What is the Federal Government's Marijuana Stand?

Today I experienced what can only be described as ---surreal. I'm aware this word no longer carries the dramatic meaning it once did, but suffice to say this adjective is completely appropriate in describing the brief conversation I was involved in this afternoon. During my usual trip to the "Weed Shack"(sung to the tune of theB-52's "Love Shack", just insert weed where love goes... Weird Al if you read this it's my idea first...) for meds in preparation for the impending New Year; I found myself in the waiting room with an enchanting woman of at least 450 pounds, a lovely lady dear friends employed by our favorite Auntie Iris. My new friend arrived swathed in a sweatshirt embroidered with the logo of our favorite "Weed Shack", obviously there in search of relief from one or more of the myriad maladies afflicting a princess of such ponderous proportions. Idle chit chat amongst several waiting for their turn at the counter, turned up one person just returned from what he described as a very successful interview with Auntie Iris. I thought he was a Mormon missionary because he was attired in black slacks, white shirt with black tie, oddly enough I believe he was also riding a bicycle. Some of us were of course quite incredulous, but then my princess spoke up and informed the room that she works processing our tax returns and refund checks. Our new friend then went on to say that her supervisor told her that as long as she held a valid card all was good.

Yes, incredible you say, well so say I dear reader, so say I. Here in our area where the Federal Government is actively raiding and closing Medical Marijuana dispensaries, our good Auntie Iris is on the other hand condoning their employees use of the herb. Hmmmmm? Really?
Let's review shall we: Federal Law being used to persecute marijuana users across the nation who don't work for the Federal Government are apparently inapplicable to the Federal workplace when a Federal employee holds a valid medical marijuana recommendation.

If you read one of my previous posts: "The Difference Between Us and Them", detailing an exchange I had with two ladies working at the DMV, this post should serve as further evidence of the attitude our servants have towards the citizens who provide for their welfare. My wife has a saying, she calls it the "Goose /Gander Principle", if it's good for the goose it's also fine for the gander; meaning that there shall be equality between us. Given the fact that our Congress sees no need to inhibit it's members from grossly inflating their net worths through insider trading; why should any of us be surprised that it's O.K. to smoke medical pot if you work for the IRS?

Our leaders have set themselves apart from those who house, clothe, nourish and educate them and their children. We the people of the United States whose rights were enshrined in both the Constitution and the Bill of Rights have witnessed their reduction to quaint ideas of what used to be, and what might have been. As Americans it is incumbent upon us to set the example for the rest of the world as our forefathers did. Are we really going to allow these thieves to desecrate the fundamental greatness that is the USA? Can we continue down a path providing one set of laws for the governed and another for the governor? At what point will we throw off the yoke of the ruling class, take profit motive from government service, and return power to those who will wield it with wisdom?

Argument for a Third Party

Today we're going to discuss the purpose of this site; creating from the grass roots up, a new political party. Grouping those of us in the center who feel marginalized by the radical wings of both the Democratic and Republican parties. As we grind through yet another ridiculously bloated election season we witness first hand the best reasons to begin this endeavor. 

Our country has been co-opted by two parties, that in a tit for tat partisan contest, have left behind their true duties to us the taxpayers in pursuit of power for the sake of power alone. Temporary spending bills loaded with earmarks for vanity projects that do little for anyone but the special interest group lobbying for it's creation. 

Extending tax relief to the evaporating "middle class", tied to legislation that would demand an immediate vote on the Keystone pipeline bringing tar sand oil to the Texas gulf coast for refining. 

This is what passes for good governance these days.

What does the creation of a potential environmental disaster have to do with giving the average taxpayer a $1000 to spend? Everything. No legislation passed by our leaders into law stands on it's own merits. For every worthy project funded by our tax dollars, there must be a hundred more focused towards the needs of  a very narrow constituency, whose ultimate goal is to enrich a few at the expense of the many. Sometimes that enrichment takes the form of stroking an ego; ever drive down a highway and see signs commemorating stretches of the road to past politicians?

