Pubdate: Tue, 23 Oct 2012
Source: Messenger, The (IA)
Copyright: 2012 Ogden Newspapers Inc
Contact:  http://www.messengernews.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4710

THEY'RE NOT VERY CONSISTENT

Attorney General Eric Holder is being urged by some of the nation's 
top law enforcement officials to speak out against ballot initiatives 
to legalize marijuana in Colorado, Oregon and Washington.

Holder should discuss the dangers of legalizing marijuana, said Peter 
Bensinger, former head of the Drug Enforcement Administration. He 
joined others in the law enforcement community, including some former 
directors of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

No way, reacted the Justice Department. Spokeswoman Allison Price 
said Holder will not "speculate" on the ballot initiatives.

Obviously, Holder and his boss, President Barack Obama, hope that 
will be taken as a declaration of federal neutrality concerning 
states' affairs.

But it will be recalled both Holder and Obama have been publicly 
critical of other state initiatives, including some that were 
attempts to curb illegal immigration.

Clearly, Holder and Obama have no problem condemning state actions 
with which they disagree. Their refusal to speak out on the marijuana 
issue, then, speaks volumes about how they feel concerning 
legalization at the state level, regardless of the fact marijuana 
remains banned by federal law.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom