done just that – 'Green Cards' to import people with Higher Degrees of Learning – to take American Jobs – so that the Government could reduce spending on Educating it's Citizens.

The Southern Conservative Republicans love Green Card Immigration.. saves Taxpayer Monies .

Should look into a vap "Noworriez". They really work 🙂

Daniel, I just knew you were in college. You sound a lot like my little brother. I've just gotta luv ya, man! And, no, I was joking about cigarette companies going out of business! even though they try to poison people, they ARE still in business. Because the govt. makes money that way. I was just using that as a perfect example of taxing pot for recreational use. You're right....a lot of people shouldn't be parents. And, no, I can't stop my kids from doing anything. I will just let them know what I have learned. Did I mention that in high school and college I smoked a crap-load of pot? I know what I'm talking about. I was also a cigarette smoker for 16 years. I'm not saying people are bad because they smoke pot....I don't think they should go to jail for smoking it either....but, I can see more harm than good coming from it being legalized. The good is all about money. Is that all that life is about? some will laugh at that and say, hell yea it is!!! Well, that's why we're in the mess we're in.

Daniel quality education is important it needs to be affordable, so lets encourage that instead of legalizing marijuana. I do not judge anyone for what they do in there own time as long as it does not directly effect anyone else. However lack of education effects everyone. Lets make it an issue and come up with solutions.

noworriez

did you forget about how many people smoke cigarettes....i think that peoples lungs could benefit if some of the previous cigarette smokers switched over to pot

See thats what I'm talking about Daniel i don't even know what a vap is it is so important I further my education cause you lost me on that one buddy.

Let's see, I think I'll manufacture a new candy bar for the munchies called "EAT ME!"

See thats what I'm talking about Daniel i don't even know what a vap is it is so you see how important it is that I further my education cause you lost me on that one buddy.

"And, no, I can’t stop my kids from doing anything. I will just let them know what I have learned. Did I mention that in high school and college I smoked a crap-load of pot? I know what I’m talking about. I was also a cigarette smoker for 16 years. I’m not saying people are bad because they smoke pot….I don’t think they should go to jail for smoking it either….

but, I can see more harm than good coming from it being legalized."

-

I don't Think Sohhhh..

Nancy,

You are a well meaning Mom , yet you obviously have never been Arrested , Handcuffed , Manhandled into the back seat of a Police Vehicle or SWAT VAN, Shackled to a Bench , Finger Printed , Photographed , DNA Swab , Booked and Jailed awaiting Arraignment and being denied ROR – and sent to County Jail until someone Bails you Out – all over a discovered Joint in your Sock.

Then, when you go to apply to a Federal Job Opportunity in your more sober years – you find that there is a DCJS File on you – and you are not eligible to be Employed by the Federal Government.

yea, don, right. What better way to follow up a good J than a ciggy?

don you are funny, time for me to turn in for the evening got a couple of future pot heads I got to get up in the morning and get ready for their overcrowded underfunded school goodnight!

Don't forget our children they deserve the best

lol thx...i just wanted to chime in about this topic cause im shure it will be forgot about soon..with our luck ...but yeah take car everybody and yes college should be affordable....we need to fix many thing indeed. but im finaly glad this whole pot not being a serious drug thing is being noticed

and no cigg smoke is a little harsh for me lol

I'm sorry if I use a little slag "noworriez". They are called vaporizer. They are way way better on your lungs. I'm going to run as well. It was a nice blog people. You really made me laugh at times. Thanks for the good laughs.

Bye
Daniel

yeah i was gonna mention a vaporizer...nifty inventions they are

Two years ago my cousin was murdered by cartel members in a abandoned house a few miles out side of mexico city, he and 5 others were excecuted and found days later. I do believe that the current drug wars will continue to escalate to the point that it will spill over the border. thought i have my own dislike about drugs, i do believe the decriminalizaton of marijuana would stem the flow of violence in mexico, for instance if all drugs were legal their might not be any type of drug related murders going on but their are alway's risks when consuming drugs but i believe in the constituiton and i believe my cousin would still be alive today if drug laws were different, for instance if heroin manufactuers started to make vicodin and percocet the health care industry would bloom and maybe their would be peace instead of death, this crime wave must stop because we all are at risk.

