cannabisnews.com: DEA Should Keep Out of State Politics DEA Should Keep Out of State Politics Posted by CN Staff on August 30, 2006 at 07:51:40 PT Editorial Source: Rocky Mountain News Colorado -- Federal agencies should stick to their knitting, as the saying goes. They have no business using their muscle to influence state ballot races. Not only could the federal government's vast resources distort the tenor of debate within a state, it would also force out-of-state taxpayers to underwrite political campaigns that have no impact on them. That message has fallen on deaf ears at the Denver office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, which is poised to assist in the campaign against Amendment 44. That measure, on Colorado's November ballot, would legalize possession by adults of as much as 1 ounce of marijuana. Setting aside the merits of Amendment 44, the DEA's decision to raise $10,000 to hire a professional campaign manager is a heavy- handed use of federal power. Jeff Sweetin, the special agent in charge of the local office, acknowledges that the notice seeking an experienced pro to run the campaign was sent from a Department of Justice e-mail account. Federal officials are free to offer their opinions about the legality or the wisdom of state political controversies, and that bully pulpit can often sway public opinion. But when agencies organize formal opposition to local or state ballot measures, they're interfering in the local political process. And where would it stop? At least some federal lawmakers have acknowledged the potential for abuse. Three years ago, the House of Representatives passed a measure that would have, among other things, blocked the DEA from using its advertising budget to work against state ballot measures. (The Senate did not pass the bill and it died in 2004.) The National Taxpayers Union and the American Conservative Union, among others, persuaded House members that if the DEA could campaign against initiatives that would liberalize drug laws, then there is no principled reason the Environmental Protection Agency couldn't spend money lobbying against property rights protections or the Department of Justice coordinate a campaign for tougher gun controls at the state level - just to cite two possible examples. Letting federal agencies become political activists in one area invites them to take sides on a host of others. That's why we hope the DEA will abandon this campaign - and that next year, Congress will enact legislation that would prevent any federal agency from pursuing this sort of mischief.Note: Fate of marijuana measure a local decision.Source: Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)Published: August 30, 2006Copyright: 2006 The E.W. Scripps Co.Contact: letters rockymountainnews.comWebsite: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Safer Choicehttp://www.saferchoice.org/Tax Dollars Used for Ill-Conceived DEA Pushhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22115.shtmlDenver DEA Rep: Don't Legalize Ithttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22107.shtmlLegalizing Pot Would Hurt Kids, and Here's Whyhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22106.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #8 posted by potpal on August 30, 2006 at 11:32:06 PT intolerance The sound of the press democrap site has me thinking that the persecution of potheads, users of cannabis, borders on being a hate crime in and of itself.That's right, the prohibition of cannabis is hateful and the real crime being committed each and every day. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Max Flowers on August 30, 2006 at 10:45:24 PT This is what we're up against More amazingly ignorant comments from people on the Press Democrat website:-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wednesday, Aug 30, 2006 08:32AI'm sick of our parks being used as pot gardens. You potheads ought to be ashamed of yourselves; you are the reason these gangsters come to our country to grow and sell this destructive weed. Wednesday, Aug 30, 2006 10:40APot smokers ruin our parks, pot smokers help organized crime get richer. The plant isnt the problem, the pot smoking criminals are the problem. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by whig on August 30, 2006 at 09:37:43 PT Sweetin's denials Apparently he denied the DEA were funding this, instead he says the $10,000 is coming from the DEA agents' pockets. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by potpal on August 30, 2006 at 08:38:53 PT And furthermore.. If it passes, the DEA said they will still enforce federal law which makes possessing marijuana illegal.He went on to not say that without illegal marijuana we'd be out of a job and have to find real work. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Hope on August 30, 2006 at 08:23:33 PT Sweetin is denying the first reports? http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/9759073/detail.htmlLooks like he's saying he never said anything that was in the first reports. No ten thousand dollars...no campaign. Weird. Well not for professional liars, but weird. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by HempWorld on August 30, 2006 at 08:13:53 PT DEA(th) II DEA means Drug ENFORCEMENT Agency, it is an agency created to enforce (pharmaceutical) drugs on us! It is not a law enforcement agency. Get it? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by HempWorld on August 30, 2006 at 08:08:12 PT DEA(th) DEA is a rogue agency. Its directors are appointed not elected. DEA is the ennemy of the American People and of societal progress. DEA has no principles or morals. DEA is a cancer growth on American society. DEA was invented during the Nixon era, need I say more? DEA acts out of selfpreservation.DEA is as much out of control as is the executive branch of the American Government, no controls are in place. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by mayan on August 30, 2006 at 07:58:46 PT Sweetin's Sweatin' I posted these links on a previous thread but for those who missed them...DEA education vs. lobbying: http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_4256408Pot Could Become Legal In Two Months: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/9759073/detail.htmlTHE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN...UNH provost says no students complained about prof's 9/11 views: http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?s=5343992The “Live Free or Die” State? http://gaelicstarover.blogspot.com/2006/08/live-free-or-die-state.htmlDavid Ray Griffin on "Guns and Butter" today (8/30): http://gunsandbutter.net/Media Disinformation on 911: Anatomy of a Hatchet Job: CBC Radio’s “The Current” and Scholars for 9/11 Truth: http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=KEE20060829&articleId=3090Reason Vs Treason: http://www.rense.com/general73/reas.htmThe British 9/11 Truth Campaign: http://www.nineeleven.co.uk/Alex Jones' TERRORSTORM (video): http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5792753647750188322&q=terror+storm [ Post Comment ] Post Comment