Chuck Schumer Blows Off Drug War Questions

CHARLOTTE - When asked if he thought President Obama would change course on the drug war during his second term, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York) declined to comment.

"I'm not gonna comment on that. I don't know the details that you're talking about," Schumer said in the concourse of the Time Warner Cable Arena.

What about the drug war? Do Democrats care about it?

"I am not gonna answer that," he said, putting his hand near my face, waving me off.

Comments

[Overt]

Crickey. Is the war on drugs the only fucking thing reason cares about? I get it. It is a terrible policy. It causes lots of harm. But asking politicians to give a fuck when pretty much no other voters do is stupid.

How about challenging these guys on the actual policies they've made the center of their platform? You know, the healthcare and the taxes and the ouch ouch IRS man (mglavin)

[Killazontherun]

How about challenging these guys on the actual policies they've made the center of their platform?

They and their media stooges set the terms and the subject for political debate, and those of us who think otherwise should be admonished for stepping out of line?

I wont assume where you are from, but does the national anthem go something like this -- 'Obey. Obey. Obey Your Masters!'?

[General Butt Naked]

Fuck man, don't waste yer time, killa.

He's just another republican that has figured out that deficits do matter. And, just like the democrats in '08 that figured out that civil rights do matter the lesson will be lost on it when his boyz are back in power.

[Overt]

Please. It isn't a conspiracy.

Ask the average voter out there what they care about. I guarantee you it isn't the War on Drugs. And by the way, I am a huge critic of the FDA and War on Drugs.

90% of the voters care about the economy. Politicians aren't going to do shit about the WoD because the voters like it that way. So it should be totally unremarkable that the Politicians aren't going to make changes. And yet author after author thinks there is something interesting about re-hashing this same fact over and over again.

[General Butt Naked]

You're right. I often think, in moments of retardation, that the NRA should focus on economic issues because in a recession no one cares about the 2nd amendment.

[Overt]

What a terrible analogy.

I often think in times of reality that the NRA is a Gun Rights organization. I would not expect them to focus on anything else.

Reason, on the other hand, is a libertarian rag. And last I checked, there is more to debate in libertarian politics than Drug Legalization.

[General Butt Naked]

Also, you're not very good at reading. Don't forget that.

[johnl]

Because millions of people sent through the criminal justice wringer is a bigger deal than a 5% difference in top marginal rate.

[General Butt Naked]

Not to mention the encroachment on civil liberties that fighting the drug war has justified.

I guess some people think that militarized police departments and asset forfeitures occur in a vacuum.

[Drax the Destroyer]

I'm still pissed about that girl WHO WAS LIT ON FIRE AND SHOT BY COPS WHO WERE AT THE WRONG HOUSE LOOKING FOR DRUGS. That alone deserves Death Wish Style Revengeance.

[johnl]

I think you are misremembering an event where the cops were at the right house looking for a murder suspect. Still no reason to throw a grenade into a room with a kid in it, or to euthanize her.

[Zeb]

You may notice many articles and posts on Reason that are on subjects besides the drug war. It isn't too hard.

[RedDragon6009]

90% of the voters care about the economy.

And if you took the time to read the articles on this site you'd see that concern reflected here.

[DaveSs]

And you would see that the drug war has a detrimental effect on the economy that 90% of Americans allegedly* care about.

* If they truly cared, then Obamney wouldn't have a chance.

[General Butt Naked]

Jesus, you're a dumb bastard. I am tempted to say the dumbest bastard, but the competition is fierce and I have a feeling you don't do so well with fierce competition.

[mad libertarian guy]

Is pale native factored in your calculus here?

[General Butt Naked]

I'm thinkin' that overt is our alabaster indigenity*.

* $6 word, booyah

[General Butt Naked]

This statement:

But asking politicians to give a fuck when pretty much no other voters do is stupid.

says all that anyone needs to know about you. Your idiocy is only surpassed by your cowardice.

[Overt]

There have been a half dozen articles about the WoD. They all say the same fucking thing: Democrats aren't going to mess with the WoD.

Don't get me wrong- I hate the War on Drugs. It sucks. It is a travesty.

