Cannabis Legalization

The American People vs. the American Government

  To understand the difficulty posed by having states where Cannabis is locally legal under some circumstances (and the Federal government claiming that it has the right to deny the democratically-agreed will of the local citizenry at the same time) it is helpful to start by taking a closer look at the two governments - both of which have a legal right to permit or prescribe actions of the people. The United States is a republic of fifty individual states. Each state has its own government, and the Federal government is the bridging force to prevent, for example, a state like Texas from invading a neighboring state and annexing it. It also has authority over events like a crime being committed in one state, and then the criminal fleeing to a neighboring state. Certain major works such as interstate freeways, etc. are also under the domain of the Federal government. From the perspective of the Federal government, since the states where this sentiment has been legally ratified is in the minority, they should be allowed to continue to deny Cannabis use - regardless of the opinion of the people living in the state. Proponents of a strong Federal government are generally of the position that we are a single country, and should follow a unified set of laws in such matters. From the perspective of the legal weed states, they have followed due process, and have determined that their population of Americans agree that Cannabis use is acceptable under certain circumstances. Proponents of states' rights tend to see the states more as individual countries that just have really, really good relations with each other and act as a unit on things like foreign affairs. Humans have been growing Cannabis for at least 10,000 years, and the plant wasn't illegal in the US until the 1930s. Why not just allow an exception for these states, as certain Californian wineries received during the American alcohol prohibition debacle? It's about the money, power, and the current culture that controls the stockpiles of weed in America. Who knows why the 'I got mine so I don't have to care about you' business mentality is so embraced and rewarded in America? It is normally just a self-centered egocentric phase commonly known as the 'terrible twos' in small children, but inexplicably our society rewards those that are very successful at implementing it with lavish lifestyles and more resources than the rest of the population. It isn't that these people contribute more to society, it's that they have the skill of acquiring and hoarding resources. If all adult Americans were free to grow and smoke Cannabis, that would mean that there would be resources out of the control of the greedy people who feel that they have the right to 'get theirs', even at the expense of others not getting any. One truly impressive feat by the American rich is convincing so many of those that they take from that any correction in the current inequities would be so devastating that it would threaten the very fabric of the country - the same one they are ripping to shreds by each trying to amass the greatest pile for themselves. “American pharmaceutical and medical health corporations have the ultimate capitalistic dream position: Pay them whatever they want to extort from you, or suffer and die.„ American pharmaceutical and medical health corporations have the ultimate capitalistic dream position: Pay them whatever they want to extort from you, or suffer and die. It's no wonder that they have established such a massive power base that they can pressure the Federal government to defy the will of the citizenry with impunity - American 'democracy' or not. So blatant is this culture that one major health corporation in California even takes its name from a man legendary for his lust, greed for gold and using natives as slave labor. They should take note that in the end he died broke. The drain on resources by the rich in America is among the highest in the world proportionately. General Electric managed to manipulate the system with such skill that out of $14.2 billion in profits, it paid less in US taxes than the average working private American citizen did. The feds say 'no', and some of the states say 'yes'. The corporate welfare and criminal elements make more money if Cannabis is illegal, so they have exerted enough pressure on the Feds to get them to send in armed people in uniforms to force compliance in locations such as Ukiah's Northstone Organics in Mendocino County. Despite working with local law enforcement to ensure proper and permitted compliance, and going so far as to purchase tags to mark approved plants, Federal agents armed with machine guns invaded and seized both property and uprooted plants. One has to wonder if the cost of permits and such that were purchased from the county will be refunded, since the county knowingly failed to protect the citizen's legal property from an invading outside force. If a group demands money from businesses in exchange for the service of 'protection' against the collecting group but no other value is offered, under any other circumstances that would be labeled 'racketeering'. “Another tactic being used is for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to deny standard business deductions such as payroll costs from companies and dispensaries.„ Another tactic being used is for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to deny standard business deductions such as payroll costs from companies and dispensaries, like San Francisco's Harborside Health Center. Again, despite obvious efforts to operate in a responsible fashion by filing business taxes, they are exorbitantly penalized for doing so. The street price of Cannabis has fallen in California since the medical marijuana movement has taken hold. In an outdoor field environment, it is both cheap and easy to grow - as long as the pest that walks on two legs doesn't infest your garden. I advocate to the man on the street to avoid connecting money and pot when possible. 'Don't mix greens.' As soon as money gets involved, people tend to get greedy and stupid. Situations where someone is just growing enough to keep themselves (and maybe a friend or two) in smoke tend to be the safest, as long as they are kept discrete. It takes a lot of the greed-powered stupid out of the equation. If you happen to have a bountiful harvest, consider sharing the bounty with a friend of yours, or someone else in need. Peace, love and puka shells, Grubbycup