Dope - Turning wowsers into idiots

The ACT Party has always had a lenient approach to drug and drug crime. Members of ACT on Campus used to regularly attend J-Day around the country and our very liberal ex leader always gave the same answer when asked by students whether or not he believed in tougher crimes on weed smokers. Indeed when it came to drug policy, ACT under the leadership of Rodney had a credible policy. It was one policy that many of the Greens and Libertarians could relate with ACT on.

Brash announced over the weekend that he too is uncomfortable with our drug laws and it was picked up with much mirth by the assembled repeaters and spread around the news desks by breathlessly excited media folk who needed an excuse to shit on ACT again.
The difference is that with Brash, nobody is really sure exactly how much he subscribes to ACT philosophy considering he was a hairs width away from being the National Party PM. Worse still, the man given the role to run for Epsom, well known conservative John Banks – is completely against the idea of softening laws on weed smoking. Of course he is, he was Mr Law and Order when he was the NATIONAL minister for the Police! John Key has gone along the loony path by suggesting that if it became legal kids will all smoke it before going to school – so we shouldn’t be surprised why the Nats are light years away from being a real political movement for personal responsibility and free choice.

The response from the conservatives and nanny statists were of course predictable. Their spluttering disgust over the idea that a person shouldn’t be allowed to enjoy a puff in their own private residence must have ruined their Friday night at the pub. People are happy to pour litres of DB or Lion owned fermented water into their bodies and then ignore the news stories of NZs shameful statistics on drunk driving and alcohol related domestic abuse – all because of ill informed attitudes of exactly what marijuana actually does. Nobody died from smoking weed no matter how often you’ll hear horror stories from preachy do-gooders. They say it leads to harder drugs – MPs have made that decision for you already. They banned party pills – leading to dangerous sub-varieties of pills becoming available. They gave criminal gangs free reign over the control and distribution of drugs so that whenever you want to have a puff, you’re directly funding criminal activity.

How many of these wowsers have tried marijuana? What about the journos who have used the speech to pound ACT into the ground again? I bet many have skeletons in their closet that would be worth sharing. This blog is offshore so I’ll publish any emailed to me.

Dr Don needs to pull his incoming caucus and candidates into line over this. This is what defines ACT from all the other parties. Free will is not a dirty word. John Banks needs to remember that the meal ticket that he is standing on is a liberal party and it comes with responsibility. The ACT President needs to be reminded that he is the President of the ACT Party not National. His comments opposing the comments by Brash were extremely unhelpful and put him in the Tory camp of a Liberal Party.

So what now for Brash and the last remaining liberals in ACTs “electable” list for the election? Who knows? The media seem intent on wanting ACT to stop existing, the candidates are dropping like flies and as far as I know, there doesn’t seem to be any urgency from anybody about what to do next. Brash needs to stamp his authority and do it quickly – muzzle Banks and rally the membership or indeed the party will be goneburgers in November.

PS – I said it all along that John Banks was of the biggest mistakes ACT has ever made. His pure hatred for everything ACT stands for is already killing the brand. He should have never been allowed to stand for ACT, most certainly not for Epsom. I fear that if he does win Epsom, it won’t be for ACT. It will be for Banks. If ACT is dependent on Banks then the ACT Party as we know it is dead.