 

In West Virginia the whole highway system is a result of vast overfunding from the congress during Sen. Robert Byrd's chairing of the ways and means committee. During his tenure as chairman W. Virginia received more federal highway funds than California. We have 40 million plus people in the "Golden State", driving obsolete highways or riding a patchwork system of public transport. Meanwhile there are less than a million hearty souls in "Hillbilly Holler State" with pretty new roads going absolutely nowhere, and so few cars they're likely to stay that way for some time.

These are but a few of the many egregious examples of what happens when there is not a plurality of political representation in congress. No focus on the nations needs, no action taken in scale with the demands of the situation faced. I.E. the recession, and it's fallout, where are the projects that benefit us all while employing the greatest number of citizens? While our leaders are discussing austerity, tightening of belts and so on in relation to you and I; they award themselves pay increases and benefits that even when working we would never have enjoyed. 

Precisely why we require a third party contesting elections at every level of government, in every state of the union. Ross Perot's experiment proved, that without a party structure in each state contesting congressional seats in support of his candidacy, failure was assured. Can you imagine how things would have worked if he had won? Ross would have been a lame duck from the outset with no allies in the legislative body, immediately reduced to side show status. 

Our country needs, nee' deserves, a party treading the middle ground keeping personal choice issues in the realm of the individual facing those choices. Removing divisive discourse in favor of healthy debate aimed at restoring our nation to prominence in a world ruled by reason not greed.

The Russian Example

Friends, as I write today the people of Russia have sent us a remarkable example of how protests should be delivered against those who abuse their power. With contested elections roiling the atmosphere in a country not wholly at terms with Democracy, we are fortunate to witness perhaps Democracy in it's purest form.

Not at all the complacency we saw here when GW Bush stole the election from Al Gore in the "Dangling Chad" incident of the 2000 election. We Americans just sat back and took it. Two hundred plus years of relative stability has turned the average citizen of this nation into a beer swilling football watching ill informed fool. Voting by rote for the same parties that have propelled our country down a trail of doom and decline, we would rather watch sporting events than keep an eye on those charged with running our country's affairs. Sounds a little like ancient Rome, doesn't it?

Precisely how you lost sight of the fact that when we invaded Iraq, it was not to keep Saddam from developing WMD's it was to gain access to their oil. At the same time it gave us military bases on the border with Iran and in effect allowed us to encircle them with bases in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq.

The point is people that regardless of nationality, our governments are engaged in a game of resource allocation that will inevitably lead to greater conflict the world over. As citizens of the earth, not just our personal patches of ground, we must elect leaders who can work in concert with each other for the ultimate benefit of all. In Russia the people recognize their leaders are only trying to consolidate power, with little or no emphasis placed on the lives of the average Russian. The same applies here, our leaders have just sat back throughout this recession pointing fingers at the other party while doing nothing for the constituents who put them in office. It's all about keeping what they have, without a thought given to improving the lives of those who put them in a position to affect change.

Our political system has become polarized to the point that change needed immediately, is more often than not bogged down in Congressional committees so long that by the time that change is made, it's already obsolete. We need a third option to keep the two entrenched trough feeding parties in check, turning "Self Service" into "Public Service" by removing the profit motive from government service.

Marijuana Part 3 The Myth of Prohibition

Friends, I write this now in the wake of news that our esteemed sheriff, Maggie Mims( Fresno, Ca.) has testified to the U.S. Senate regarding her personal beliefs relating to medical marijuana, and the locations where that product is grown. As expected, her continued consumption of federal government funding in the "War on Drugs", is taking precedence over her sworn duty to uphold the laws of CALIFORNIA.

Clearly she's not alone, all over the country we have elected "self servants" who will do anything to protect their current funding, while attempting to garner more. NO one regardless of political affiliation, can stand in public with a straight face, and claim that by any measure the prohibition of any drug has been successful. Instead what we have is an escalating attack on a law that we Californians voted for by the very people sworn to uphold this particular law. Can you say conflict of interest?

America if we're to be taken seriously by our friends and neighbors in the world, and even our enemies; it is incumbent upon our government to operate in the real world. In the real world, the "War on Drugs" is an utter failure, a sinkhole in which we pour more money than we allocate to welfare, veterans care, and education combined. Where would we be now with regard to public debt had we invested those resources in education rather than a never ending trough filling exercise?

