New York State of High

Well, pot dealers throughout New York State can breathe – or exhale – a sigh of relief. Medical marijuana has been legislatively approved, but our Governor, Andrew Cuomo, has seen to it that patients who will be allowed it (and it’s a narrow list) can’t smoke it. They can eat it, use a tincture, and even vaporize it (like the e-cigarettes you can’t use anywhere in New York City except in your own home), but you can’t smoke it. Smoke is bad, all smoke is bad; Cuomo would like to make New York a smoke-free state. (I know most people hate smoking now, but good luck with that.) So New York’s many recreational pot smokers will still be getting their stash from one friendly neighborhood dealer or another. And we tell kids crime doesn’t pay!

Don’t get me wrong: I’m delighted that people with cancer, AIDS, MS, epilepsy and a few other horrible diseases will finally be able to get the marijuana relief they need. But political leaders still have a blunt up their asses about recreational pot. They’re genuinely afraid of it, think it’s dangerous. Cuomo even called it a “gateway drug,” a term I haven’t heard in decades.

He thinks pot smoking is what’s causing the considerable uptick in heroin use. This is not true. What is true is that people want to get high, and getting loaded on perfectly legal and truly dangerous alcohol is often not what they want. But illegal pot – even the mediocre street stuff, never mind the really good stuff – is expensive. Heroin is cheap and a true vacation from reality. Many of the newer heroin users don’t shoot it up, they snort it, like millions used to do with cocaine, which was always pricey but is now virtually unaffordable.

Unfortunately, there will always be drug and alcohol users who behave irresponsibly, driving when they’re truly impaired, giving in to violent behavior, etc. This makes it very bad for people who behave themselves when they’re snockered. I’ve never been much of a drinker, but I was a heavy pot smoker in my day, and if it was legal, affordable and of…high quality, I’d smoke again. And if it was all those things and properly regulated, marijuana would be a true job creator and deliver a fortune in taxes to local, state and federal authorities. It would be a real shot in the arm, so to speak, to a listless economy. 

But so long as people like Cuomo, people who are apparently very ignorant about drugs and human nature, and who feel politically obliged to cater to the square minority are in power, we’ll pretend that pot is a dangerous portal to narcotics and a social scourge instead of the least harmful antidote to the trials of daily modern life contained in the anesthetizing box. Too bad. Too silly, too stupid, and too, too, bad. Hopefully Colorado will set a good example and we’ll live to see sensible policy grow like a weed from coast to coast.

Good News…Bad News

I was, of course, delighted and relieved that President Obama was re-elected and the Democrats maintain the majority in the Senate.  I’m wary but hopeful that Republicans, at least some, recognize the major changes in American demographics and attitudes and understand that if their party is to remain viable, they have no choice but to reject the far-right-as-you-can-go fringe and move more to a workable center in order to actually help run the country – which they can now do, since they failed to achieve their primary objective: making Barack Obama a one-term president.  I was also very pleased that both marriage equality and the decriminalization of marijuana made strides in a few states.  All of this is good news.

But, now that the nation has managed to suffer through this seemingly-endless campaign, there is a considerable amount of bad news to contemplate and correct  – and some of it isn’t “news,” just situations, some fairly recent and others that have been with us for quite a long time.

Let’s begin with the length and cost of this election: two years and $4.2 billion.  The rest of the Democratic World (yes, Virginia, there are over 170 democratic countries) manage to hold elections in just six months to a year.  Why can’t we?  They also manage to not spend billions of dollars or euros or whatever currency they use, and the funds raised aren’t largely comprised of “dark money” (unidentified individual and corporate donors) in massive Super Pacs.  These two situations alone hugely undermine the truth/reality of our democracy, let alone its ability to function.  The fact that more than half the country didn’t vote at all is directly tied to these two factors.

The lack of voting can also be attributed to political cynicism and fatigue on the part of the citizenry; the inability of the two parties to agree on facts – which are different from opinions and perceived solutions to problems big and small; the willingness of both parties to fight dirty and outright lie; the hugely disparate methods of voting, from registration to voting to counting the votes; the outrageously blatant voter suppression that went on during this election cycle; the distinction of “important, battleground states” that make many people in and outside those states feel that their votes are meaningless; and, most of all, the existence of the long-outmoded Electoral College.  These issues pose a valid question: given these factors, why should anyone feel obliged to take an active interest in politics, let alone leave the comfort of home to go out and vote?

Last but most assuredly not least is the media – from daily television news coverage to the “debates” to coverage of the results on Election Day.  Let me take these issues in reverse order.

When I was a kid and then a young voter, there was such a thing as “No electioneering near the polls.”  You couldn’t even enter a voting station wearing a political button.  Then, the three major broadcast TV networks (which was all we had) didn’t begin coverage of the results until the West Coast had largely closed its polls.  These practices were designed to not influence voters on Election Day itself and they were sacrosanct.

