This should bring a lot of credibility to one part of the ludicrous and damaging War On Drugs. One more small step for real Republicans taking back the party from authoritarians, neocons, religious fanatics and other pseudo-Republicans who stole it away.
Bob Barr, who as a Georgia congressman authored a successful amendment that blocked D.C. from implementing a medical marijuana initiative, has switched sides and become a lobbyist for the Marijuana Policy Project.
But that doesn’t mean he has become a bong-ripping hippie. He isn’t pro-drug, he said, just against government intrusion.
“I, over the years, have taken a very strong stand on drug issues, but in light of the tremendous growth of government power since 9/11, it has forced me and other conservatives to go back and take a renewed look at how big and powerful we want the government to be in people’s lives,” Barr said.
Aaron Houston, the project’s government relations director, said Barr brings a “great deal of credibility, particularly among people on the Republican side of the aisle.”
Sign in local whorehouse.
Pay me the money and I’ll do ANYTHING you say.
Works lottsa other places also!!
One small step, indeed.
Wrong pic [fixed], but good news.
Hopefully Barr can make some headway on stop the war on drugs. I sick of paying $100 for 1/4 oz. of kind.
Gaaah! “Lobbyest”? As in “He’s the lobbyest guy I know!”
Yeah, yeah — it may seem pedantic. But if even the blog of a cranky geek lets its standards slip, then these are sad times for literacy.
At least it wasn’t Dvorak himself. It was “Uncle Dave.” Whomever that is.
Current article title:
“Former Congressman Bob Barr (R-GA) New Pot Lobbyest”
Should be:
“Former Congressman Bob Barr (R-GA) New Pot Lobbyist”
Whomever is me. I rushed this out yesterday with the wrong photo and a misspelled title, then somehow the post got set to Private and didn’t show until I just changed it. Cripes! Shouldn’t be posting things after my Diet Pepsi fix has worn off!
1 – You nailed it. Although, with some signs the Democrats may have a werious run at the White House soon, it could be corporate interest water carriers like Barr really just want to reduce the probability of executive-led reforms.
I hope you’re right, though, Uncle Dave. It would be wonderful if honest conservatives took back the Republicrat party from the corruptos and revolutionaries who subverted it.
But that doesn’t mean he has become a bong-ripping hippie. He isn’t pro-drug, he said, just against government intrusion.
The government cannot ‘legalize’ anything, all it can do is make it illegal or leave it alone.
Thomas Szasz
J/P=?
Bob Barr takes being a maverick to whole new level. He’s a former U.S. Attorney (appointed by Reagan), and I first remember seeing him when he was arguing the case in favor of Clinton’s impeachment. He’s also on the national board of the NRA. Don’t label him too quickly as any sort of staunch Republican, though, because he has huge disagreements with the Patriot Act and its infringements on privacy.
Barr especially caught my attention when he was scheduled to introduce Al Gore when Gore was making a speech against certain provisions of the Patriot Act (covered on C-Span). Barr’s satellite feed failed, and Gore went onstage without benefit of that introduction. But after seeing Barr’s strong stance in favor of personal liberty, I’m not terribly surprised to see him lobbying for relaxation of drug laws involving marijuana.
In the 2004 election, Bob Barr even endorsed the Libertarian Party’s nominee for President rather than support George W. Bush.
#8– But after seeing Barr’s strong stance in favor of personal liberty, I’m not terribly surprised to see him lobbying for relaxation of drug laws involving marijuana.
Anyone who reads Bob Barr on a regular basis will not be much surprised by his current stance. You got the big picture. He’s always worth a read.
8, 9 – Thanks – I guess I judged him too soon. Genuine, consistent constitutional conservatives merit respect. He just pissed me off, being such a visible part of the Republicrat harrassment project against Clinton and blocking medical marijuana in DC. Wait – I said “consistent.” Where’s the consistent position there?
TJGeezer, you do raise an interesting question about consistency. When is someone executing that most despised of all political maneuvers, the “flip-flop,” and when is he/she actually evolving to show greater wisdom and experience?
It seems like medical marijuana lobbying must be one of the lower-paying gigs in Washington, so he may not be just another LobbyWhore, and I certainly don’t fault him for evolving away from the hard-line Republican support for the Patriot Act. If this were a money issue, I think he could make a larger bundle staying in lockstep with his Republican former comrades and heritage.
Of course, I’m aware of my own inclination to label those who agree with me as being “genuine,” but in this case it could actually be true. Here’s hoping so, anyway.
Actually, I like politicians who are a bundle of contradictions. It is the consistent phonies that I fear most. 😉
The Republican harassment project against Clinton? He was on board with impeachment before anyone knew of Monica Lewinsky. It was the other Republicans who waited till Ken Starr had some tapes to make a weaker case instead of the strong abuse of power case that Barr was pushing.
Indeed, considering that Barr wanted to investigate Clinton for abuse of power, you can only imagine what he thinks of our current state of affairs. He’s the chairman of the “Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances” organization, and he also advises the ACLU.
He’s more Libertarian than Republican these days.
#14…Gary Marks…..An old line Constitutional Conservative usually is a healthy mix of Conservative and Libertarian. The present band of usurpers running the Republican Party are neither Conservative nor Libertarian…..they are nothing more than right wing power whores.
I still call myself names for falling for the Bush bullshit of being a Conservative(granted, I was 18 in 2000, but just stupid in 2004). You can be sure it will never happen again.
He changed his stance like the tide. How long before he joins the other side? He went the Libertarian route after he was ousted out of congress. I guess if you can’t beat them might as well join them.
Joshua, the decision to take the red pill is irrevocable, my friend. Sometimes I wish I had chosen the blue pill instead. Oh, how I miss those simpler times…
Seriously, though, you could still go on to be a lawyer who does something really good, instead of screwing everything up even worse.
You should never use the word lawyer and good in the same sentence.