The Difference Between Us and Them.

Have any of you noticed the attitude public employees have towards those who are not employed by the government? Recently, I found myself at the local DMV where I witnessed the hazing of a new full time hire at the branch.

To provide an accurate portrayal of the event I will set the scene for you. I am standing at the photo counter after having my motorcycle written test graded, I passed. The woman grading my test was in conversation with a co worker while attending to my needs. I love multi-taskers, don't you? She then related to her friend at the office about how she told the new hire, also a woman, that she had better run to clock in the moment the door opened, as every second she was late would be taken from her break time or some such nonsense. The two women snickered and shared conspiratorial looks, as the other suggested that perhaps they could find more creative ways with which to torment the new girl. When I commented on the rather brutal nature of their conspiracy, the reply was and I quote: "If she can't handle us then how the hell is she going to deal with assholes like you?"

 I'm not going to debate whether or not I'm an asshole. Many people clearly believe so. My father included, since I bought a motorcycle. And my wife will probably concur on occasion. She's probably right.

However, I found that exchange to be quite telling. Those who rely upon "assholes like you" for their food, homes, and general well being; do hold us "assholes" in contempt. Obviously the DMV is not unique in it's attitude towards the public that fills the trough from which they feed. When fully 16% of our populace makes their living as employees of JUST the Federal government, how long before the trough fillers are outnumbered by the trough feeders?

Reality of the Tea Party/ Occupy Commonality of Goals

People of both movements, Occupy and Tea Party you share more in common than you realize, the time has come to unify your efforts using the most formidable tool you wield. Dollars.
Both groups acknowledge that Congress and it's current make up of carpet bagging prostitutes, are wholly responsible for the economic tragedy inflicted upon our friends, neighbors, and families.

Occupy, the banks only perpetrate that which the Congress allows.
Tea Party, the Federal Reserve you rail against was the result of bankers corrupting the Congress in a successful effort to usurp their role as guardians of monetary policy. Combined with the pirates in the insurance industry among others, you have your rotating cabal of professional tax trough feeders. Public service, has become synonymous with "Self Service", our leaders are adept at many things, but most of all they've shown a real aptitude for self enrichment at the expense of those who do the daily heavy lifting of life. You the tax paying citizen.

In order to retake our representative government from the hands of these "Self Servers", we need to remove the profit motive from public service. I propose that once a candidate declares his or her desire to seek office, their personal assets should be kept in blind trust; for the person elected that blind trust should be in force for a period of ten years following that persons exit from office. Only to ensure that no profit can be derived from any vote rendered. That person not selected for service will have their assets returned, unrestricted. Oh, and one very important rule, every one serving in government will follow the same laws you and I do. Period. Their retirement funds earned while serving will be deposited into Social Security, just like ours. Their health insurance will be self funded, just like yours. No more Fifty Dollar a month Doctor on Duty in the Congress, if they need medical attention they can seek it in the same places you and I find it.

The "profession" of lobbyist, should instead be a criminal term of derision, prosecutable in the highest courts of the land. With sentences commensurate to that of any serial offender, life in prison. Those elected to office have a tremendous responsibility to you and yours. Those that shirk that duty, must be punished the same way we punish any predator, life in prison.

The establishment of PAC's would be strictly verboten, the election cycle shortened to thirty days.
America you have the power, but if you insist upon being divided along "idiotological" lines, then you have no hope of regaining that which you've lost. Leave the personal choice issues to those who must face them, it is not our right to choose for another citizen, the path they take in life. The focus of our government must be on the common issues of monetary policy, defense, and foreign trade... that have effect on all of our lives. They must not be allowed to introduce divisive personal choice points into the public discourse, this is their tool to divide and thus conquer us.

The Reality of the Super Committee

As most of you know, our President asked the Congress to form a committee tasked with finding a path way out of our nation's economic malaise. You're probably also aware that this committee is made up of equal numbers of participants from both parties, Republican and Democrat.