Wow!...... JFK...... damn girl !

No – never did happen , but I saw it alot in our area and while enrolled in a City of Newburgh Police Cadet Training Pgm. for a year between College.

It's way wrong.

It's my hope that if Legalized for 21 year olds – kids won't be exposed to
the Hard Drugs when Pot Supplies get dried up by the Dealers Dealers hoping to move Cocaine & Junk on them.

And – as you experienced – you walked away from Pot in your Adult years........ imagine if you were an Alcoholic user – think it would have been as easy ?

yea, goodnight fellow people! even with all our different opinions, I just can't help but smiling at you all :)!!! Maybe we aren't so lost after all, as long as we still respect each other's right to their opinions!

Good night, all!

I'm happy to see "a" generation paying attention to current news. 🙂 I think you should have more information on such subject before you judge on them. There is a lot more to learn from this then we know. Maybe even a new fuel. You just never know. You guys make it hard to leave...lol

i think the reason it it illegal is because for most it brings a new way a thinking....thinking outside of the box is the most lamen termenoligy i can put behind it but yeah...that could be a factor

Good luck with school, Daniel. You're opinionated and smart...you'll probably make it! 🙂 (as long as you don't smoke too much!) tee hee, couldn't help it! 🙂

dabinut(AT)gmail com oh oh oh my bad... heh

Indeed they are. I recently had my house raided due to a false phone call... Luckily, they didn't find anything.

Prison can ruin lives. Weed gets you high. It's SOOOO much harder to get ANY job with a criminal record, not just a gov't job.

how about that polic officer mistreating that football player that was terrible hard to even watch i mean to think that it was only televised because hes a football player and the reality of most cops being on a power tripp no surprise to me... night yall thx =)

In my area football players get away with arrests for DUI's or possession, while musicians like me are specifically targeted...

When Obama addressed the question of legalization of marijuana he treated it as a joke, disparaging the online community for bringing it up. In fact, the national drug policy is no joke at all. It is a failed war by the state against its own citizens which has resulted int 10% of black male adults languishing in prison, countless students losing their funding after being caught smoking a joint, and over 800,000 arrests each year for marijuana possession.

The top rated Town Hall question which actually was this
:
"With over 1 out of 30 Americans controlled by the penal system, why not legalize, control, and tax marijuana to change the failed war on drugs into a money making, money saving boost to the economy? Do we really need that many victimless criminals?"

And that is no laughing matter.

Wow, I can't believe the load of crap coming from so many people on this blog.

Marijuana should remain illegal; period. We already have the alcohol vice and we've seen what kind of hell that creates, why would we want to expand that hell to include yet another vice? Two wrongs don't make a right people. When you tell your child not to do something, do you then turn around and give him/her the go ahead simply because they throw a temper tantrum like you kids are right now? No...Unless you're a really bad parent.

"But so many people are dying due to violence on the border due to marijuana being smuggled illegally."
Oh, right, so we should condone bad behavior because stomping it out has been difficult? Bull. You people must be on pot already cause you're all so god damned lazy. How about we enforce the laws already on the books. Same goes for illegal immigration. Seriously, how stupid are you people. Aside from all that, and this is for Tom tancredo who was on only yesterday... Obama and his administration arent' blaming America first you lying, disingenuous idiot, they're jsut recognizing our part in the whole freakin thing and taking responsibility for it... I know that's something foreign to republicans who supported Bush the last 8 years since that fat jagoff wouldnt' know responsibility if it was painted on the sides of the planes that hit the towers on 9/11, but you're seriously going to have to get with the program here.

Needing an education is right. You think that just cause you allow your teen to "try" pot that makes you a cool parent? No, that just makes you a piss poor one.

And as far as the cop and the football player... ya, he was just doing his job alright... just barely. Give me a break. Discretion shouldnt' overrule common frickin sense. you got his damn car, tow the damned thing. Dont' stop the man from seeing his dying mother in law, just cause you cant' stoumach the sight of your own.

and for you people abotu to take the typicval cop otu and call me a bible thumper who's jsut trying to put hsi beleifs on you, think again. I'm an Atheist. My arguemens jsut stand on their own, and you have none against them.

