Marijuana Tax Stamps

Posts Tagged ‘Reform’

norml.org WWW.LP.ORG http What is NORML and what does the organization stand for? NORML is a nonprofit, public-interest lobby that for more than 30 years has provided a voice for those Americans who oppose marijuana prohibition. We represent the interests of the tens of millions of Americans who smoke marijuana responsibly and believe the recreational and medicinal use of marijuana should no longer be a crime. NORML supports the removal of all criminal penalties for the private possession and responsible use of marijuana by adults, including the cultivation for personal use, and the casual nonprofit transfers of small amounts. This model, similar to that recommended to Congress by President Nixon’s esteemed Shafer Commission in 1972, is called “decriminalization.” NORML additionally supports the development of a legally controlled market for marijuana, where consumers could purchase it from a safe, legal and regulated source. This model is referred to as “legalization.” NORML believes that marijuana smoking is not for kids and should only be used responsibly by adults. As with alcohol consumption, it must never be an excuse for misconduct or other bad behavior. Driving or operating heavy equipment while impaired from marijuana should be prohibited. NORML strongly supports the right of patients to use marijuana as a medicine when their physician recommends it to relieve pain and suffering. NORML has advocated for the legal use of medicinal marijuana since 1972. Lastly …

… or Eradicating the Rats from Our Congress!

When I was a little boy, we lived in rural Missouri, about 30 miles outside of St. Louis.  We lived there until I was nine years old.  We lived in a small town, but the world was, for me, a very big place filled with wonders and bulging at the seams, with hope and possibility.  In spite of the veiled threat of nuclear war between the Soviets and Americans our government made us feel safe.  Even though we had regular “duck and cover” drills at school confidence in our leaders made us feel safe.  My parents worked hard, provided for us, and because my dad was a Union member, we all had health insurance.  I assumed that everyone did, and I think that at that time most did.  I doubt that the world was any more politically stable than it is now, but most everyone seemed to believe that anything was possible.  There was abundant hope.  I’m sure that this was largely a middle-class phenomenon, but there was a very large middle-class.  I think that this was, pardon my pun, “trickle-down” from pretty good leadership.  I know now that it had to do with the “industrial military complex” being in its infancy.  President Eisenhower would warn us about this institution and those who would control and profit from it, becoming the greatest threat to the freedom of the average American.

In 1958 our family relocated from Missouri to California.  There was more construction work for my dad and the Union was very strong there.  I remember when we were traveling, being a little boy, it seemed as if we were pioneers traveling to the great Wild West.  And you know what, it was sort of… true!  Even though I was disappointed that Mexican-Americans didn’t wear sombreros, it was to me, exciting and wondrous!  It wasn’t easy for my folks, but they were able to make sure that we, my younger brother and I, were protected from such heavy burdens of social pressure, allowing us to just be children.  We became Californians!  Then came John Fitzgerald Kennedy!  From what I could tell, my parents who had been life-long Republicans and didn’t vote for Kennedy became converts to the charisma and competency of this President, as did very many Americans.  When he spoke it was like he was speaking directly to you and he was like Jefferson or Franklin or one of the “framers” reborn.  It was obvious that he was a “peoples President”!  Born into wealth, he had no need to sell one bit of himself to anyone.  His father had stressed that they were fortunate, being wealthy Americans, and that they would be behooved by that fortune to become public servants.  In that role, JFK made us all feel like anything was possible and I do mean anything.  Take for instance, “We’re going to the moon!”  And though we did have a standoff with far reaching implications, with Russia.  We won!  It was a time when Americans felt like and actually were the moral conscience, human rights and social leaders of the World!

Then the turmoil began.  John Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas and Lyndon Johnson became the President.  Then we lost Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr… then Bobby Kennedy!  Though Johnson managed to get the Civil Rights Act passed, he escalated and became obsessed with Vietnam, a mistake and trauma that would overshadow many great things he did and that were happening.  The Draft… the conscripting of young American boys into the armed forces would begin the great change.  Nixon would begin the de-escalation of the war, but then became the most disgraceful leader in modern American history… The Vietnam War, sold under threat of the domino effect of Communism (bullshit), would be the beginning of Eisenhower’s greatest fear.  The Industrial-Military-Complex invaded the United States economy, to eventually determine every aspect of American life.  Spanning the better part of two decades, Vietnam would give birth to private industry and businesses so rich and powerful that they would gain the ability to “lobby” (bribe) Washington D.C. and influence American policy, law, and social stability.  An industrial complex supporting a massive armed force would become an entity of its own, spawning a wealthy class of citizens enjoying privilege like European Royalty.  As this class grew and spread into every sector of the economy, someone would have to pay their way.  The middle-class became overtaxed, underpaid and underserved, as the Nation’s economy began to transfer from the average citizen to the upper one percent (1%).  This trend would continue right up to our current situation.