Certainly some of us were sure that this grouping of polar opposites espousing views 180 degrees at odds with their peers, had the same chance at success as just about every other grouping of people expressing views not in accordance with reality. The hard reality is, this entire exercise was doomed from the outset. As we progress through the seemingly never ending election cycle, we must never lose sight of the fact that these people are engaged in nothing but bait and switch subterfuge. They want you to believe that all of their posing and posturing will somehow bare fruit. But if they're not actually interested in harvesting that fruit, what happens to it? It falls from the tree, into a rotten moldering pile fermenting into a noxious cocktail of malfeasance and profligate thievery.

So the next time you feel the urge to join in on the posturing, taking aim with moral arrows aimed at porn stars reading to kids in a classroom for instance..., I urge you to step back take a breath of fresh air, and refocus your anger and disgust upon those truly deserving of your rage. They want you to be obsessed with moralistic issues like abortion, drugs.... because it serves as the most effective tool in the arsenal of divide and conquer politics. We have been divided. We have been conquered.

Justice and The American Reality

After reading today about several cases of jurisprudence, one case sprang out at me as particularly poignant, and thus today's post. Some of you, if not all of you, are familiar with Dominique Strauss Kahn, paragon of Socialist Party politics in France and former head of the IMF.

Todays latest revelation has linked DSK with a prostitution ring in France. Coupled with his predilection for hotel maids, I'm left only to wonder how the Socialists can embrace someone so clearly living a life at odds with their avowed doctrine? I digress.

Now onto Justice in America as it pertains to DSK. As we saw after his "perp walk" of shame; a beautifully crafted and choreographed public assault was unleashed to discredit the African maid, while attempting to cast DSK as victim. To a large extent this was successful, insofar as he did escape prosecution on rape charges. But how was he able to escape those charges? If any of you have sat in a court of law you would have immediately recognized the difference in representation given to those with deep pockets and those without.

For me it conjures the image of Lady Justice or whatever her actual title is; we all know the statue: A tall regal woman, barefoot, clothed in flowing robes with scales in the one hand and what I think are scrolls in the other, blindfolded. Much attention is paid to the blindfold. But how often do you think of the scales? In my own personal case, those scales represent one thing: we are entitled to the justice we can personally finance. Nothing more. Please picture for yourself the image I have: The pans of the scale are always in balance correct? Only on the statue. Now imagine if you will that the first pan of the scale represents the "charge against you", the second pan is the "Justice you can Afford". DSK and the privileged like him can always overwhelm with gold the second pan, while concurrently subtracting the weight of the charges in the first pan, with disinformation, deceit, and impunity. Where is the balance?

Penn State and the Sodomizer

What exactly does it say about our society, that a guy like Jerry Sandusky can prey on little boys, but not one of the witnesses who actually saw him raping a young boy, rushed into that situation to crack that head. Then we have a judge assigned to the case who did not recuse herself after it was revealed she and her husband actively participated as volunteers and donors in the Sodomizers harem, 'er I mean charity, and basically let him out on O.R., because the bail she set is only payable if he flies. Who pays IF he flies I wonder? The citizens of PA.?

 Sodomize r along with his apologists, and enablers should all be indicted as co-conspirators, held without bail and dumped into GP, identified with the crimes they committed.
I think we might find that at least the Sodomizers trial will become a non issue.

 Here's the deal, if anyone witnesses, or is the victim of a crime your responsibility is to go to the POLICE. Whether the miscreant pile of feces is your football coach, a priest, a family member; have some guts and take that trash out one way or the other.

If you witness a crime like those the Sodomizer is accused of, and you walk away, you are complicit.
Your responsibility in that case specifically is to get that guy with any tool at hand. Any tool. If the predator is permitted to beg forgiveness rather than ask permission, the same applies to you.

Insider Trading Congressional Style

Many of us were aware that members of Congress are immune to the laws that govern the ordinary. (DUH)
Some of you were blissfully ignorant of the affair, and God Bless you, you're excused now for recess.
What further evidence is required to convince the people of this country that the rhetoric of politics is all a cover for a rotating cabal of 545 thieves, and their PAC funders/feeders. Wake up people the whole construct of party politics is all a deception intended to divide and conquer. Evolving over time into a true division of the populace over ideologies in which the government has no place. While we're being fed pablum regarding Roe V Wade again, and again, and again.... the War On Drugs... members of both parties are equally enriching themselves at our expense, or just using info that you would go to prison for using.
Occupy you have your focused target now. Go get them.