I can't believe Obama had the nerve to LAUGH about legalizing marijuana. This is a very serious issue and obviously a lot of people want it legalized. The question submission and vote section wasn't rigged or anything like that. Obama is simply ignorant. I am so enraged about this. Legalizing marijuana was the top question in about 4 categories and the question appeared more than 3 times in those categories in the top ten. Obama's attitude towards this is disgusting. Legalizing, taxing, and regulating marijuana would create jobs, keep it out of the hands of our youth, save and make billions, REDUCE consumption, take the money and power away from drug cartels, and keep those who do smoke marijuana away from harder drugs. The war on drugs HAS FAILED. Wake up. Marijuana is not evil, not harmful, and doesn't corrupt anyone. These lies that our government started need to be stopped.

Just legalize it for individuals to grow, not to sell.

I think the fact everyone in the room laughed when the American people said to legalize marijuana just proves that we don't live under a government thats a true democracy. instead its more of an over policed country.

I couldn't believe how President Obama laughed off the questions concerning Marijuana. I do like the online town hall. I'd consider it comparable to Roosevelt's "Fire-side Chats". I think it's great to keep the people in the loop.

I am watching your show. Amanda is an idiot.. The entire basis of electing Obama was that he was the man of the people. How do you do that in today's world? Travel by train over 3 months and visit every city? Or streamline it and collect questions from America? Did Amanda visit the website? 1 in 3 questions were people asking about mary j being legalized. I don't agree but at least he realized there were a significant amount of people out there asking... He acknowledged it. There were also a significant amount of people asking for a proof of his birth certificate. Please don't question whether this is a gimmick. When did George W Bush ask for our feedback or questions. Obama is serious about being a president for the people...get used to it....

I don't believe we hired a President we hired a lobbyist ! I really didn't believe it when the Republicans was hollering socialism now I am re-thinking my position on Obama.

sam

I get more and more Leary every time I see him trying to push his agendas so incredible fast. Just as in life if someone says you need it right now the red flags generally go up.

what kind of comment is,quite frankly I dont think" those" kind of jobs are good for the economy...they won't support our working families? Right now American families require "those kind of jobs". Since auto co are being told to reduce their "too high" wages, and are being made to believe that their wages caused jobs to leave to begin with- By the way? Why didnt anyone think of keeping minimum wage at a realistic wage-so minimum wage jobs remained just that! How about reducing minimum wage-since everyone else is expected to take wage reductions. Right now America needs jobs back! Including jobs that students, mothers, fathers relatives can co-support their families.

You take the profit out of the sell of pot and cocaine and you will end the violence. We can save the $ on the war against it. Just let people grow there own.

I think everything is happending so the New Wolrd Order can be completed,theres no doubt

I think communication from Obama is refreshing and a new sense of decency from the Washington. He seems like a real person with common sense. Using live talk on the internet, pointing our buget on Jay Leno are ways that many American interact with their friends. Keep it up and dig us out of the past. Washington seems to general be caught on "We have always done it this way" A look at the last 8 years should tell us the Bush way was the wrong way.

All the violence that comes from the drug cartel is because of the overgrown price of Pot and they want to keep doing business therefor they kill, for money. Pot has this value because of prohibition itself, look at the rest of the world and how nobody else enjoys fighting a failed drug war more than our goofy politicians who still believe that smoking weed kill brain cells. Amsterdam is the prefect example of how controlling the substance that everybody enjoys (weed) which by the way doesn't kill overdose, or give you cancer like our number one killer tobacco.

so quit being stubborn, and thinking that all you know about how drugs are bad and they bring violence and ruin the life of our kids. because what is truly hurting us is the wrong way, you cant possibly make the world quit smoking a plant that has being smoke since the beginning of our planet. and only made illegal because of false propaganda and political agendas. do the research.

i think pot should be legalized for more than one reson.one its safer than alcohol,or other class 1 drugs.two it will give cops a chance to do something about the harmful drugs.like meth,pills,coke.they are the real problem.three it will give the ecocmoy a bost for exmple; it can make paper,oil, rope ,all diffent things. it will save farms make bio fuel i cant think of all the good.not to mention its already used as medicen

I'm soooo glad to see the President talking directly to the American people. He's working very hard to fix our economic troubles and create a foundation for our future economic growth and prosperity. Instead of staying in Washington and only talking to only the Washington press corps and established media outlets, our President is talking DIRECTLY TO US. What a concept!!! He talks to us like we have brains and can actually understand the realities of our situation. He answers our questions based on reality. Now, the cable talking heads may not like it because they believe the questioning is not hard enough. Not challenging enough. But guess what! That's the voice of the people. GET OVER IT.

