No Fear

Dear Congressman Nunes (R-22^nd District, California) and your colleagues,

We have this stunt before with your memo. And we have seen how it turns out. Please watch and learn a little bit of history of this great country.

Signed
An Informed Citizen.

Murrow on McCarthy, no fear, 1954

Weed

Weed is now legal in California. Before I get deeper in to this rant, full disclosure is required. I am opposed to pot legalization. Seen too many high school buddies suffer from it.

Now that I have said that, I understand the want to legalize it. It is a nature product. Hemp is a strong material. Heck, even the fore fathers grow it. There are a number of claims about its use curing cancer and other terrible diseases. (None of which have been proven in scientific peer-reviewed papers.) I have personally seen it aid people on lemon and with AIDS. (Killed the nausea and allowed them to eat.)

Now there are 29 states that have legalized it for Recreation or medical use. For those that are bad at math, that is a majority of the states. There are more looking to do the same.

Now under Obama, the DOJ (Department of Justice) took a hands off approach. I am sure that there are number of reasons why. None of which I am privy too. However, the belief that Obama administration was a bunch of weed smoking hippies is not it.

Now, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has inform the offices of the U.S. Attorneys that they can prosecute for the maximum terms. And this has brought about a number cries of anguish and gnashing of teeth. The voices from both side of the aisle is interesting. Their reasons are what is the most interesting.

Conservatives are upset because this is yet another promise broke by the Trump administration. The gist of this is the promise to respect state's rights (the 10th Amendment to the Constitution.) The liberals are upset for the obvious reasons. Talk about big Pharma being behind it. Seasons has a big investments in private prisons. (Social Media has even crazier reasons.)

Trump, Seasons, prohibitionists, and I are on the wrong side of history here. Marijuana will be legalized. The reason has nothing to do with feel good you get from smoking/ingesting it. The reason is simple economics.

The States are getting over a billion dollars in tax revenue. They are not going to walk away from that. Conservative estimates are close to 120,000 jobs will be created. (Twice that of the coal industry.) And then there are the jobs created in support of it. Finance, Insurance, construction, and transportation are all thing that will generate more money and jobs.

Now, the downside has to be addressed. In the last 30 years, the strength of pot (THC) has dramatically increased in intensity. The reasons are obvious. The dealers needed stronger weed. The stronger it is, less you need. Smaller amounts are less to smuggle and bigger profits. Do we want every Tom, Dick, and Harry to growing and selling weed? (You can make booze, but you can't sell it unless you are licensed.)

History is marching on. Pot will be legalized. Nothing can be done to stop it. The tipping point has passed. But some common sense safe guards can and should be put in place. I hope all sides can agree to this.

When this was first published on my Facebook page, there were some responses. Here are the two most thought provoking:

David Gerrold: Medical use of marijuana has not been extensively researched ... yet.
However, I know a number of people who have benefited enormously from CBD oil and other forms of marijuana. The anecdotal evidence is starting to pile up and it's my feeling that the whole subject merits significant study. (I'm not going to cite all the different stories I've heard from reputable people about how their use of medical grade grass has helped them. Much of the medical pot does not get you stoned, it's pain relieving. But I will cite my own experience — that CBD oil is effective on sore muscles, especially a torn rotator cuff.)
But there's another argument for legalization that merits consideration. When this nation prohibited the use of alcohol in the twenties, and into the thirties, the result was a nation of scofflaws, and the creation of organized criminal smuggling and distribution operations — i.e. the creation of the mafia.
Eventually, prohibition was abandoned.
Keeping marijuana illegal is another prohibition. The black market for pot funnels millions of dollars into Mexican cartels, who spend that money on weapons, and have destabilized not only the Mexican economy, but the government as well.
Legalization of pot cuts off that flow of money to Mexican cartels. Taxation of legal pot puts millions of dollars into state and local coffers.
The evidence of Colorado and other states is that the use of pot does not significantly increase with legalization.
Yes, there are issues with legalization, but they will likely prove less disruptive than the continuation of an ineffective war on drugs, which has been enforced unfairly against minorities.

Janice Dallas: Pot/cannabis is not all THC. More and more strains that are higher in CBD than THC are being developed. They do not make one stoned, but do give relief of chronic pain, (which I use it for instead of opioids). I agree that research on all its good properties is desired, but that can't be done while it's considered a class 1 drug with no redeeming qualities. It needs to be changed to class 2, because it does have medical properties.

Fire and Fury

Dear Mr. President,

Today, a book that is highly critical of you will be released. It says a number of highly negative things about you, you family, and your Administration.

Yesterday, your lawyers tried to serve a cease and desist letter to the publisher of the book. The basis being defamation, libel, and "full of lies." You claim that you never authorized the book. And that it is full of lies.

It appears that your lawyers have not told you the truth. Let me educate you in somethings since they appear to have not done their jobs. You are a public figure. People are allow to talk about public figures. Yes, there are laws protecting them. But you, sir, are the President. The most public of public figures.

As a government figure, you are open to unfettered criticism and scrutiny. That is the nature of the office you chose to run for. If you did not want this scrutiny, this criticism of you, then you should have stayed a private citizen.