Occupy IV

Note to protesters who have not yet figured this out; the police are not the enemy. Repeat after me "the police are not the enemy." Your anger must be focused very narrowly on the 545 thieves and the banks they used your dollars to save. Those are your only valid targets. You must engage the cops in friendly conversation--confrontation wins no ones heart or mind for the long haul. Remind them that the assault on collective bargaining will inevitably reach their rung of the ladder, their immunity from this is temporary. Many are not aware of the robotics advancements being made in our universities now, but from what I've seen the "Robo-Cop" cannot be far off. This R&D is financed directly by DARPA. South Korea in fact has already deployed robotic prison guards in a test application.
You have to distinguish between those who really are your brothers and sisters, and those that would divide and conquer you.

Occupy III

Going further in elaborating the idea of shifting the approach and tactics used in the Occupy protest, please consider the following.
January 1, if you're currently employed go to your employer and change your withholding to $0.
If you have not already done so, close any accounts you have with any major bank having received bail out funds.
Do not use your credit cards, nor pay the bills, if your card issuer was an institution bailed out by the government.
 If your mortgage is held by a bailed out bank, don't pay it from Jan1 until the day Congress has signed legislation reforming the entire industry. I. E. many of you may have read a paid advertisement in your local paper today called "A Plan For America To Save Homes, Create Jobs, and Eliminate The Federal Debt" here's a link RemortgageAmerica.com. I recommend a similar action with regard to credit cards.
If any of you saw 60 Minutes last night regarding the segment on Congressional insider trading; and that didn't send you out into the night with fire, pitchforks, and the de rigeur tar and feathers, hunting 545 thieves then you're all comatose.

Occupy Part II

I'm going to elaborate a little on my theory of how best for the Occupy movement to proceed here. As I've stated in postings placed in newspapers around the nation, camping out in parks has made all the impact it's going to. The minds that were to be changed have hardened against the views expressed, further continuance of this protest under it's current guise is counterproductive at best. If those of us who count ourselves amongst the 99% were to step back, and use the only effective tool in our box--dollars--, you'll all find that as the fable goes, 'the Emperor has no clothes'. The system you rail against depends entirely upon lemming like fealty to financial obligations. It's practically bred into our genes to respect the credit rating. Fact is we have all been standing in a government/corporate co-sponsored Kool Aid line for generations now. They count on the mantra like indoctrination we've all been imbued with: "work hard, pay your bills, and be good little boys and girls, and you'll all live happily ever after." This devise of propaganda didn't even work for the Grimm Bros., and it's clearly lost it's shine for most of us. So I'm going to paraphrase the first Mayor Dailey of Chicago here, and say "vote, and vote often"; not at the polls but with your dollars. No repayment of student loans, no payment of credit cards whose interest rates fluctuate with the cost of caviar, and most importantly-- extension after extension after extension filed with auntie Iris. Send her nothing but a greeting card filled with glad tidings.

Occupy Wall Street and the American Reality

After following the Occupy movement for a while now I've come to the conclusion that the park camping has run it's course. I think a time of silence is in order. From January 1 2012 through April 15 2012 perhaps longer, the collective silence of those of us who feel as though we have been marginalized, maligned, and discarded, will become a unified shout of NO MORE! Be silent, do not correspond with those who don't share the goal.
April 15 will heretofore be known as "Do Nothing Day"; if you're self employed do nothing. If your unemployed, keep doing nothing. If you have sick days or vacation days, take them and do do do nothingggggg.

Marijuana Part2 of so many I'm certain you'll all want to kill me

Wow I just had the greatest laugh---today! The US Attorney for San Francisco Melinda Haag declared that the medical marijuana industry has been "hijacked by profiteers". Really? Is that the first time in US history that someone brought a product to market and sold it for a profit in the medical field? Really? Can the government be more disingenuous? I can name several industries that better fit the mold spewed by Haag. Yes apparently that is her name, I would not lie to you dear reader, Haag.  Are we to pronounce that 'hog' or 'hag'? Attractive either way I'm sure.