Legalize Pot, when in doubt let the people decide by a national vote!!

Larry, Health Care, The Economy, Tuition Cost, and Legalizing Pot should be simple, I would think. We should make some of these greedy doctors volunteer to help a certain percentage of people in need. They should be willing to save a life for free anyway, " not just for money". Schools and Instructor's should do the same as well," why should we ruin our future because of greed? Schools are spending way to much money on atheletic programs anyway. Legalizing some drugs, sure. We spend to much money cleaning illegal drugs off the street. Simple drugs such as pot should be legalized and controlled as if was alcohol. I'm more than certain that the crime would drop swiftly. WAKE UP America!! We as country are to greedy and selfish. President Obama can't snap his fingers and change the world all by himself. We have to help each other as well. My family learned to share when we didn't have enough food for everyone. We must do the same as a nation! This may help the economy.

It is not a smiley face, but a clown face, the perpetrator is more than likely a homosexual.

I want to believe indeed that Legalizing marijuana is not the kind of change President Barack Obama is preaching here,cos they are lots of problems confronting America and the rest of he world at these point in time.the economic melt down is yet to be solved and los of other problems so.... legalizing marijuana should be forgotten at this point in time.

i think president Obama is a very intelligent man and is totally concerned about the people of America. I wish Nigeria had a man like him as their president.

I hope President Obama will be able to match his continuing engagement with the American with performance on the job.

Its early days but I think he should take a step back and focus on the challenges at hand.I must also say he is doing a great job...so far.

The reverse society-legalize everything that is illegal, no gun control-everyone should have their own nuke, and you can marry your horse if you want to.....Say folks, have you ever heard of the word anarchy? It means that everyone does what is right in their own eyes. Now take gun control-gets even old Lou upset that not only can he take out members of his own household with conventional weapons but with any luck, he can take out an entire neighborhood with an AK-47-then he has the nerve to say Congress is idiotic! The "Gay" Community has jumped aboard the new "everything goes" bandwagon and is spreading HIV and AIDS with this "new" wild abandon. Well, our Congress is sure to go along with anything that keeps them in office-they have proved that repeatedly and our Supreme Court is hiding under the Darwin Theory to get rid of any Christian Influence-Wonder if the great Atheist Philosopher Aldous Huxley would be pleased by "the Brave" new world his ideas have created?

Dave, Huxley's book was to DISCOURAGE socialism; it was trying to show that a society with no values or morals and people who can't think for themselves and lets the government do everything for them just doesn't work. What's the point of living??? If you have read it and truly understood it you would know that. Farenheit 451 by Bradbury is another outcry against socialist/communist views.

There's another great one called Player Piano by Vonnegut (The novel depicts a technologically advanced, highly regulated society set in a future United States. While everyone is provided for, only an elite of technicians and managers has any real purpose, and eventually the protagonist, Paul Proteus, joins with those made useless by technology in a rebellion against the system. The title derives from the fact that the player piano, with its key-punched paper rolls displacing the pianist, is one of the earliest applications of automation.)

People in the 30's and 40's could see the outcome of giving the government too much power.....why can't we?

It's the same reason the masses in Germany could follow a man like Hitler (and no, Obama fans, I'm not relating him to Hitler); The Germans were so poor and depressed at that point, anyone who gave them "answers" was someone to follow; he didn't win them over by saying he was going to kill people.....that came later......he came in and gave them jobs.....making the fabulous Volkswagon for one. They thought he was "fixing" their society, so like sheep, they blindly followed. It was when the dictator received so much power that it started to take a new and horrifying vision.

marijuana abuse equalls falling asleep. when alcohol abuse leads to violence. im surprised there is so much of a debate, clearly pot is illegal for some reason or another. think about it...its better for you than alcohol or giggarettes...alot better for you no deaths or anything....maybe its the fact that it gives people a sence of determination and a view upon certain topics that are worth justificating. like these topic that the public was in the dark until it was a "shock" to the news. alcohol and ciggarettes are poison so many problems are caused from the two im surprised almost everybody thinks its health related....lol

