New White House 'We The People' Petition Portal Launched, With Predictable Results

A few weeks ago, the White House announced plans for its "We The People" project, which would allow ordinary Americans to use an online portal at the White House's website to submit a petition, gather support for it and, if it managed to clear a participation threshold (5,000 signatures within 30 days of submission), would get the attention of "policy experts" who would "issue an official response."

Well, this web portal went live today, and according to American Prospect contributor Nancy Scola, it seems the first petition has already reached that threshold.

And, if you've paid attention to what similar attempts at public engagement have garnered in the recent past, then you are probably prepared to be extremely not-surprised:

Legalize and Regulate Marijuana in a Manner Similar to Alcohol.

We the people want to know when we can have our "perfectly legitimate" discussion on marijuana legalization. Marijuana prohibition has resulted in the arrest of over 20 million Americans since 1965, countless lives ruined and hundreds of billions of tax dollars squandered and yet this policy has still failed to achieve its stated goals of lowering use rates, limiting the drug's access, and creating safer communities.

Isn't it time to legalize and regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol? If not, please explain why you feel that the continued criminalization of cannabis will achieve the results in the future that it has never achieved in the past?

This petition had until October 22nd to gather 5,000 signatures, but it obviously didn't need it.

There are eight other petitions vying for support, so far. Three have over 1,000 signatures: a petition to promote the spaying/neutering of pets (1,160 signatures), a petition to "call an investigation into allegations of prosecutorial misconduct in the case of Sholom Rubashkin" (2,468 signatures, the Daily Caller has background on this matter) and another petition to legalize and regulate marijuana (1,193 signatures), whose authors should have maybe coordinated with the successful petition seeking the same thing.

The rest of the petitions involve "licensing and regulating online poker," a clemency request for Leonard Peltier, a petition to allow the industrial production of hemp (I sense a theme, here), a request to formally acknowledge the existence of extra-terrestrials who are "engaging the human race," and ... yes ... a third petition about marijuana legalization (okay, guys, message received).

I'm sure that petitioners of this projects first successful venture hope that the "policy experts" that issue the response will be more blunted than blunt. But if the response back doesn't meet the satisfaction of the petitioners, let me know and I will submit a petition of my own titled "IN RE: Your Response To The Earlier Petition On Marijuana Legalization: I Mean, Okay. But, Dude, Just Think About It For A Minute, Yo!"

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Comments

[maxwelldog]

03:45 PM on 11/06/2011

JASON....hey, buddy.
Where's the follow up?
There appears to be yet another shake-up of WE the People not getting what WE the People want.
And, seeing as how you fired this baby UP!...
how about some balance?

[dbrett480]

01:46 PM on 10/02/2011

Of course this was bound to happen. The White House was incredibly foolish to even have online petitions as we all know who the only people are that bother to sign them.

[maxwelldog]

03:59 PM on 11/06/2011

that would be the 98 million to 125 million people who used to or still does smoke recreationally once a month, an additional half million on prescription marijuana, any of the 42 million people out of work that have the gumption to man any of near a million jobs from legalization, as well as however many people are concerned over global warming because cannabis is a viable direction to turn for many of the ailments of the earth including :Too much oil expended on roads, the deforestation of the world, the over use of steel instead of lightweight materials to adjust to electric and hybrid automobiles, and, lastly, those of us who want to again take our ingenuity and sheer guts and re-enter a world market that us fast moving past us, as we buy some $300 million a year from China and India and Canada...

Just "those people"...

[maxwelldog]

04:03 PM on 11/06/2011

oh yeah...I forgot to mention this...
It cures cancer.
Imagine that...a CURE for some cancers FOUND IN OUR LIFETIMES!
(UCLA, Harvard, University of Colorado, London St. Mary's College of Medicines and Dentistry)

or, we could also go down in history as the generation that said the horse and buggy will NEVER be replaced, and MAN will NEVER FLY!

[Colleen T]

09:50 AM on 10/02/2011

I created a people petition, a real issue that can reduce cost and really improve lives. It has made the 150 threshold, but the public is unaware of how important Medicaid is and what happens to people if there are cuts and taxpayers costs in the long run.

This is the petition https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions#!/petition/reduce-costs-expanding-medicaid-funding-home-and-community-based-care-people-disabilities-and/pm8k5Mc0

Reduce costs by expanding Medicaid funding for home and community based care for people with disabilities and seniors.