How about the medical insurance industry? These are middle men, who stand between you and your Dr. often times making critical medical decisions for you based upon the extensive clinical background of a accountant. Clearly the accountant knows better than your Dr. which course of treatment or medication will have the desired effect. Please these guys are legal pirates just like Blackbeard when he raided the Spanish Fleet on behalf of the Brits. The analogy is perfect. The US government sanctions these companies to take an exorbitant amount of treasure from both the nation as a whole, and each of us as individuals, so they can then "pay it forward" to the crooks who made it possible by funding their PACS. We HAVE been hijacked by profiteers, they sit as overlords in all of our capital cities, taking bribes from the corporations that they bow down to.

Another perfect example of a medical profiteer, would be a fill in the blank space where anyone could write in the name of their favorite pharmaceutical company to despise. These guys take our tax dollars to research their new drugs, then charge us AMAZING amounts of money to"amortize the cost of their development", excuse me I thought when we gave you dollars for research we were paying for your development. Worse yet, in Cali we get to pay for our prisoners in state prison to get ONLY name brand drugs. Which company or consortium of pharmy boys got together to push that legislative gem through? Or how about all of that great work they do giving away their drugs to African nations and others who can't afford them? I applaud all efforts at compassion and healing, but how about here at home where we're going broke so rich people who own shares in these companies can get richer? Profiteers? Haag, Barry, all of you freaky government types who can't stay out of others affairs; the profiteers are all around you, you don't have to fly over our homes with infrared scanners looking for pot growers. Big pharma and their crimes exist in the open, a simple redirection of priority is all that's required.

Congress should be our primary target, followed closely by the insurance biz, big pharma, and last but certainly not least every ambulance chasing attorney sucking his or her livelihood through the veins of those who have lived the tragedy they hope to profit from. You skeezy, bottom feeding lawyers need to be dealt with severely, were I king, tort reform would be on the agenda right after I put the nation back to work rebuilding our infrastructure for the next 200 plus years.

The Reality of Immigration in America

If you read my last post, you may have come away thinking "he painted the picture with some very broad strokes there, not a lot of detail...." Immigration in this country is a very divisive, complicated, and controversial topic, one which resists clarification in a short essay. That's why I will attempt to address this issue with several essays over time, to bring clarity, and cohesion to my side of the argument. I intend that they be taken as a whole, though human nature dictates a point by point discussion, as those who take offense or issue with my stand will want to make their point of view known. Very cool! I welcome anyone who wishes to comment with an open mind to do so freely. If however you post with a pseudonym because you can't be associated publicly with your beliefs, I will call you out. People who wish to have their voices heard should never fear revealing who they are; if they do, they need to ask themselves two simple questions: Why? And: What does this say about our society, that I have to hide behind a pen name so my countrymen will not persecute me for my beliefs?
We are a nation built on the individuals right to the pursuit of happiness and freedom. America, is a republic founded by the sons and daughters of immigrants, pursuing those very rights, in a land that did not belong to them. Surely in the eyes of Native Americans who witnessed the invasion of their land, these intruders had to be what  we term "illegal aliens". As the descendant of European immigrants to this country, I think it's critical to recognize this fact when discussing immigration, and who exactly these immigrants are.
These people are humans, they have for the most part been blessed with the same capabilities, and burdened with the same frailties as the rest of us. As humans they also have basic needs, such as steady stable employment in their own towns and cities, that will provide a real living wage; not one of mere subsistence. Absent this employment, one must expect that any self respecting man or woman, would then search out a job where ever they may find one. I'm pretty sure we would all do the same. Immigrants legal and illegal feel the pain of leaving family behind to make a few bucks in a country that for the most part despises their presence; an ugly experience that God willing none of you have to share. So why is it that we feel this need to demonize human beings trying to feed, clothe, and educate themselves and their families? Didn't our ancestors emigrate to this country for the very same reasons? Do we harbor this bigotry because this newer wave of immigrants come from places other than Western Europe? Perhaps because English is not their mother tongue? Surely you realize not all of us whose families have been here for multiple generations arrived from nations speaking English. After immigrants from England, the second largest group of arrivals came from Germany, as my sperm donors family did. I refer to him as "my sperm donor" because we never met, he's dead, his loss. The point is that after generations of assimilation, we're all American, the relevance of where our ancestors come from is nil.
My gut tells me the real reticence being displayed is much uglier than that. This spate of anti immigrant legislation in Alabama, Georgia, and Arizona, is another example of spasmodic racism akin to Jim Crow or, The Marijuana Tax Stamp Act. For those of you who are unaware, The Marijuana Tax Stamp Act which made pot illegal was first and foremost a tool used by our government that allowed for immediate deportation of Mexican nationals working our fields during the Great Depression. This act was promulgated by several Senators from southwestern states who were pandering for votes from an impoverished citizenry. Same old subterfuge we're seeing today. Time tested and still working, this type of scapegoating keeps blinders on the fools who will be lead by thieves and charlatans. Left un checked we could certainly witness a further decline to the moral depths of Apartheid, the Jewish Pogroms, and God forbid Nazism.

