Why All Drugs Should Be Legalized

          My main reason for being in favor of the legalization of all drugs is that the illegality of drugs is not what prevents people from doing them. I will discuss this more throughout. But if we decide that is a true statement, then what really is the purpose making drug illegal? The goal of making drugs illegal (I think) is to restrict the use so that those who are not experts about the substance do not make mistakes with it and hurt themselves or others. However, I think the logic of solving that problem with that solution is very flawed. I think additionally our history of attempts to win the “war on drugs” shows that this policy plainly isn’t working. Particular examples of it not working are the terrible violence in Mexico the past few years that has resulted in senseless reckless ultra violent death of those involved in the drug trade, public officials trying to combat the drug trade, family members of both of these groups, and just plain ordinary citizens who live in Mexico. Another example is the swelling prison populations we’re facing domestically. Even if you don’t care about any of these who suffer from this policy because you think they are less important people, let me explain what a terrible fiscal policy this is for our country that leads to more extraction of American wealth, something you must care about... unless you’re a nihilist of course.

          Ok, here is why this logic is flawed, simple. If you want to influence an individual’s behavior so that they don’t make mistakes, you have to educate them on the front end before they make mistakes. This policy does not accomplish that. This policy provides consequences only once the crime has been committed. Retroactive education on drugs (i.e. incarceration, rehab) is not completely useless in combating the problem, but I don’t think it is very effective. How many celebrities with expensive drug problems only need to go to rehab once? How many drug addicts face multiple drug convictions? Once drugs have gotten to the point where they are mentally or physically addicting it is generally too late to have a true complete recovery. This is also the point where prosecution of drug use or possession has little effect. Drugs are very tricky in that they aren’t a thing where you can just let psychological conditioning take its effect because it alters mental perception. They make you think you are getting a good outcome and should repeat the behavior when really you are probably getting a bad one. Addicts can get sober, but it is a very long tough process and in many of those cases there are real irreversible consequences from the use that has already been done be it mental, physical, emotional, stunting of career development/opportunities, etc. So as this policy of illegality does not successfully deter consumption it does not provide any real benefit and drags along with it numerous other problems

Have Republicans violated the Taxpayer Protection Pledge? If so, I’m still waiting for the fallout

          I don’t want to get political :) but I just wanted to point this out… Doesn’t the refusal to vote in favor of the American Jobs Act violate Grover Norquist’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge: “I, _____, pledge to the taxpayers of the (____ district of the) state of ______ and to the American people that I will: ONE, oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rate for individuals and business; and TWO, oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates” which 95% of Republicans in Congress signed? If the bill does not pass, a previously enacted 2% payroll tax cut for all wage earners will expire and marginal tax rates on income will go up by 2%. This can be viewed as either an increase to the marginal income tax for individuals and families, or an elimination of deductions and credits. I don’t care which interpretation is more correct, it is clear that not passing this legislation would violate at least one, if not both of the points made in the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. In fact, Mr. Norquist already clarified his position on this matter when the Bush era tax cuts were set to expire that he does not support the allowance for in place tax cuts to expire because it would result in a tax increase for the American people. Here’s that video:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/21/grover-norquist-bush-tax-cuts-tax-hike_n_905624.html.

          I don’t know why nobody is mentioning this even if it is simply for the reason that it is hypocritical and it is always fun to catch politicians (and well publicized lobbyists) going back on what they previously stated. How do you think Jon Stewart makes a living? But also, how come Mr. Norquist only raised this issue when it was the tax breaks for the top 1% that were about to expire? Why did he support republican efforts to keep the Bush tax cuts in place, but he isn’t raising the issue now when taxes for everyone are about to increase and Republicans who signed his pledge are not supporting the extension of the payroll tax cuts?

          I don’t get it. I really don’t get it. Usually in this situation Norquist would be making ominous statements about how he will remind the voters which are constituents of these pledge signers, that their representatives are breaking the pledge. He says the pledge relates to all tax increases which relate to the American people. Here is a clip of him saying this: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7388996n. So where is he now with ominous statements now that it’s Republicans who are going to let cuts expire for everybody?

Are We a Christian Nation?

