The beginning of the end of the War on Weed

Attorney General Eric Holder signaled a change on medical marijuana policy Wednesday, saying federal agents will target marijuana distributors only when they violate both federal and state law.

That would be a departure from the Bush administration, which targeted medical marijuana dispensaries in California even if they complied with that state's law.

So reports the Associated Press.

The Libertarian in me approves of this action as a step in the right direction. We spend millions pursuing, prosecuting and jailing people who are harmless to all but themselves. Marijuana is a huge part of the problem with the drug cartels in Mexico and the associated violence that is becoming more and more common in our own cities. As I've stated before, legalized, controlled and taxed, pot could become part of the solution instead of being such a big chunk of the problem.

However, even while I see this as a step in the right direction, I still condemn the administration for their approach. It is clear that Obama does not see marijuana as a threat to society - he fairly brags about how much of it he has inhaled in his life. Why, then, does he not have the guts to just be straightforward about it and open the debate over legalization and regulation, rather than chipping away, bit by bit, at existing laws? Why must every act be sneaky and deceptive? Why can't we, just once, have an open and honest debate on the merits of an issue, instead of having those in power tweak the rules behind our backs?

It reflects a fundamental problem with this administration - an obvious belief on their part that what they do will not stand up to scrutiny. They know that their plans and proposals will not be embraced by the American people if they are presented in a straightforward manner. Every project must be presented deceptively, vaguely...giving only those bits of information that will not be too objectionable or noticeable, or cause too much public outrage. By the time most of the folks figure out what they're doing, it's too late, it's already been done. We have a team of weasels in the White House. We'd better not take our eyes off the hen house.