Immigration and American Reality

I just read the news today oh boy.... My apologies to the Beatles, but that line says it all. Alabama is in the news again, not because their football team is hot. No, only because of the racist nature of the state, and it's white inhabitants, who have raised their ugly heads again. Teaching hate seems to be a "Family Value" in Alabama. Two teams of basketball players in a pick up game, divided along racial lines, one white the other hispanic. The hispanic kids beat the white kids, but rather than shake hands and say"good game", the white kids started taunting the hispanic kids with racist shit like "why don't you Mexicans go home?" Why is it that a nation of immigrants, all of us but our Native American cousins who preceded our arrival, are immigrants or the descendants of immigrants; feel it necessary to demonize the people who immigrate here after us? Why would anyone with a shred of compassion, feel it's necessary to scapegoat a segment of humanity based on their ethnicity? Are any of you really "better" because of your ethnicity? Or do you cling to this antiquated notion because you're ignorant, ill-informed, or just a plain hating racist? We as a nation are incredibly spoiled, we like cheap food, we like our lawns green and manicured. We want other people to raise our children for us, because we're too busy chasing dollars. We like to eat out, so others can clean up the mess for us. In other words we're lazy. We believe we're too good to do certain types of manual labor. After all if a person can sit on their ever expanding ass and collect more money from welfare, than they can working the fields harvesting crops, or weeding the rows, do you blame them? No, I blame the system we put in place that allows our corporate farmers to pay far less than the Minimum Wage to their workers. Who else will accept the type of demeaning treatment, paltry pay, and long grueling hours in hot grimy conditions? Only those with no other opportunity, pretty safe to say that not many American Citizens will. I also blame the Welfare System for not actually investigating the needs of Welfare Applicants. This entire process of forms and filing in a brick and mortar setting without means testing through personal visits; does nothing but invite corruption, and condone an anti American lifestyle. I believe we might look into a system that allows people to collect welfare in return for farm labor, while the corporate farmer who now receives welfare funded labor should forgo his government subsidies. We could also save a boat load of cash by putting these people to work maintaining our State Parks, Rest Area's, highways, beaches, and rivers.... There should be some return for the pay, no one has ever handed me money to sit at home. Should we find a need for an influx of immigrant workers, we should pay them a living wage, treat them with the same respect we wish to be treated with when we travel to other countries.  For all of those who claim a Judeo-Christian faith, you'll recognize this as reaping what you sow. Or, doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. Funny how we can all spout these charming little affirmations of our outward faith, but seldom do we see people backing those words with action.
So America you stand now with a true dilemma before you, are you going to allow haters who would divide us along racial lines fool you into believing their bullshit; or will you turn away from this recurrent  culturally embedded racism, and embrace the fruits of immigration? Without it, you lose the Tesla's, Whitney's, Edison's and Einstein's of our Nation. But you get to keep the KKK, and a whole group of pandering political habitues spewing Fox News venom and hate. Your choice America.