Expand Medicaid funding for community-based care, which is the preferred, less costly and more beneficial service delivery model for meeting the needs of people with disabilities and seniors.

Necessary cuts should be made to wasteful spending on institutional settings instead.

End the funding bias that forces people with disabilities into institutional settings and nursing homes, making them give up their freedom to get the assistance they need to live.

Stop waiting lists for services that threaten lives and leads to negative costly outcomes.

Support people to live, work, and participate in the community rather than in an institution.

The measure of a country's greatness should be based on how well it cares for its most vulnerable populations" ~ Mahatma Gandhi ~

[TheCentristx2]

10:08 AM on 09/25/2011

Okay, I've finally found an article on the Huffington Post that discussed this site and I'm just wanting to promote my own petition that's intent is to address the political manipulation problem in the United States and how President Obama ought to propose an amendment or executive order to limiting the U.S. Congress term limits. If you would like to check out the petition I've created: http://wh.gov/gXa Share with your friends, family, or fan base if you have any.

Please, I'll sign yours if its intelligently sound, realistic, and purposeful.

[maxwelldog]

04:06 PM on 11/06/2011

latest and Greatest...
(not really)

President Obama has offered up an excuse and is now officially standing against WE the People ideas and solutions on the petitions.
Sad...
but true.

[Michael Knieser]

08:14 AM on 09/25/2011

Turns out you need 150 votes for your petition before it is posted on the web site for anyone to view. I have create 2 petitions to help spur small business growth. Please consider these...

http://wh.gov/gf1
http://wh.gov/gwS

[TheCentristx2]

10:10 AM on 09/25/2011

I'm sorry bro but your petition isn't going to work due to what you're saying doesn't make any sense and it's basically tax reform; it'll be best if you don't use jargon in your petition to grabs people attention. I can't sign this because I don't understand what you're saying, if you want tax reform and want your detailed ideas heard contact your Representative.

[ismahaniman]

05:51 PM on 09/24/2011

Hi everyone may I ask that you guys please help me spread this and get 5,000 signatures within a week? We can do it! Please help me stop this Hidden Genocide in the Ogaden region. I don't know if you guys have heard of it but it is located in Eastern Ethiopia. The Prime Minister of Ethiopia is Using America's Aid Money along with others as a Weapon of War like BBC Newsnight, TBIJ, and Channel 4 News have reported. Vice President Joe Biden and other senators has expressed their concern to the Secretary of State back in 2007 and now in 2011 in a letter. I don't know why they are ignoring this. Please help me reach this and let's see if they ignored this again. My family back home doesn't have the opportunity and freedom that I have found in the United States. I have nightmares at night and I am always thinking about this and stressing about it. I can't focus in School, Work, etc. I want Obama to hold this guy accountable and monitor him if he can or else just cut off all Aid if it's not reaching the right people. There are poor people in America that could use that Money instead of giving it to the rich in a poor country. Please take a Minute to Sign this Petition: https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions#!/petition/please-hold-ethiopia-accountable-using-americas-aid-money-weapon-war-and-stop-genocide-ogaden/zk841Ps5 . Thank You.

[maxwelldog]

04:08 PM on 11/06/2011

doesn't matter.
The Commander in Chief, our Man in the White House, the Finger on the Button dude...
has decided that WE the People CANNOT have what we want.

Sorry.
Late news flash...
in my defense, I have to walk...

[Jeff OToole]

04:53 PM on 09/24/2011

Sign petition to make Bribing Politicians Illegal at http://wh.gov/gse. Without progress on this issue, Im not sure anything else matters anyway.

[dgmeansit]

05:06 PM on 09/24/2011

Excellent Jeff!

I just signed this because I too believe that it is terribly wrong for the rich and powerful to be able to buy votes!

[Jeff OToole]

11:47 PM on 09/24/2011

Thank you for signing! Please pass along!

[TheCentristx2]

10:13 AM on 09/25/2011

I'm afraid that I cannot sign this because technically it's their every right to accept money and their responsibility; it's also a protected right but if you want change in our politicians support my petition which is more realistic and could be implemented easier without too much of a ideological lean, http://wh.gov/gXa

[dgmeansit]

04:15 PM on 09/24/2011

If the results were predictable, it is only because there are now millions of us who are beginning to understand just how much harm has been done to this country because of marijuana prohibition. It also shows the determination by those of us who care about all the lives that have been ruined because of it. This idiocy has gone on for more than 70 years. How much longer will our elected officials allow this stupidity to continue? People need to finally realize that marijuana prohibition is really all about 2 things: Greed and Predjudice

[Dan311]

02:24 AM on 09/24/2011

Mr. Linkins,

I'll do my best to keep the 'stoner lingo,' to a minimum as I can see that even you can't avoid the stereotypical dig/pun typical of the media who usually cover Marijuana reform efforts with all the maturity of a thirteen year old boy snapping a girl's bra.

