CHRIS CHRISTIE WOULD GET MY VOTE

Says he will crack down and not permit legalized marijuana if elected president

When asked on the Hugh Hewitt shoe last April if he were the president would he enforce the federal drug laws against marijuana in Colorado and Washington, he replied “Absolutely. I will crack down and not permit it.”

Christie went on to say:

“Marijuana is a gateway drug. We have an enormous addiction problem in this country. And we need to send very clear leadership from the White House on down through the federal law enforcement. Marijuana is an illegal drug under federal law. And the states should not be permitted to sell it and profit from it.”

On today’s CBS Face the Nation, Christie repeated his pledge that if elected president he will crack down on the states that have legalized marijuana in violation of federal laws.

Christie has also debunked medical marijuana on his radio show, saying "This program [New Jersey’s medical put program] and all these other [state] programs, in my mind, are a front for legalization [of marijuana].” He pointed out that – unlike California and some other states – New Jersey’s program is strictly a medical one with the result that there is little demand for medical pot in his state.

Good for Chris! On that stance alone he would get my vote.

There is just one problem. Christie will not get the Republican nomination. Bedrock Republicans have never forgiven the New Jersey governor for embracing President Obama when the president came to his state to view the damage left by Hurricane Sandy.

Republicans Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush and Rand Paul have pledged not to interfere in those states that have legalized pot for medical or recreational purposes. Furthermore, in a recent Pew Research Center poll, 54 percent of those who identified themselves as Republicans said the federal government should not interfere with states that have legalized marijuana -- Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska.

Again, good for Chris! Shame, shame on those Republicans like Cruz, Bush, Paul and the ones in the Pew poll who oppose enforcement of the federal laws against marijuana in those states that have legalized it.