By sending this letter and complaining loudly about this book, you have turned it into an international best seller.

You are threatening to sue. So again, let me educate you because your lawyers are not. The Publishing Company (a German company) is a multi-national corporation. They have more money and more lawyers than you do. You will lose in court with even the most conservative judges.

You and your Administration allowed this reporter into your midst. You gave him unprecedented access, even to the Oval Office. This is the unintended consequences and results of you and the amateur hour staff that you have surrounded yourself with. Time to be a president and accept criticism that you are going to get. The country is watching and will make a judgment soon.

Signed,
An Informed Citizen.

Moore, Liberals, and the GOP.

Moore, Liberals, and the GOP.

A political rant. You have been warned.

Well, today is the big day in Alabama. Will the voters of that state elect Roy Moore as the next Senator, filling Jeff Seasons seat? Before I answer that, Let’s take a quick look at the state and some of the people that have recently been elected there. The Governor had to step down due to a sex scandal. The Speaker of the House step down due to corruption charges. The LT Gov. (now the Governor) appointed Luther Strange as Senator. Strange was the State AG and promised to prosecute the Governor over the sex scandal, thus stopping the impeachment. He never did.

So based on this recent history, here is my prediction. Roy Moore will win the election, by 7-9%. Why, you ask? First look at the above history. Secondly, Alabama is one of the most deeply red states. Even the Current Governor stated publicly that she would rather vote for an accused pedophile then a squishy Democrat. Next, Alabama voters are pissed at the rest of the country. They are not liking being called dumb and being told who they can and can’t vote for. (Steve Bannon has been stoking that fire). Finally, the main feeling is while he maybe a pedophile, he is ours.

Where does all this leave the GOP? The Republicans will now have to own this. Lock, stock, and barrel. When Trump started supporting Moore and denouncing the Dems for their sex scandals, the double standard was in full bloom. Senate Republicans that had called for Moore to step down, are now tepidly supporting him. When Moore steps into the Senate, there will be a minor ethics investigation that will quietly disappear. He will get some low level committee assignments and won’t go full bluster for about 3 months. But the once great Republican Party will now be the party of Sexual Predators.

And what about the Liberal, progressives, and moderates? They have a great opportunity here, if they are willing to take it. Trump, Bannon, and Moore are leaving the door wide open for attacks. The Democratic Party is purging their own of those with Sexual indiscretions (lewd and/or predatory behavior). They are showing the country an intolerance for this type of behavior. They are going after the moral high ground.

But will they take it? The Left is in the middle of a minor civil war. The far Left is looking for purity. The moderates are just wanting to be heard. And all are missing the fights on the Right. The Left is missing perhaps the biggest point to winning back power and influence in the country. Half a loaf is better than no loaf. The Right has known this for years and have been using it. At this point, they have to do the one thing they hate even thinking about. Compromise with each other. If they don’t then the future is lost to them for a generation.

Will Moore win and give the GOP heartache for years to come? I think he might. Will the left get off their collective butts and vote in the mind-terms? If history is any indication, I don’t think so. I really hope I’m wrong. Only history will tell us for sure.

Tweets and the Press

Dear Mr. President,

What the hell is wrong with you? You re-tweet fake videos concerning Muslims. What sort of president are you?

You are supposed to represent all America not just the ones you think deserve it. Part of your job is to protect people. I'm sure you and your supporters read in the Constitution Preamble the part that said, "Preserve domestic tranquility." Is this how you do this?

To Ms. Huckleberry-Sanders. You need to re-think your response. The "Threat" is not real. Violence in this country is committed by "Christians" more so than by Muslims. Are you going to comment on that? No, you will not. In fact, I'm betting that you will double down at the next press conference.

To the journalist at the press conferences. Now is the time to start asking some hard hitting questions. You need to ask follow up question. Finally, you need to support your colleagues. When people won't answer a colleague's question, you need to challenge them to answer it. Work together.

Signed,
An Informed Citizen.

Moore and the President

Dear Mr. President,

The Democrats would like to send you a huge "Thank You" for the gift you gave them. By supporting Roy Moore, you and the governor of Alabama have publicly stated that you feel that an accused child molester is better than a Democrat.

Congratulations, you have turned the GOP into the party of pedophiles and child molesters. If you think for a single second that the Democrats are not going to use this against you and your supporters, just watch how wrong you are going to be in 2018.

So, in the words of Joseph Welch: "Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?" The citizens of the United States await your answer.

Signed,

An Informed Citizen

Representative David Brat

Dear Rep. David Brat (R-7^th District, Virginia),

You do realize that you party controls all level and branches of government? Blaming the Dems for your lack of progress is not only dumb, but shows the American public (especially the voters of Virginia's 7th congressional district) what you think of them.

Try coming up with bills that the public wants. Comprise is not a dirty word. It is how the House and Senate works. Deal making is a long and honored tradition. It’s worked for the United States for the last 241 years.

The Dems are in the minority. They can purpose a billion bills, but you and your leadership are the ones that bring bills to the floor. Stop acting like a child and take responsibility for the crappy bills your party purposing.

Signed,
An Informed Citizen.