Having said that, however, regarding the issue of the multiple petitions the first one that reached the 5k threshold, was started by NORML. (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.)

http://www.norml.org/

One of the others, the one regarding State's Rights to determine their own MJ policies without federal interference in particular, was started by LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition).

http://www.leap.cc/

I assume you're familiar with that organization as one its most prominent members, Norm Stamper, is a regular contributor to HP's blogs and currently has one up.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/norm-stamper/police-militarization_b_962746.html?ir=Politics

I usually enjoy your pieces, as no one does politically flavored snark as well as you do. I can only hope that the next time you cover the issue, that you do so keeping in mind the Cancer patients that risk arrest to get some relief, or the over 750 thousand people (mostly of color) arrested for simple possession arrested in 2010.

This country's marijuana policies are the embodiment of stupidity, hypocrisy and wasted effort and resources in the face of a glaring body of evidence.

[maxwelldog]

08:31 PM on 09/23/2011

the petition as it sits says they have only 463 signatures.

something is amiss, here.

Please don't tell me that this author is attempting to dissuade people from signing via apathy...
Go and sign the danged thing.
Don't wait, don't think, go and sign.
THEN find others to sign it.
MANY others.

[maxwelldog]

08:21 PM on 09/23/2011

so....we should go sign the petition now anyway, I think.
There are roughly some 98 million people who have or do smoke once a month...might as well let them know we're tired of losing money to pay for oppression.

[herbertpop]

07:15 PM on 09/23/2011

I think this petition thing is a great idea whose time has returned. I'm going to petition for magnetic levitation across the nation.

[Tomaniac]

07:12 PM on 09/23/2011

The Federal government needs to honestly address the "War on Marijuana" and quit telling LIES about the dangers of this drug or that it has no medicinal qualities. Just this past week, it has been reported that Cannabis is affective in the treatment of Crohns disease and if administered within 24 hours of a traumatic event in rats, it is proven to prevent PTSD symptoms.

Many soldiers returning from duty that have experienced severe trauma have indicated that cannabis is the only effective treatment for their PTSD symptoms, but the Fed's don't listen.

I am retired and signed the petition because I want the "War on Marijuana" to end, hopefully before I do.

Obama drinks beer and smoked cigarettes and both are way more harmful than cannabis, so he needs to pony up and take this matter seriously because the Fed's war on drugs is ruining the lives of decent citizens, creates an environment for corruption within the DEA and local law enforcement, makes drug cartels rich and murderous protecting their turf and puts good citizens at risk trying to obtain this very affective medicine while costing taxpayers billions in a never ending battle against everyones personal right and freedom to consume a non-toxic mind altering substance thats safer than tobacco, alcohol, and most prescription drugs.

[gvmtCheese]

06:54 PM on 09/23/2011

Overnight the petition climbed to over 17,500 signatures. The site has been active for close to 100,000 seconds. Yesterday the signature rate was holding strong at a new petitioner ever 5 seconds, and even over night that has only dropped to a new petitioner every 7 seconds.

Currently we sit at just under 20,000 signatures, with the site being live for less than 120,000 seconds. That means we’re back to a new person signing every 6 seconds. Impressive, no?

I’m going to be keeping track of the speed and progress, check it out! http://vrsry.com/maryjane

[TheCentristx2]

10:15 AM on 09/25/2011

I think it's an automatic bot, bro, because there's no possible way to register that quick when having to verify your email address on top of it. Anyway, sign my petition it's reasonable, logical, and most likely going to get done when the Administration knows its in demand: http://wh.gov/gXa

[SLEEPING SLEUTH]

06:43 PM on 09/23/2011

its like the people who write these articles don't even read the comments of the people that read them. there all just like oh so many people liked my article i must have good opinions. yeah it has nothing to do with the fact that your mentioning marijuana law reform major news. because you stereotypical prohibitionist with your stereotypical stereotypes of pot smokers being lazy imature, and think our arguments of legalization aren't important really need to grow a brain.