In this day and age, however, we have 24/7 news channels: three majors (Left, Right and Center) and a few minors.  Their Election Day coverage began at the crack of dawn on Tuesday, which amounts to electronic electioneering near the polls.  This isn’t good; this isn’t right.  We also have legitimate news sources as well as blogs and social media on the (relatively) new-fangled Internet, which operates on its own 24/7 spectrum in the space-time continuum and is governed and controlled by nothing and nobody.  Sounds great in theory, but a lot of Internet power is in the hands of irresponsible, disreputable and self-serving persons and groups.  What can be done about this?  Lastly, we have polls and pundits.  Polls and pundits are nothing new, but we now have a monumental number of them, some of them credible, others not.  Combined, they contribute to the divisiveness and dullness of political information, not to mention a serious blurring of factual news and both informed and uninformed opinion.

As a result of all this, we have daily news coverage that can frequently rot the brain the way sugar causes cavities.  News outlets spend more time on gaffes,  scandals, taking things out of context, and on the political horserace than they do on major issues.  Right now, before President Obama has even been re-inaugurated, much of the media are speculating about the horse races of 2014 and 2016.  This does not help politics or elections seem meaningful; it’s like sport for news/political junkies.  I totally ignore major/minor league athletics because they bore and annoy me.  With this kind of political coverage, why should many citizens feel differently about politics?  Then there are the debates the media moderate and broadcast.  These might be helpful if they truly covered all the important issues of the day.  But they don’t.  They’re rigid, limited and vary in format in a way that does nothing to help bring issues to the fore.  Is this any way to run a railroad?

If indeed America is to remain a democracy and if we’re going to continue to have elections big and small that actually mean something, then we must (no ifs, ands or buts) reform election law from financing to process.  And if we’re going to continue to have 24-hour news cycles (and that’s not likely to change) on TV and online, modern journalism must honestly re-assess its strengths and weaknesses and how they use their time.  Currently, public television (which those who apparently don’t watch it seem to think consists largely of children’s programming; so not true!) and C-SPAN are the only outlets I’m aware of that routinely produce and air a diversity of documentaries and panel discussions on major political issues, both fiscal and social, on a regular, ongoing basis.

So, while I’m glad my guy won, I’m definitely not a happy camper about the dysfunction of political contests and the media that cover them.  Once we manage to not fall off the fiscal cliff that is currently of serious concern, I hope our leaders and our media will make the time to examine and clean up their acts.

A Political Hangover

I don’t know about you, but I spent the weekend feeling betrayed, insulted and sullied by the political theatre production of Budget. If you looked at the programme, you know it read: “Starring John Boehner and Harry Reid, with Barack Obama as the President Who Does Nothing, and introducing The Tea Party as The Hateful Minority That Has Seized Undeserved Power."

After the performance was over Friday night and the players were taking a bow, I felt sick and furious watching these supposedly arch enemies pat themselves and each other on the back. (Then on Saturday, Obama went sprinting up the steps of the Lincoln Monument to remind visitors that they could enjoy being there because he and Congressional leaders had done the right thing and managed to keep the government up and running. Give me a big break!)

How is it possible that the Democrats, who could and should have presented a fiscally responsible and socially progressive budget six fucking months ago not do so and instead collaborate with the Republicans, the Conservatives and the Ignorant Teabag Maniacs after allowing the budget process to come down to the wire? How could the President allow military and civil service families suffer horrid anxiety about money for their day-to-day lives when he and all the cronies on both sides knew very well they were not going to let the government shut down? And how has the Tea Party, undeniably representing a minority of American opinion, gained so much political influence so quickly?

Smarter and better-informed heads than mine are pondering these questions and writing about them today. Since my ultimate question is: how can American Progressives sit back quietly while the noisy, hateful opposition use previously-successful left-wing tactics to successfully push forward their right-wing agenda?, I want to offer you links to some of the better things I’ve read this morning – with the hope that you’ll read them, too:

The President Is Missing

by Paul Krugman

Why the Right-Wing Bullies Will Hold The Nation Hostage Again and Again

by Robert Reich

Why Progressives Keep On Losing and the Right Keeps On Winning

by Richard Eskow

As I was traversing the blogosphere and news outlets this morning, it was clear that most folks were willing to put the budget-2011 fracas behind them and focus on the bigger battle currently gathering steam: budget-2012. Perfectly reasonable. But in order to fully prepare yourself for this onslaught, it’s worth noting what really happened last week – and why (therefore, the links above).

Going forward, confronting the deficit, the debt and (now) the debt ceiling may seem necessary, although that’s questionable… But let’s assume it’s as essential as the Republicans would have us believe. Why is there no deafening call for more revenue on the part of Democrats? When is someone going to find the balls to proportionately tax very rich people, as well as end tax cuts for corporations who outsource American jobs, and go after the huge sums in other unpaid corporate taxes (e.g., GE)? When will truly non-essential monies be cut out of the bloated Defense budget? When will the federal government look at its own house and defund programs that duplicate the functions of others already successfully in place (which in itself would save billions)?

