The Silence is Deafening

The Silence is Deafening

 

A month has passed since the marijuana legalization votes in Washington and Colorado.  People across the country are awaiting some response from the federal government, but so far no response has appeared.

Two years ago in the period leading up to the election, Attorney-General Holder came out strongly against marijuana legalization in California.  This year he said nothing before the election and has kept quiet since the election.  The only word from his office has been a bland statement that marijuana is still against the federal law.

While he was in the senate, Vice-President Biden was a hard-nosed Drug Warrior.  He was a primary sponsor of the 1986 amendments that imposed mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses, the crack/powder cocaine sentencing disparity and created the Drug Czar’s office.  He has said nothing this year.

The Administrator of the DEA is a holdover G.W. Bush appointee and a true Drug Warrior.  She has not said a word since the election.

The Drug Czar, head of the ONDCP, is required to oppose all attempts to weaken the federal drug laws.  He has been totally silent both before and after the election.

Although some back-benchers in the House of Representatives have called for an amendment to the federal law so that it would honor state statutes, no senator has said anything and the leadership of both houses have been mum.

And the President?  He has not mentioned the issue.

It’s been a month.  A month is enough time to formulate some kind of plan.  It’s long enough to develop a policy statement and draft a press release.

The silence is deafening…
…and hopeful.