As has been fairly widely reported now, Andrea Barthwell was once found to have committed lewd and abusive behavior through inappropriate remarks during an office birthday party.
The Illinois GOP is in complete disarray. Ditka is out, Ryan might still be in, Oberweis is looking fairly likely at the moment, and Ted Nugent has been floated (!) so who knows who will be the Senate candidate.
Quite frankly, Barthwell is now unlikely to be chosen as the GOP candidate (too much baggage, too little name recognition and money). But if she was chosen as the GOP candidate, her chances of winning are about equal to winning the lottery. Obama was leading Ryan by a huge margin. He is the bright and shining candidate and is on a huge roll. He has the full backing of the national party, and is running in a state that will go easily for Kerry this year with a state GOP organization that’s just about belly up. Obama has been selected to give the keynote address at the Democratic convention. Failing a major surprise, there’s no way that Barthwell can win.
Therefore, using the harassment issue to undermine her does drug reformers no good, so I’m not going to comment on it here.
What we need to discover is whether there is something we can do to influence the public drug policy views of the Democrats’ rising star. Obama has been allowed to be fairly enigmatic about drug policy reform and that must change.
I’d like to see a public appearance with Obama where somebody could ask a question like: “Your opponent (Barthwell) is in favor of having all students pee in a cup, even if there’s no suspicion of drug use. What’s your view?” This is where having Barthwell as a candidate could actually be an advantage to us.
We have to work toward more public debate on drug policy. Talking about past sexual harassment disciplinary actions in this case won’t help us.
I encourage everyone (and not just here in Illinois) to go to candidate appearances and ask the tough questions about drug policy, such as: “Do you support locking up sick and dying people for using medical marijuana in states that have made it legal?”
- DrugWarRant.com, the longest running single-issue blog devoted to drug policy
Join us on Pete's couch.
Send comments, tips,
and suggestions to: Recent Comments
NorCalNative on Nora Volkow spotlights violent marijuana consumers: “No word from the treating hospital on Trump’s ear injury as far as I know. Trump on his social media…” Jul 24, 11:21
Trump stinks on Nora Volkow spotlights violent marijuana consumers: “It breaks your heart to see the people of Gaza carry on with normal life under the harshest of circumstaances.…” Jul 22, 06:29
Servetus on Nora Volkow spotlights violent marijuana consumers: “What to know about microdosing psychedelics: July 15, 2024 — Taking small doses of psychedelics, referred to as “microdosing,” has…” Jul 20, 16:26
Servetus on Nora Volkow spotlights violent marijuana consumers: “Researchers map the critical network brain areas involved in introspective thinking under the influence of psilocybin: 17-JUL-2024 — In a…” Jul 17, 19:21
Servetus on Nora Volkow spotlights violent marijuana consumers: “A new technology developed at the University of California, Davis, for understanding opioid signaling in the brain, promises to increase…” Jul 15, 22:52
NorCalNative on Nora Volkow spotlights violent marijuana consumers: “I used methadone briefly around 20-years ago as a sub for oral morphine (MS Contin). I discontinued it and went…” Jul 9, 14:01
Servetus on Nora Volkow spotlights violent marijuana consumers: “Acupuncture therapy reduces the methadone maintenance dose and cravings associated with opioid addictions: 8-JUL-2024 — According to the results of…” Jul 8, 20:05
Joseph Chima on Petition for Correction under the ONDCP Information Quality Guidelines: “Hey, Forgive me for being direct, but I am looking to acquire a company like yours. We specialize in buying…” Jul 6, 21:38
Pages
- About
- Articles
- A Day at the Museum
- A story for Thanksgiving (Isidro and Teresa Aviles)
- Andrea Barthwell, caught red-handed
- Andrea Barthwell, Snake Oil Salesman
- Bong Hits 4 Jesus – Supreme Court Case
- DEA Bad Girl Michele Leonhart
- Deep Thoughts About the Drug War
- Drug War Victims
- Drug War Videos
- Drug WarRant Joins SOPA, PIPA Protest
- Hammer Down, Pop Up
- If I were Contrarian-King of the United States
- Increase in Burger Abuse Seen
- Irvin Rosenfeld and the Compassionate IND — Medical Marijuana Proof and Government Lies
- Karen Tandy and the DEA (Can Congress Get a Clue?)
- Len Bias – the death that ushered in two decades of destruction
- Mother and Son
- Patriot Act, Victory Act, Despot Act
- Petition for Correction under the ONDCP Information Quality Guidelines
- Raich v. Ashcroft
- Rand and American Enterprise Institute Studies – Indictments of Federal Drug Policy
- the Drug Czar is Required by Law to Lie
- Treatment Statistics
- Who’s Who in Drug Prohibition
- Why is Marijuana Illegal?
Archives
Authors