A succession of weak Presidents like Ford and Carter paved the way for the fatal Presidency of Ronald Reagan.  A complete sell-out to the rich and powerful businesses, and a promoter of a covert military, he broke the back of the Unions when he broke the Air Traffic Controllers strike, allowing those Union members to be displaced by non-Union employees.  The Unions had made possible things like wages that kept up with inflation, top-notch health insurance policies for members, and arbitration with companies to assure employee safety and quality work and goods production.  Without the Union protections, American workers would be at mercy of purely profit-based business that looked at the “bottom-line”" as the primary if not their only consideration!  His covert military would take up the cause of protecting business interests abroad.  The country of the people, by the people and for the people was gradually disappearing into the distance like fading sunlight as night approaches.  A very dark picture was taking form in the United States of America.

The blow of the “Bushes” was softened by the charisma of William Jefferson Clinton, briefly, though the Industrial-Military-Complex was still on the march promoting war, profiteering and deregulation of the financial industry to unprecedented levels in spite of warnings that history provided.  The transfer of the economy to the top one-percent was escalating at nearly unstoppable speed.  All the while, Americans had become complacent and continued to trust that government would, in the end, come to their aid.  Over the years since Reagan, Unions had been sold as evil and counter-productive to the economy.  Safety in the work place became substandard as the average worker worked longer and harder hours to maintain a secure and stable life-style.  A new phenomenon appeared as somewhat of a bewilderment to most, at the time… the presence of a growing “homeless” sector appeared in our society.   “Why” wasn’t apparent!  We couldn’t see that if the wealthy remained the top 1%, and the middle-class was diminishing… poverty had to be flourishing!  The American way of life had transformed.  Things that made us what we were, were disappearing or being stifled and rebranded as counter-productive to our economy.  War became acceptable as a sadly necessary part of our culture and the times we live in!  International Treaties were deemed inapplicable to the United States government.  It seemed that almost out of nowhere America was grabbing people and shuffling them off to clandestine locations, torturing them and defying international law.  The government didn’t need warrants to wiretap and spy on its people.  Privacy was unimportant.  Americans, like the enemy, could be locked up without “habeas corpus” in the process, and for indeterminate lengths of time with no legal representation.  Two-percent (2%) of the population would, over the course of each year, be incarcerated.  Doctors were being assassinated for carrying out legal procedures.  Civil rights were first being given to citizens and then taken away in backlashes of the Religious far-right interfering with government and the law.  Government mandated that citizens must buy a poor quality product from unethical businesses under the threat of penalties, with no acceptable, reasonable product offered under that law (health insurance).  Federal authorities intervened in legal conflict with State laws, arresting people for things that their State had deemed legal (medical marijuana)!  Maybe worst of all, no one will take responsibility for the environment of our Planet and the destructive effect we are so obviously having on it.   This has all culminated into the financial melt-down of 2009, and still the people struggle for justice and for the government to come to their aid, but it falls on deaf ears that have been silenced by financial reward from lobbying (bribery) by the Military-Industrial-Complex that silently has instituted a coup on the United States Congress, stripping the people of their representation in the Federal governing system.  Half measures that appease the people and sustain the power of the top 1%, yet really change nothing, are all we can get out of them.

It’s amazing that it seems that no one any longer understands that without the workers there is no business.  Jobs outsourced mean less work for Americans.  Poor people pay little tax, some none, so revenue diminishes.  A small middle-class of workers who can only afford the basics doesn’t support a strong economic standard for a diverse business structure.  Massive numbers of unhealthy employees do not provide a strong growth-oriented workforce.  The more that people must concentrate on pure survival level of existence, the less charitable and able they are to think of, and help the less fortunate.  All of these conditions are molding the way for “revolutionary” thinking and chaos.  And sadly, the current brands of revolutionaries are not a good thing.  They are narrow-minded, self-centered, prejudiced, and radical in ideology.  Most support a far-right ideology.  They are armed and organized and do not represent the best interests of the majority in society, but they do exist and are becoming more visible by the day.  Still we have no leadership that can take up the cause of the Democracy that we once were.  I guess they all fear that the financial power of the elitist 1% and their Industrial- Military-Complex, will take away their privilege and lavish life style that politicians have come to enjoy and expect.  Most of them are, I suppose… THE Industrial-Military-Complex!  Those who do not learn from the experience of history are doomed to repeat it.  Do you think that the Romans ever thought that their dynasty would fall?  What happened to the great British Empire?  Are we doomed to become another 3rd World nation?  Are we doomed to evolving into another Russia?Maybe we just need thorough “Campaign Finance Reform” and to vote out all of the incumbents and establish term limits that prohibit them from becoming entrenched in our representative body and pawns for the Industrial-Military-Complex!!!  Or maybe we need an organized revolution!!!  I fear for the world my grandchildren may be doomed to live in… doomed by us and our, far too many, years of complacency!!!

