Happy...

[patric]

It would actually be one of the more fiscally-responsible things we could do in terms of reducing government waste.

Unfortunately. the pockets that are being lined with money want it to stay that way.

Prosecutors played hidden camera video from that motel room that showed Tulsa Officer JJ Gray pocketing money, as well as Officer Nick DeBruin pocketing money and giving some to Officer Bruce Bonham, who also put some in his pocket. All this happens while Cpl. Harold Wells is in the same room.

Defense attorneys say the officers were going to take the money to let a drug dog sniff it for traces of drugs But, Gray testified they were all taking the money to steal it and they only gave it back and turned it in to the property room after getting spooked they were being set up.

He admitted on the stand that he had taken money on other search warrants, lied on affidavits and even gave drugs to a dealer to sell for him once. He says in that case, Cpl. Wells knew what he was doing and they believed the means justified the end, by busting a big drug dealer.

Wells can be heard on tape saying, "Nick says be sure to take care of him." Prosecutors say he's talking about getting Nick a cut of the money, but defense attorneys say he meant get his name on the subpoena so he'd get overtime pay to testify.

[Teatownclown]

'What I specifically said was that we were not going to prioritize prosecutions of persons who are using medical marijuana," Obama said. "I never made a commitment that somehow we were going to give carte blanche to large-scale producers and operators of marijuana ... and the reason is, because it's against federal law." So small scale for your own consumption is ok.' Obama

Would work for me... 

[jacobi]

While I don't smoke anymore (it's damn boring after 25), I think that the illegality of pot is idiotic.  How you you all think a decriminalization measure would fair in this state?  I know it wouldn't pass, put what are the numbers you think would go down.

[heironymouspasparagus]

While I don't smoke anymore (it's damn boring after 25), I think that the illegality of pot is idiotic.  How you you all think a decriminalization measure would fair in this state?  I know it wouldn't pass, put what are the numbers you think would go down.

We could start an initiative petition and see...

[nathanm]

We could start an initiative petition and see...

If only we could attach it to some sort of tax decrease.

[Hoss]

If only we could attach it to some sort of tax decrease.

Or a personhood bill....

[nathanm]

Or a personhood bill....

Good one! It can be the simplest ballot measure in history: "Sperm are people and weed is legal."

[jacobi]

"Sperm are people and weed is legal."

Why does that sound like it sould work here.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Will try to work something up this weekend and bring it for review.

How about turnpikes?  Or would that clutter up the issues, too much?

[Conan71]

Why does that sound like it sould work here.

Won't work.  The cons will say the plant is a living thing and reaping it to smoke is akin to abortion. 

It truly is sick the amount of resistance there is to decriminalizing pot when one considers the legality of alcohol, which can be proven to be far more deleterious to individuals, their families, and innocent bystanders.

While it's possible to become emotionally-dependent on pot, I've never heard of a case of physical dependence like alcohol.

[Teatownclown]

Won't work.  The cons will say the plant is a living thing and reaping it to smoke is akin to abortion. 

It truly is sick the amount of resistance there is to decriminalizing pot when one considers the legality of alcohol, which can be proven to be far more deleterious to individuals, their families, and innocent bystanders.

While it's possible to become emotionally-dependent on pot, I've never heard of a case of physical dependence like alcohol.

Then vote for Obama....

[AquaMan]

Wait. Currently many arrests are based on non payment of taxes on drug sales. What if....Sperm is life, Weed is Legal, Reduce Taxes on Weed?

[jacobi]

There was a feeling in this country that pot was going to be legal within a few years as early as the late 60's.  It is a testament to the power of cognitive dissonance that it remains illegal. So the question I have to ask is, is this a left/right issue?  To answer it means that we have to talk about the identity crisis in the GOP.  It seems that this one little issue epitomizes the trouble that the GOP is in.  Personal liberty and faith based initiatives are fundamentally incompatible.  So, if you want the gub'rmaint to leave you alone and not tax you or tell you what to do, that means that any of the pandering that the GOP dies to the mega church crowd, is an attempt to limit freedom.

As a side note, the notion of medical pot seems like a sidestep.  Mj does have some physiological benefits, but they are greatly over exadurated to try to give some elbow room to pot legislation.

[Conan71]

There was a feeling in this country that pot was going to be legal within a few years as early as the late 60's.  It is a testament to the power of cognitive dissonance that it remains illegal. So the question I have to ask is, is this a left/right issue?  To answer it means that we have to talk about the identity crisis in the GOP.  It seems that this one little issue epitomizes the trouble that the GOP is in.  Personal liberty and faith based initiatives are fundamentally incompatible.  So, if you want the gub'rmaint to leave you alone and not tax you or tell you what to do, that means that any of the pandering that the GOP dies to the mega church crowd, is an attempt to limit freedom.

As a side note, the notion of medical pot seems like a sidestep.  Mj does have some physiological benefits, but they are greatly over exadurated to try to give some elbow room to pot legislation.

Like homosexuality or adultery, the right isn't against it privately, they just don't want to be caught doing it.

We waste billions upon billions of dollars and cost thousands of people years off their lives by imprisoning them due to stupid laws against marijuana use.  True conservatives would recognize the travesty to personal liberty in the way we punish people for what is really a relatively harmless drug, especially compared to alcohol.  Fiscally speaking, it's very obvious what the conservative position should be.

[AquaMan]

Yeah, I don't see this as a left-independent-right issue though everything tends to get thrown into the blender and separated into oil, fiber and water. As Conan writes this is an economic issue. We continue mj prohibition and we'll keep getting the same results as alcohol prohibition did.