The Big Bad Fed

Barack Obama is a hypocrite. Here is a man, who before becoming the president of the United States, openly showed disapproval for marijuana prohibition. Just weeks ago, Colorado and Washington fully legalized marijuana for recreational use, becoming the first two states to end the unconstitutional prohibition. Rather than having the support of the Obama administration, these states are now at the mercy of the federal government which is already working towards bringing actions against these states. Ever since election day, the Obama administration has been holding high level meetings to determine the actions that the federal government should make against these states. One option the federal government is considering, is suing the states on the grounds that any efforts for states to regulate marijuana are preempted by federal law. The fed strikes again. Denying these states of their rights and preparing to spend millions to enforce a ridiculous prohibition that never should have been put into law in the first place. The irony in all of this is, is that the majority of the hundreds of thousands of marijuana users in Washington and Colorado, voted the president in for a second term.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/07/us/marijuana-initiatives-in-2-states-set-federal-officials-scrambling.html?ref=us&_r=0

The United States of Mexico

The unnamed author of "Four Score and Seven Blogs Ago" wrote an awesome post (in my humble opinion) for her blog stage five. Why are we so relaxed about who does and does not get to live here? I personally do not understand this. The United States is the land of opportunity, we notoriously welcome immigrants with open arms. There are thousands, hell, millions of people who migrate to this country that do it correctly. For those who cross our borders and enter this country illegally, I do not think we should accommodate these people. The people that go through the motions to live here, deserve to live here. Those who break international law, should be punished properly. I definitely agree that we NEED to secure our borders and crack down on those who have entered this country illegally. Illegals discredit those who work hard to get here. This is not a free ride, this is America. The link to my colleague's original article is below.

http://maggirush.blogspot.com/

Marijuanamerica

With the national election just days away, Americans are gearing up to vote. This election year is not only about the future president, but also many pressing local issues as well. One such local issue for the citizens of Colorado is the full legalization of marijuana and hemp...otherwise known as Amendment 64 to the Colorado State Constitution. This is a classic example of a state standing up for its rights. Coloradans voted this amendment down in 2006, but it is projected to pass this election year. What does this mean? This means that Colorado will be the first state in the United States to end the marijuana prohibition that began with William Randolph Hearst and his vendetta against the hemp industry in the 1930's. Hearst owned several newspapers and was a revered American journalist in the early 20th century. He was also the owner of incredibly large tracts of land that contained a huge amount of timber. When it was discovered that hemp products (hemp paper, hemp lumber, hemp fuel) were going to be the next big thing (possibly replacing the timber industry), William Randolph Hearst used his insanely powerful political connections to destroy and entire industry. After countless lobbying and use of his political power, Hearst officially made marijuana and hemp products illegal in the United States. An industry that would have generated massive and groundbreaking revenue for our country. This concerns me. What has changes since the 30's? The rich rule the United States of America and that is a sad fact. This is just one example of thousands that this country has produced of the federal government bending to the will of the rich. Nothing has changed. There is a glimmer of hope however...and that is the state of Colorado. Let us all hope and pray that this Amendment passes. It will be the beginning of the end this unconstitutional prohibition. And let us hope and pray that this will set a trend for generations to come. Not just for the hemp/marijuana laws around the country, but for other unconstitutional laws passed by corporate America as well.

Fear Helps?

Jonathan Haidt, an opinion columnist for the New York Times, has a very interesting concept about how Americans can deal with mounting threats and challenges in this election year. He states that "shared fear" can help us as a country, unite and solve all of these mounting problems. He writes that a single event that focuses our attention collectively (like national elections), is good for the country. Focusing all our attention on a single competition has historically united the citizens of the United States. He states that we as a nation bear some of the responsibility of what has happened to our nation. Rich, poor, middle class...all the same. He says if we as Americans focus on common threats to our nation, as opposed to common ground, then we would be a more united people. Unlike a foreign attack, problems that only threaten values held by certain groups of Americans, divide us as a nation. Haidt states that "morality binds and blinds." In America, it mostly blinds. Haidt's article is only trying to create a realization that we are all petty, but if we were to focus on common issues and threats, the country would be miles better. Fearing our problems as a collective will solve more problems than trying to focus on our party vendettas.

Romney: The Grand Old Leader

If you had the time to sit in front of your television last Wednesday, October 3rd...you should have watched the first of three presidential debates that are taking place before the 2012 election. Debates are a great way for regular Joes and the informed voter alike, to gain knowledge and an understanding of the candidates in this year's race. Most of us, at least most of us, know that the major players this year are Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan and Barack Obama/Joe Biden. Mitt and Barack went at it last Wednesday and I must say, Mitt Romney really impressed me. Although I do call myself a Republican, I do not stand with Mitt Romney on A LOT of issues. Last Wednesday however, I was impressed with Mitt Romney's strong performance, and surprised that someone was able to out-speak Barack Obama who is well known for his extremely strong, articulate and confident speeches. Mr. Ross Douthet, an opinion columnist from the New York Times, wrote a great article about Mr. Romney's strong display of leadership and how the Republican party (after the debate last Wednesday) could feel confident in naming Mitt Romney as its leader. He does a great job of explaining how before last Wednesday, Mitt Romney has not displayed that he can lead the divided Republican party due to his tendency to conform to inter-party issues. The statement comparing Mitt Romney to Reagan may sound a like a stretch, but the numbers don't lie. Mitt Romney's popularity significantly climbed across the nation overnight and the Republican party can be proud of his strong performance, and be confident in his leadership capabilities. Romney performed incredibly on the national stage and I am curious to see the next few debates before the election. Be sure to catch the vice-presidential debate this Wednesday, October 11th. I am excited to see how Paul Ryan, Mitt's vice presidential nominee, performs on the national stage under the strenuous, pressure-filled debate stage on national television. Mr. Obama and Mr. Biden need to step it up a notch. You can find the link to this great NY Times article by Ross Douthet below.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/07/opinion/sunday/douthat-it-could-be-his-party.html?_r=1&ref=opinion

Obama's Got a Pair

President Barack Obama, unfortunately, is viewed by the world as a weak, non-confrontational president. I for one am under the impression that the leader of the free world should not be looked at in this way. While President Obama's foreign policy has been rocky at best, there are definitely notable hurtles he has jumped in the world community. With the election fast approaching, President Obama addressed the United Nations General Assembly this morning with some strong, confident words about America's stake in the world today. He showed his strong arm in the verbal defense of our nation and its policies. It's great to see our president stand up and put down the anti-American related violence that has been occurring these past few weeks. This article is definitely worth reading. The election is fast approaching and President Obama will surely get a campaign boost out of this. If it doesn't make you feel at least a little bit of pride and patriotism...I don't know what will. Enjoy!

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/26/world/obamas-address-to-united-nations.html?_r=0