But while Reason was taking the GOP to task during the RNC because they didn't do ENOUGH to fight medicare, the DNC commentary has been taken over by pot heads. Why? Did medicare suddenly become solvent between the conventions? Is the DNC somehow more laudable in their strategy for medicare? Of course not.

[Overt]

This all goes back to the fact that Reason always has to define itself as "Not the other Parties". So they spend all their time calling the other parties hypocrites rather than asking relevant shit.

People care about the economy. They care about the deficit. And for one, shining, glorious moment in the last 20 years, they are at least a tiny bit interested in what people may possibly do to reign in entitlement spending. But does Reason spend time exploiting this opportunity? No.

[mad libertarian guy]

Because reason NEVER comments on the economy or the deficit.

There haven't been 20 or so entires on those topics this week alone or anything.

[Overt]

I didn't say they NEVER do, so please stop fighting strawmen. I merely said that I've heard enough tonight of a completely tangential subject that has very little meaning over the next 2 months.

5 of the last 12 blog posts are about criticizing the Dems on the WoD. My point is that this is a misplacement of priorities.

[General Butt Naked]

Buit does Reason spend time exploiting this opportunity? No.

Not a strawman asshole. Fuck, you're dumb.

You a sockpuppet?

[General Butt Naked]

But does Reason spend time exploiting this opportunity? No.

If you can't read then blame a public school teacher, not Reason.

[califernian]

the DNC commentary has been taken over by pot heads.

I'm pretty sure you are pretending to hate the war on drugs to get fake cred here.

[Overt]

Believe what you will. I have never liked the WoD. I have long followed and condemned the police state that has developed around it. I hate no knock raids that kill old ladies and peoples' dogs just so some DA can recover the evidence necessary to convict some guy who gives people what they want.

I just think that there are only so many times a Reason blogger can ask a Dem (or Pub) apparatchik their position on the WoD before it gets boring.

[Overt]

Of course, I also hate do nothing, complaining pot heads...so, that may color my bias a bit.

[General Butt Naked]

You're also not very smart, so there is that as well.

[Jordan]

You don't have to be a pothead to vigorously oppose the government program that has done more to destroy civil liberties in this country since Jim Crow, you fucking asshole. I have never done drugs in my life. Do you honestly think that Medicare is a bigger threat to a person's life, liberty, and property than the War on Drugs? Are you that fucking stupid?

[RedDragon6009]

I just think that there are only so many times a Reason blogger can ask a Dem (or Pub) apparatchik their position on the WoD before it gets boring.

Of Course! If we can't get accountability out of our government we should just give up the fight because it's boring the fuck out of you. Good point jack ass.

[RedDragon6009]

Crickey. Is the war on drugs the only fucking thing reason cares about?

How about challenging these guys on the actual policies they've made the center of their platform? You know, the healthcare and the taxes and the ouch ouch IRS man

You obviously don't read H+R much. Why don't you head back over to the Drudge Report where you belong.

[xenia onatopp]

Hey, give the man a break. Chuck's way too busy fighting the twin scourges of fake drugs and caffeinated malt beverages to keep track of all of the other fronts in the larger war on adults enjoying themselves.

[Archduke PantsFan]

Well, I can tell by the empty bottle of Courvoisier that it is time to say goodnight. So, uh, look out, ladies, 'cause here comes Leon Phelps, The Ladies Man!

[General Butt Naked]

That kind of comment is why you're an Archduke and we all are mere pissants.

[CuriousGeorge]

There's a lot of troll feeding in this thread.

[SugarFree]

Don't worry. All the feeders have been given an elaborate rationalization for their vile habits by Randian.

[Randian]

I resemble that remark.

[Bee Tagger]

"I am not gonna answer that," he said, putting his hand near my face, waving me off.

I wonder what would happen if you (loudly enough), while turning to walk away, say to yourself "obama is going to hate that response" while smiling and chuckling to yourself like you just got yourself a Drudge-ian story. See if he takes the bait since he probably is very aware that he had no idea what he's supposed to say on that issue but he certainly doesn't want to be taken to task by Obama.

[Eduard van Haalen]

"So you disagree with Obama's call for a national dialogue on drugs?"

[Sanjuro Tsubaki]

Schumer is an asshole. Nothing more, nothing less.

[ant1sthenes]

That headline had four words too many.