NDP leader Jack Layton denies that he had a deal with Marc Emery’s BC Marijuana Party to join forces, but he’s on video saying that he supports ending penalties for having, growing or selling marijuana: www.youtube.com On September 20, 2008, his spokesperson Brad Lavigne told the Canadian Press: “Lavigne acknowledged the NDP has long advocated, and continues to advocate, decriminalization of simple possession of small amounts of marijuana, but said that does not extend to trafficking or grow ops.” Talk about a confusing message. Repeal of possession laws, while leaving cultivation and trafficking laws in place, only helps organized crime. So what is the NDP’s position on ending the failed war on drugs? It’s about as clear as mud as Layton demonstrated in this scrum following a rally in Edmonton, Alberta.

    Today the United States has an unique opportunity to trams form this nation from stagnancy to one of enormous economic expansion. Yet, once again the government has put their own self interest ahead of the nations. The Congress continually squanders precious moments; most notably is health care. Their version is bought and paid for by the insurance lobbyists. We, the citizens of the United States cannot tolerate and most importantly afford this blatant disregard of the nations future. In their haste to put out a bill on health care is in actuality an attempt at just another unfunded mandate on the already beleaguered public. The insurance industry is controlling every aspect of this health care bill.

     Now more than any other time in our history is the United States in a position where real reform can achieve lasting economic growth, restore prosperity to all Americans, and ensure our nations security. What our elected officials have done now is no reform and consequently the American public continues to languish in economic decay and our national security will continue to be in jeopardy          

    The components of the health care bill now proposed by congress fail in every way to achieve real reform. First, is the item of who is actually covered. Only 95% of the American citizens are covered. A total reform would cover every United States Citizen. Something the late Senator Kennedy envisioned. A comprehensive single payer plan much like the European plans. Second, is the cost and how to pay for this plan that congress is now focusing on. They estimate the cost to be around $900 billion over the span of ten years. If congress really reforms and focuses on Universal Health Care the cost would actually be much lower and would contribute extensively toward reducing the national debt and eventually would eliminate it all together. Here is where congress really is missing the boat. To cover the astronomical cost they would impose fees on insurance companies which translates to raising rates on the public. With the economy the way it is, the unemployment rate rising every day and more people than at any other time in recent history are facing acute economic turmoil raising rates on anything is the last thing that congress should do. This bill would Impose fees on the pharmaceutical industry which also means price increases on medicines and drugs. Another cost that Americans can’t afford. Also included in this bill they would put a fee on employers whose workers receive government subsidies to help pay for premiums. That means that employers will no longer be able to increase wages. They may be forced to cut or reduce wages and jobs, creating another cycle of diminished employment opportunities just when this nation continues to have  increasing unemployment rates; further pushing this country away from recovering from this current economic crisis. With Universal Health Care companies will be able to divert what was deducted from employees paychecks for medical insurance will now be an addition to their gross income. A win win for both employer and employees wher e the employee will now have additional disposable income to spend or pay down debt and employers will now have more recourses to expand or improve their products and services . This creates economic expansion.  Another option in this bill is, it would impose fines on individuals who fail to purchase affordable health care plans from insurance companies. Affordable for who?         

  If these provisions emerge from Congress intact the public of the United States must demand an immediate retraction and insist that Congress focus upon a Universal Health Care Bill. A single payer plan that insures every United States citizen with no out of pocket expenses. Real reform is, not condoling with the insurance industry { it is the insurance lobbyists that fund the elected officials campaigns], a total restructuring of the whole system that continues to fail the American public. The United States needs only one single payer health care plan. Medicaid and Medicare have become so blotted and too complex that they have become outdated and have outlived there use. It is time that the senior population realize that no interruption of any health concern or medical problem will be incurred during the transition to Universal Health Care.          

     Universal Health Care, the legacy of Senator Kennedy, is realized through the total reform of our tax code to a 10% flat tax, reeling in the over $300 billion that is wasted every year from our current way our health care is being operated, legalizing medical marijuana and installing a 5% sales tax and all sales, [ It is time to rid the hypocrisy that is rampant through-out the United States where one area some things are legal while in other parts it is illegal. Only a united effort must be achieved where we legalize medical marijuana and in doing so will reap dividends on both ends that being to ease the suffering of those who need this drug to ease their suffering and to bring additional revenue to support the very health care system that is offered.}  Just like in Canada the $.01 sales tax on all alcohol and tobacco products will help supplement Universal Health Care. The allotted funding that once was allocated for Medicaid and Medicare will be shifted toward Universal Health Care with the deductions coming out of payrolls just as before but only for one deduction, Universal Health Care. Finally a $.01 tax on all non consumable items will greatly aid in the funding of Universal Health Care.          

      It is imperative that congress stops this current debate and focuses upon real reform with meaningful legislation that will have every United States citizen being able to live and not just exist. Congress must stop making excuses to garnish more campainge funds from the insurance industry and lobbyists and restore their allegiance to their constituents by implementing Universal Health Care. Only in this way will the United States be able to prosper and restore our economic and national stability and security.