https://twitter.com/mattyglesias/status/392726776914640896
Bernstein feels that there is “now a very good chance that a fair number of ambitious Democratic politicians are going to sign up for full legalization as a way to differentiate themselves in Democratic primaries”:
Matt Yglesias suggests that Hillary Clinton will be among them. I think that’s perhaps premature, but maybe not. The way this probably will unfold is that a fair number of candidates will take a legalization position, and some may even try to run hard on it, in 2014 elections and especially Democratic primaries. If it’s perceived to be successful, then expect Clinton’s competitors for 2016 to flirt with or perhaps even embrace the position. Only after that — or at least, only after it’s clear that it will happen — would I expect Clinton to go along. As a strong front-runner (and assuming she’s running), expect Clinton to avoid positions that she perceives as dangerous in a general election, but also expect her to match Democrats who embrace issues that could divide the party.
On the Hillary Clinton question, I just want what Matt’s smoking. Clinton is such a cautious, establishment figure I doubt she’d ever be able to back such a clear stance. But newly minted senator Cory Booker has already said he wants to work with Rand Paul on drug reform. Steinglass sees the liberaltarian “relationship between Mr Booker and Mr Paul [as] a template for how the legalisation movement is likely to play out at the level of partisan politics”:
Mr Booker has endorsed medical marijuana and ultimately wants to “go beyond that” to decriminalise marijuana use entirely. As a Republican, Mr Paul has had to tread a much more careful line; he has said he opposes legalising marijuana, even for medical use, but wants to eliminate prison terms for users, and to leave other questions up to the states. The bill he introduced in March, along with Pat Leahy, the Democratic senator from Vermont, is pretty modest. It would give courts a “safety valve” to waive federal minimum sentences for non-violent offenders in cases where the punishment would be unreasonable.
Due to the residual strength of anti-drug sentiments in the GOP, it may be difficult for Mr Paul to go much further than that. Mr Booker, meanwhile, just won an election on a platform of legalisation. Given the partisan divide among voters, and the potential to exploit legalisation as a wedge issue dividing Republican libertarians from traditional conservatives, Democrats are likely to make this issue a battleground over the next few years.
The Dish 