America's Reality Disconnect with Marijuana

When my kids were growing up, I used to play a game with them called "Reality Is". I still play it with my wife, but I digress. What this allowed me to do, was share ideas, and shape the minds of both girls in a way that encouraged critical thought and problem solving. I like to believe this is why our daughters are involved in studies that embrace science rather than the liberal arts, though both would succeed as easily in either endeavor. Clearly my wife has other ideas as to the genesis of their thought processes, she can start her own blog and express them there. This place, this small slice of the world is mine, and I will fill it with ALL of the wisdom accumulated in my 50 years of information absorption; where I get to pontificate without interference from anyone as I seek to inform, and yes perhaps unload a bit. Lucky you dear reader, lucky you. Back to "Reality Is", this game which was quite effective in countering the vitriolic propaganda of the anti drug, anti gang, anti common sense, anti personal responsibility, regime of the public school system of the 1990's. Many a day my kids came home with the governments latest proclamations against marijuana and the evils associated with it's use. Drilled into their voracious little minds, were images of people,  well not people really, people don't smoke pot; only drug imbued sub human junkie tripsters use that shit. Visions of a group that don't deserve the same respect, honors and privileges of society, as say the police, fireman, or elected officials who slave away as "public servants" for an ungrateful public.(Insert sounds of puking here.) Believe me, trying to help my kids filter through this shit that had nothing to do with school, yet took an inordinate amount of their curricular time, was exhausting both physically and mentally. For all of us. Why do I have to defend myself to my kids about personal choice issues, that become issues only because of government interference into MY private matters?

 This is where "Reality Is" comes in. I would normally preface my statements to the girls with those two words, then transform the phrase into a question like: "Reality is Daddy smokes pot, but have either of you ever wanted for anything, or been denied my love because I do? "Reality is that life is full of struggles and God has given us all good things to sustain us through those times when we feel we need some assist. Is it wrong of me to use God's gifts as they were intended? "Reality is girls, that there are people out there who mean well, but really have no experience with marijuana in the way that I, and many millions of other Americans do. Their negativity is usually the result of a family member having been forced to deal with unnecessary prosecution or persecution, in a court of law through ordinance's that are neither well thought out or enforceable. Reality is girls, we have a public that has been, and continues to be, hoodwinked by a government careening down a road to no where.  This is especially true of our governments farcical placement of marijuana in the "Schedule One" class of drugs, right next to heroin. To the best of my knowledge, not one single person ever overdosed on marijuana, while untold numbers have perished riding the "H" train. How is it possible that we could have a person or persons in a position of power informing public policy, be so ill informed? So blatantly wrong? Why are we allowing this delusion to continue into the 21st century? 

Reality is America; marijuana is not going away, it's the most valuable cash crop in the country.

Reality is America; we don't allow the best farmers in the world to grow our herb, you know OUR FARMERS, we'd rather allow violent 'cartels' the opportunity to supply our self constructed black markets, while holding our friends and family in Mexico and South America hostage to their bullshit. 

Reality is America; for all the billions blown on the "War on Drugs", we could have provided a free college education to every American who wanted one. 

Reality is America; that had we prioritized our spending towards education, our need for prisons would be but a fraction of what we find ourselves warehousing citizens in now.

Reality is America; all the treasure buried in this cluster-fuck could have provided us all with a far better health care plan than "Barry Care" ever dreamed of. Maybe even as good as the one Congress voted themselves.

Reality is America; those of you who cling to the governments line on weed, would probably have been first in line for Kool Aid in Jonestown.

Manifesto of the American Reality Party

We have but one purpose for our group, this purpose is to cut through the copious quantity of pablum peddlers spewing the "company line" of government  through every outlet known to man. Except this one. Here you will discover unvarnished truth, fact, reality as it pertains to our daily lives. There will be a pronounced lean towards civil liberty, with an emphasis on dismantling the laws that have suspended our individual rights, including but not limited to the hilariously mis-named Patriot Act. We also advocate for the immediate end to the "War on Drugs", the dissolution of the DEA, BATF, and every other redundant 'law enforcement' agency in the nation. Republics with codes of law like ours breed only violent crime and dissension amongst those of us who bristle at the notion that we are children in need of guidance from an elite cabal of 'adults'. What we have become is a police state, protecting the interests of the corporate elite, well on our way to dictatorship. For myself and I'm assuming many millions more, this is wholly un acceptable. Through the power of ideas, and their dissemination to a wider audience of like minded citizens, we hope to affect change in our government that will drastically alter the course of our misguided country.