And when will President Obama stop playing Mr. Nice Bipartisan Guy and start talking and behaving like the liberal he’s supposed to be? When will he let the opposition know that budget cuts will not be made on the backs of women, children, the poor, the environment, education, and the best that American culture provides – all of which, combined, doesn’t even begin to compare to the costs of mismanaged Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Don’t get me wrong: I do not want to see cuts in those programs made in such a way that they take anything away from the people they were established to serve. But no one can deny that there’s waste and fraud there, and a fine scalpel (instead of an ax) should be used to cut them out. And, once again (I’ll keep saying this over and over), the U.S. would save billions and earn billions if marijuana were legalized and taxed – and the War on Drugs could be waged against substances that truly kill people, cripple lives, and damage communities.

My final question is when will We the People start getting more concerned and involved – but I’m saving that commentary for another post, something that might be called Effective Dissent for Busy, Tired People. Keep an eye peeled.

It's Time

“The free thinking of one age is the common sense of the next,” said the 19th century critic and poet, Matthew Arnold. Could it be that America’s 20th century War on Pot, which costs $10 billion a year and has achieved nothing but the creation of a prosperous, crime-run, underground industry and the incarceration of millions – 873,000 in 2007 alone; 738,900 just for personal use – is finally coming to an end? I’m heartened that common sense about marijuana may prevail now, in response to our economic crisis – just as alcohol Prohibition was repealed in 1933 as a common sense response to the Great Depression. In critical times, we should stop sweating the small stuff and get our priorities (you should excuse the expression…) straight.

The argument for legalizing marijuana is getting stronger, thanks to support from increasing and surprising quarters: Harvard economy professor Lester Grinspoon; several congressional representatives, including California’s Loretta Sanchez and Massachusetts’ Barney Frank; Dave Cieslewicz, the mayor of Madison, Wisconsin; conservative columnist Kathleen Parker; and thousands of medical doctors who highly praise the benefits of medicinal marijuana. It is estimated that our country would save $77 billion annually by taking pot off the criminal agenda. It is also assured that billions more could be generated through licensing the sale and taxing the purchase of recreational pot and marijuana accoutrements. There would also be enormous industrial benefits; hemp is an inexpensive, highly versatile commodity.

Most important, changing our fear-and-ignorance-based attitudes about pot would allow for greater political, judicial, economic, and social focus on truly dangerous, addictive drugs like heroin, cocaine, crystal meth, and the entire haute collection of designer drugs. Addiction is a genuine problem – but pot is not the culprit. America has been brainwashed about the dangers of pot for nearly 100 years with lies such as “marijuana leads to the harder stuff” and “marijuana will make you insane.” Not true, never was. Hundreds of thousands of deaths each year are directly related to the use of alcohol and tobacco. The number of deaths attributed to pot: zero. Yet more people are arrested and convicted for the use and/or sale of marijuana than for all violent crime combined: murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. It’s time to wake up and smell the reefer!

It has been argued that making pot socially acceptable and both legally and readily available, will “send the wrong message to kids” and encourage the lethargy and lack of ambition/action accurately associated with pot smoking – but it ain’t necessarily so. Society makes clear distinctions between acceptable social drinking and pathological drinking, the kind that leads to alcoholism, violence, drunk driving, and dysfunctional personal and family life. Business started frowning on the three-martini lunch decades ago, but the after-work cocktail is still in vogue. There’s no sensible reason to believe that with proper restrictions and creative, appropriate marketing, marijuana use would not be properly controlled. In addition, the impact on children should not be the sole arbiter of all adult privileges and behavior. And although alcohol and cigarettes have been proven to be more dangerous and harmful than pot, nobody advocates criminalizing them – just taxing their users to the max for the greater benefit of society!

People want and need to feel good, to feel better, and they use a variety of substances – alcohol, cigarettes, food, all categories of drugs – as well as an assortment of behaviors, such as compulsive-level gambling and shopping – to “feed your head,” as we used to say in the 60s. Humankind has always done this and efforts to criminalize pleasure have always failed and often resulted in new, genuinely dangerous forms of crime. To continue in this manner is just plain stupid.

As I said recently on this blog, we as a nation would get better faster if we would just grow up. Legalizing pot would be a good start. Each year, about 20 million Americans try pot for the first time or use it occasionally; 11 million are regular users. According to a poll by Zogby International, 44% of Americans support legalization already, and the battle for pot has just begun to gain traction with the general public. It’s time to let grown-ups smoke a joint or take a bong hit without being viewed as degenerates and treated like criminals. It’s time for 21st century common sense to prevail about pot.