Barney Frank, George Will Debate Pot Legalization (VIDEO)

Barney Frank got into a heated discussion with George Will over marijuana legalization on ABC's 'This Week with Christiane Amanpour'.

"If someone wants to smoke marijuana who's an adult, why do you want to make them go to jail?" Frank asked.

"I need to know more about whether it's a gateway drug to other drugs, I need to know how you're going to regulate it," Will answered.

"Anything is a gateway to anything," the congressman said, calling the conservative columnist's remark "a slippery slope argument."

"What you're calling a cop out, I'm calling a quest for information," Will said.

"How long is it going to last?" Frank shot back.

George Will is one of many journalists or writers to be chewed out by Frank. See how others remember the experience below.

Comments

[fredpa]

01:10 PM on 12/26/2011

Needs more study? We've been inundated with weed since 1964.

[Grumpy Old Dude]

05:56 PM on 12/20/2011

I can't describe how good it made me feel watching George Will get smacked down by a true intellectual great! I will miss Barney Frank!

[Boinko]

03:38 PM on 12/20/2011

Paul Ryan's discomfort was priceless to watch. Mr. small government was terrified at having to weigh in on a social issue that involved the government playing the role of nanny, which guys like him supposedly loathe. His desperate attempt to change the subject was hilarious.

Or maybe his Ayn Rand worldview endows intellectual superiors like himself the responsibility to control the behavior of us hapless, resource sucking minions? If so, it certainly wasn't something he was willing to talk about. Such a coward.

And I wonder when George Will will get back to us about his extensive "marijuana as a gateway drug" research. I await with bated breath.

And if the gateway drug argument is to stand up, shouldn't we also be banning alcohol. I would contend there's very, very few hard drug users that didn't try booze first.

[Grumpy Old Dude]

05:54 PM on 12/20/2011

Actually it's white bread that is the gateway! I think you will find that most drug abusers of any kind, started out life eating white bread! Just as Rep. Frank said; "anything can be a gateway."

[Billyguitar]

02:45 PM on 12/20/2011

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[Small Axe]

02:38 PM on 12/20/2011

Barney Frank is Awesome.

[D35242]

02:25 PM on 12/20/2011

Can't you just go away Frankie? Sheez we're tired of listening to you and seeing you.

[chrisg79]

04:20 PM on 12/20/2011

Disagree with the message or just the messenger?

[dang47]

02:15 PM on 12/28/2011

you're and IDOIT!

[HatakeSC]

01:43 PM on 12/20/2011

Makes me wish that I had watched the rest of that program - that was a smackdown.

[ALittleClarity]

09:09 PM on 12/29/2011

The fact is Will put Frank in his place. This short snippet twists the real session they had, plus Barney didn't really provide any serious argument for the consequences. Of course Huffpo wants the lib to win so they shortcircuited the debate.

[jimme]

01:32 PM on 12/20/2011

The fright-wing Party only wants smaller Government so that they can tell you how to live and what to do.

[HatakeSC]

01:48 PM on 12/20/2011

A smaller government can conveniently fit in your pocket or backpack so it can follow you around and make judgements on ERRYTHANG that you do. Take a smaller government for a spin today!

[D35242]

02:28 PM on 12/20/2011

That makes no logical sense. Of course I wouldn't expect it from a Liberal. If Government is smaller, it would logically be less capable of controlling our lives. You fools want big government that is certain to do so. Government and Freedom are oppositely empowered. This is a fact.

[Owen ONeill]

03:13 PM on 12/20/2011

A fact from where? Theory and rhetoric?

[Owen ONeill]

03:16 PM on 12/20/2011

What I mean is that the Federal Govt is empowered through our Constitution to uphold and protect our freedoms - this seems to me to suggest that our government is empowered through our freedom. It is not in the US govts best interests to limit our freedoms, considering that is what makes us so prosperous. The limiting of our freedoms is not because of government, but because of bad government and politician's personal vendettas or self-interest. Government doesn't take away your freedom, stupid people running government take away your freedom.

[jimme]

01:23 PM on 12/20/2011

The only gateway that mj opens is the one to private for-profit detention centers. Quite the lucrative business.

[Clevelandinwi]

12:36 PM on 12/20/2011

will and ryan really looked ridiculous.

[rltballer]

11:57 AM on 12/20/2011

to me it is already legal. I ignore their rules and laws. I grow my own in southern TN in the spring/summer, harvest, have enough for a year. They will never find it, take that to the bank.

[madisgp]

02:26 PM on 12/20/2011

Here in CA it already is legal. Anyone can get a Dr's recomendation and then you can use cannabis for medical reasons.

[Bud111]

09:30 AM on 12/20/2011

I was glad that Barney Frank put George Will in his place when it came to George's hypocrisy concerning Pot; however, when he defended the use of Drones, Barney Frank proved to be just another warmonger like Bush and Obama!

[seawillow]

09:00 AM on 12/20/2011

Evangelical anti-pot people are irritating. As are practically all evangelicals; anti-smoking, vegan, PC, bicycle helmet, jogging....

[jerryatthebeach]

07:52 AM on 12/20/2011

Alcohol is liquid either and can lead to many other drugs like sleeping pills, tranquilizers and anti-depessants...

[computedtomo]

07:57 AM on 12/20/2011

Sexual promiscuity can lead to hiring a male stripper as an aide, or letting your boyfriend run a prostitution ring from your residence. Wow, Bwawney, maybe you're right about that slippery slope thing you talked about. Yuck

[jerryatthebeach]

08:18 AM on 12/20/2011

So this is your retort for the story. Got a Placidyl grog???

[rltballer]

11:56 AM on 12/20/2011

wow, again, you put a lot of words on the screen but make no sense. sounds like people in your young life really failed you bud.

[computedtomo]

03:30 AM on 12/20/2011

Bwawney Fwank is clueless. He should be investigated and prosecuted for his negligence and compliance in the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac collapse. A national disgwace.

[Patriot86]

06:10 AM on 12/20/2011

I want Gingrich investigated just exactly what did he promise for 2 million dollars?

[computedtomo]

07:19 AM on 12/20/2011

Gingrich is not serving as an elected official currently, but Bwawney proudly represents the less-than-intelligent constituents of Taxachusetts.

[Christine Gallo]

02:13 PM on 12/20/2011

Just as all Congress should be investigated and prosecuted for their negligence and compliance in the Wall Street collapse and illegalaties that continue to this day?