Herbania

This was in HuffPo today, didn't see any other stories about it here. Sen. Jim Webb stated he's open to legalization, that is pretty heavy news to a US senator. I like Jim Webb, I'm glad he seems to be open about this.

Jim Webb: Pot Legalization Could Be Part Of Criminal Justice Overhaul

__________________
Fighting fire with empty words While the banks get fat
And the poor stay poor And the rich get rich
And the cops get paid To look away
As the one percent rules America
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MestUp7

Looks like Arlen Specter is behind this bill as well. That's good news for us Pennsylvanians. Maybe weed could be legalized here after all.

Yana Usdi

Webb has been one of the better ones for a while now. I first noticed him when running for the office, he was talking about wealth disparities and corporate greed long before the market crashed and was on the right side of that one before it became "cool". When he added drug war issues to that it was a nice bonus. He seems to be one of the few in DC who think that results matter too, if it doesn't actually work maybe it wasn't a good idea.

Now we just need several hundred more like him

LowRider

Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)--- all i can say is WOW, and i live in SC. But seriously do we need an 18 month study? stupid gov. Someone always wants the credit i guess. it like there inventing the new car or something. Guess it will be a waiting game now.

EDIT: Wounder how seriously they'll think about it.

nightwitch

Sen. Jim Webb, fresh off his passage of an historic expansion of the GI Bill, has found a new issue: the criminal justice system. And when Webb, a Virginia Democrat, sets his legislative sites on a priority, his colleagues pay attention.

On Thursday, Webb, along with the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), introduced a bill to create a commission that would undertake an 18-month study of the criminal justice system and come back with legislative recommendations.

In an interview with the Huffington Post, Webb said that everything should be considered. And he means everything.

"I think everything should be on the table, and we specifically say that we want recommendations on how to deal with drug policy in our country. And we'll get it to the people who have the credibility and the expertise and see what they come up with," said Webb.

What about legalizing, taxing and regulating marijuana?

Webb paused. "I think they should do a very careful examination of all aspects of drug policy. I've done a couple of very extensive hearings on this, so we'll wait to see what they say about that," he said.

So it's on the table? Webb flashed a wry grin, laughing mischievously.

The last government study group to look at drug policy, the 1972 Shafer Commission, recommended that President Richard Nixon decriminalize marijuana. He didn't.

This commission will have a broader mandate, said Webb. He expects a "pretty broad range of legislative priorities to come out of it not just incarceration but the entire panorama of criminal justice."

Webb's bill, he said, is backed by Judiciary Committee chairman Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) as well as Majority Whip Dick Durbin and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) -- the chairman and ranking Republican of the Crime and Drugs Subcommittee. It has a powerful list of cosponsors, including the top four Democrats, Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.), Durbin, Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.).

Herbania

The 18 month study will be to overhaul the federal justice system, not just federal marijuana law.

LowRider

You obviously didn't understand me when i said that. let me explain it since i left it open for interpretation. What i meant was if they have to take 18 months to see what's wrong, they have major problems if the don't know whats wrong already. i can see them taking several months maybe a yr but almost two years is a stretch

Indiego

I see this as huge news. This is THE action that needs to be taken for marijuana to be legalized, and with all the public coverage and growing support that has been happening, it's looking good for us.

I'm very glad to see Patrick Leahy, a senator from my state and the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, on board this bill, as he has indicated to me through correspondence that he is against the legalization of marijuana... Maybe this will sway him!

Ianfagerstrom

Let's just hope they take the recommendations seriously. This won't be ignored for much longer.

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Peace, why not?

LowRider

hope your right