          Where does the movement to make the United States a Christian country come from logically speaking? This country was founded on the freedom to practice religion, that is in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. The First Amendment wasn’t an accident, it was first, it was thought about. That means you as a citizen of this country have the freedom to be a Christian of whatever denomination or flavor you want. Without the First Amendment you couldn’t pick which church you go to. The current day Baptists might have to go to a Mormon church instead. The First Amendment is great, it even gives you the freedom of speech so you can tell other people about your great religion. But to try to impose that religion into your government and thereby giving the indication, either in fact or appearance, that the state has a specific associated religion, that strips away the freedom for all citizens to have the freedom that allowed those Christians to be Christians in the first place. I understand that this is just reinforcing what has already been determined by the US Supreme Court that there should be a separation between Church and State, but there are still many people in the nation who say “this is a Christian nation.” But that is an incorrect statement, this is a nation where you are free to practice your own religion of your choosing, and more have chosen Christianity than any other religion, but it is that freedom that allows the nation to have that ability to choose to be Christian if they want that makes it a great and free nation. So why would you try to take away that beautiful freedom and force everyone to conform, doesn't that oppose the values of our nation? Isn't that the oppression that the country’s founders were trying to avoid when they created the country?

          While religion itself has no place in government the morals which are included in the bible may be included in government, but that is not the same thing as imposing religion into government by, for example, making bible teaching mandatory in public school or making biblical law into societal law. Additionally, several Christian morals like ‘don’t kill’ and ‘don’t steal’ are pretty universal in any society, even Muslim and other non-Christian societies, believe it or not. For the bible or bible readers to take credit for these morals is presumptuous, inaccurate, and self-righteous. I’m sure the Egyptians and Sumerians had these morals in their culture before Christ or Moses came around. So while some of the morals in the bible are good for society, I don't think we can make the case that it's all of them, and they are morals that are not necessarily bible specific or derived. They are morals that are good for society and essentially stem from treating others as you would want to be treated.

The First Step Toward Fixing The Broken Political System In the United States

Since the honeymoon of the Obama administration came to an end, which was maybe a month or so after inauguration, I have become wildly disappointed in my country’s political format. That is probably because I never really had any expectations since my politically conscious life began (I am 26 as of the date of this entry so 2008 was only my second presidential election I could vote in). But after the momentum of Obama’s win in 2008 for the first time since I had started following politics I felt like good common sense and collective caring about our fate and each other might actually prevail. Things didn’t quite turn out that way. Apparently, even though a majority of country wanted this man in office so he could do his thing and set the country and world straight, there were plenty of people who just wanted to defame him and keep the focus away from the essence of any important issue and focus on less sensible things. Between Fox News and the contagion of ignorant or intentionally distracting people across the conversation the country went astray. From birthers, to death panels, to anything Sarah Palin (a woman who probably doesn’t have the resume to qualify for a reputable grad school) talks about, we missed the point which is how to make anything better. The intent of the opposition was wonderfully satirized by the Onion (what isn’t) in this article http://www.theonion.com/articles/my-constituents-care-way-more-about-political-game,16887/.

            I still can’t fully blame Obama even though he led the Democrats as they squandered “the largest majority any party has seen in decades.” It was more a matter of him having a false belief that the moral high ground would help him past the kind of opposition he was going to face. He was prepared to debate any real topic with anyone, but miscalculated how many false rumors he would have to stomp out before he could get to the topic at hand which by then was old news and didn’t matter. He probably didn’t have a good core of politically experienced savvy game players in his circle, which is his fault, and he completely lost control of voice of the Democratic Party where somehow all of them came out looking incompetent. And overall that was a bit naive of him and I should probably treat him more harshly for not playing political games as well, but my conscience says that's not a good reason to disapprove of someone. We can, however, definitely blame the republicans who have yet to propose any useful legislation in the last two and a half years.

But more than either of the two parties we can blame the media driven political system that we’re currently enrolled in. One that leaves only two options, pick between the “I like to think I have a conscience, but like most people there is a lot of confusion in how best to express it” party and the “I don’t care about having a conscience because there are more important things at stake” party or relegate yourself to a simple life where you don’t fancy yourself no politics. None of these options really seem that appealing do they? Especially not after I slandered them. So assuming we’re not taking the final option, which is really the better choice for the weak stomached and anyone who has any regard for personal sanity, it is my belief that it might be a good idea to alter the two party system as it is what is truly to blame for the congestion. After all, politicians just play the hand they are dealt under the rules of the game that they are playing. Some suggest that the two party system is entrenched and there is no way to uproot it. I, for some unknown reason, am a little more hopeful than that. The way to start this process is to alter our election voting format.