Farenheit 451 by Bradbury is a great novel....great source nancy. GREAT! example. that is why i think somthing should be done....i mean think about alcohol in this country its huge and ciggarettes.....the nation is at a point where values have been skewed way off course. the american dream in the past was having a house a family being happy etc. Now with all this drinking being so popular and the media telling everybody otherwise. divorce is more popular than marriage. kids end up drinking excessive amounts at like 15, 16, thinking its okay to have sex all the time and all that.....its just a big mess right now, At least if pot is offered our values may recede back to ones that actually matter in life. then we will se goverment with emotion rather than mind for profit and profit only....i mean these guys admit they dont know the word morality....that right there should tell you somthing.....

I agree with you on some points, Don, but I don't think the world we are in is a place where a nation can "fall asleep" behind the wheel either. A counselor once told my little brother, "you wouldn't drive a car in the dark without headlights on now would you?" We need to keep our "head"lights on! If not, those who do will take advantage of those who are "asleep". It just doesn't seem like we should swap one drug for another.

There's no sleeping for moms of young kids....even at night.....on that note, I need to go take my 3 yr old for a non-drug related activity which produces a high.....a bike ride!!!

Have a good one!

you know, that makes me think of something. We need to encourage our youth to exercise and stay active more.....to produce natural endorphins to give them that "high". A lot of European countries have more active people (Germany, Spain, Italy, Norway, etc) physically and they have less of a drug problem than we do....go figure. We need to have free preventative healthcare facilities (like YMCA's) instead of socialized medicine! Most people can't afford to go work out, but probably would if it was free!

That would solve some of our nation's problems too....health, kids on drugs...and would produce sharper minds and bodies in our nation.

Just a thought.

I'm pretty sure some of the Cartel's are lobbying this website right now. Drugs ARE evil Drugs ARE bad, and all you talking about how they're not are either in denial, lobbying for your habit, or completley oblivious to reality and actuality.

There is no New World order Next Rev. so give it up.

The reason we have so much violence from drug catels isnt' because pot is illegal, it's because the people in those cartels are violent to begin with. Think of it more clearly and realize that diamonds are legal and yet we still have blood diamonds.

You don't give free medicine, because while it would help in the short term people become ungrateful and expecting when oyu hand them stuff for free on a regular basis. It's better to make it affordable so they dont' go in and get free medicine and dwindle our stock.

There is no conspiracy involving keeping pot illegal, it's just illegal, and for good reasons. It's fantastic that Obama laughed at the question and it's good that potheads are still laughed at because all of oyu... ALL OF YOU... are a joke. I run a motel and I see what pot smoking does.

And it's not Mary J., Mary Jane, Doritos, ... it's Pot, Cannabis Sativa, and Marijuana. Stop cuteifying it, it's not your childs little friend from across the street or a new barbie doll, its a frickin drug; so, stop downplaying the significance of the risks and consequences.

Ya, right, pot is like falling asleep.... at the wheel, at your job, while raising your kids. Narcolepsy of your judgement and common sense.

James, you're preaching to the choir.

think about all the alcoholic parent idaho man......oh yeah i guesss thats a good thing according to you people....you seem to all forget that alcohol is far worse than any strain of cannabis. Alcohol is probably one of the most popular drugs used on a daily basis. there is not one thing that is benficial from alcohol. the benefits from cannabis go far beyond pleasure. drinking is purely selfish pleasure, that results in others being hurt physically or mentally....america is a nation of drunk slobs who look forward to lowering there IQ each night they hammer down those bottles.....it boggles me how you people will stand up for alcohol and cigarettes. when they have killed millions......i mean when a nation of people who enjoy harming there bodies with ciggarettes and alcohol at expense of pleasure.. those same indulgers are telling us what is right about cannabis....the real question you should be debating about.....hows can a society of alcoholics look down upon a plant that has been used over thousads of years safley....when themselves indulge a far more dangerous substance....hhhmmmm?

You're points are valid but, I don't like how you keep saying "you people". It makes YOU sound like a joke.....like you don't eat, sleep and take a crap like the rest of us! I wouldn't sound so righteous.....you run a motel, not a school or a church!!! Are you trying to lift people up to do the right thing, or knock them down? It's hard to tell what your righteous rant is trying to accomplish other than generalize everyone except yourself in the same category....I don't think anyone thinks this is a joking matter....we have all known pain; people try to get their point across sometimes in a more non-confrontational tone (you catch more flies with honey than vinegar....that's what my Grandma always told me).

I was talking to James in the last comment.

I must agree with those who say that marijuana is less harmful than cigarettes. I am a smoker and have been since I was 16. Guess what! I have COPD! Am I going to kick this habit? You bet!!!

Marijuana in a medical situation should be legal. It does help in many situations. However, how many studies have been done on the effects of marijuana on the body? Have they made any significant findings on its negative effects? These are valid questions that should be addressed.

In the meantime, legalizing marijuana will not stop the drug dealers or put them out of business. They will continue to push the "hard drugs" even more than they do now. And it will not end the cartel wars. That must be addressed by both our country and the drug producing nations – not just Mexico. Let's not forget countries including Columbia and Afghanistan, both of which produce Opium poppies for the obvious reasons. Stopping the production will stop the cartels. How can the push that which is no longer available?

Please listen to this, Mr. President, DHS, DEA, et. al.

Best,

Carole

Actaually Don, tyou nincompoop, I'm right on, and so are you in regards to alcohol. That shouldnt' be legal either. the government jsut caved in on that and for the same useless reasons you poitheads preach.

And to nancy, I don't need to be part fo a church or a school to know what pot does, adn yes, i speak from experience. An experience that is unchanging and unflinching acros the board.

But here, let me point it out in terms that offend oyu enough to get it..

Why not legalize the child sextrade? tax the young Hookers and pimps, and help stabeklize our economy. the only reason these pimps have to get so violent is because they have to hide what they're proud of; exploiting a baser instinct to the detriment of the people involved and society as a whole. But hey, if we legalized it... no harm, no foul right?

I completely agree with the more flies with honey though. Sadly, it has moved passed that point. You use the more flies with honey BEFORE it gets to this level of violence, NOT after.

And don... studies show that wine, a glass of red wine in particular helps prevent heart problems, and promotes a steady heart... shall I go on? Of course not, because there are also minor health benefits to medical marijuana. Health benefits that can be found elsewhere.

and don... I neither drink nor smoke, thoguh I had as a child.

tsk, tsk... your arguements seem to be falllling away.

It dissapoints me to no end when I hear those who consider themselves extremely intelligent addressing legalization/decriminalization of marijuana.

The smokable form would be in the end a fraction of the industr(ies) that would be created, ranging from agricultural (hemp) , enormous efforts into medical and energy research, textiles, and the list goes on and on, and, an amazing list it actually becomes when one actually begins to ponder the possibilities.

Smoking/Ingestion? More and more cities and states decriminalize with documented positive results, which have always been supported by other countries and regions past experiences, much more numerous than is generally known including the U.K, Spain, Swizerland, and, would of course include all existing laws regarding underage sales and use, driving while under the influence, whether under age or not, and so on.

In the end, I fail to see how anyone who claims any degree of "vision" or superior intelligence caqn argue that it does not "make sense".

The number of new jobs, benefit, and tax revenue due to the above I think is greatly underestimated. It is easy to see job creation in the 1MM+ range with long term tax revenues in the 100's of billions from all related industry combined.

Linda from Arizona and others made me realize something........

The general public seems to believe the marijuana poster child(ren) is/are Cheech and Chong........

The truth of the matter is to all the nasty anti marijuana comments above:

The latest poster children of marijuana are, UNfortunately:
The current and first African American President of the United States of America and a current multiple gold medal holder Olympian athlete

Hmmmm.........

So much for those who insist negative effects.....

The above completely changed my view of it, and, I think I'm going to ask my nephew if I can try it next time I smell that smell and see what this is all about firsthand, as I frankly don't feel too sure of myself commenting on something I know absolutely nothihng about.

Madame Speaker ,

Why has E-Verify been de_Funded ?

President Barack Obama should not break any of his
presidential campaign promises. If President Obama
promised to make America much better, he ought to
stick to his commitments. Do you agree with me?