TigerBill
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Mar 11 2002
Posts: 1660
Loc: NJ
|
|
I have extremely strong feelings on this issue, as I'm certain many of you do. And with pot (marijuana) coming up in the news so much recently, with 14 states having legalized it for medical use and others considering the same, I thought I'd get the ball rolling by opening up the discussion specifically on pot.
First off I want to say that I'm not now, and never have been, a pot user or a recreational user of any drug including alcohol. But there are many, many, many others in America and around the globe who do use recreational drugs regularly, especially pot.
My opinion is that pot should be legalized everywhere and taxed and controlled just like alcohol. Whether you are a recreational (illegal) pot user or not, the fact is that there are many people who want it and they are getting it anyway, currently through illegal drug dealers. This puts money in the pockets of organized crime. So why not allow our state and federal governments to profit from this instead, which would lessen our tax burden and hurt organized crime at the same time?
Will it make me want to use it once I can go to my local pot store and buy some legally? You're darn right it will! 
No... I'm kidding. Of course not! I can easily buy alcohol but I don't use that either!
I see this simply as history repeating itself and not in a good way. The only thing that came out of the 13 year long span of alcohol prohibition that began in 1920 was the rise of organized crime syndicates who became rich and powerful from selling alcohol illegally. And why were they so successful? Because there was a huge demand for it.
It's no different with pot today. People want it and are getting it illegally now, despite all the money we waste trying to stop them by locking up those we catch buying, using, or selling it - we only arrest the small potato gofers while the syndicate bosses remain untouched.
From the standpoint of our health, pot is no worse for the human body than alcohol. In fact it's healthier than alcohol so why shouldn't we legalize it?
This seems like a real no-brainer to me and I don't understand why we continue to make the same mistake we made so many years ago with the prohibition on alcohol.
I'd like to hear your opinion either for or against the legalization of pot. We can get to the other illegal drugs too in another thread but let's just stick with pot for now.
--------------------
Tiger Bill Meligari
Tension Free Drumming
|
777Drum
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Feb 08 2006
Posts: 918
Loc: TX
|
|
I agree Bill. The war on drugs is a joke. They'll never stop it, so why not tax it legally? I think it's a shame people are in jail for selling or possessing weed. Alcohol is a far more dangerous drug.
--------------------
" I am not a Number! I am a Free Man!
|
awfulldrummer
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Jun 26 2007
Posts: 984
Loc: the internet
|
|
i'm no doctor, so for medical uses i have no opinion. leave that up to the medical professionals! as far as other uses i'm 100% against legalization! Alcohol Pot and All other drugs are the worst things to have ever happened to our great world.
|
777Drum
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Feb 08 2006
Posts: 918
Loc: TX
|
|
This is why we have the drug Cartels.
--------------------
" I am not a Number! I am a Free Man!
|
wally
Tiger Talk Trainee
Reged: Dec 25 2006
Posts: 5
Loc: ILLINOIS, USA
|
|
Yes I agree to legalize it but it should not be taxed or at least be free to grow at home. As far as medical marijuana I believe that it would put the drug in a different classification and anyone caught with it without a "scrip" would maybe get socked with a felony! I don't use it {job forbids it} but did when I was younger. The only way it will be truly legal is if the feds legalize it!
|
Ratamatatt
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Jul 02 2003
Posts: 2236
Loc: Arrakis
|
|
It's all a subterfuge to create a basis to give taxpayers' money to private capitalists in exchange for kickbacks to elected representatives. That's it! You've heard of "earmarks" in spending bills? There is no other rational basis to privatize government functions. Capitalism is the great corrupter of government. And, when you privatize a government function, it always costs more, and the services are always of lower quality. That's the nature of capitalism - to take as much as possible and give as little as possible.
In this case, I'm talking about the private prison system that houses many state and federal criminals. The U.S. not only has the largest percentage of its population in jail (2 million - over 1% of the adult population), it has the largest prison population, period. China has the second largest prison population at 1.5 million, which is less than 1/4 of 1% of its population. Remind me again, which is the land of the free?
But, more disturbingly, in the U.S., 60% of all federal prisoners, and 40% of all state prisoners are incarcerated for NON-VIOLENT drug possession and sales crimes. Imagine how much taxpayers' money could be saved not having to apprehend, prosecute and incarcerate 1 million people. Imagine what would happen to the violent crime rate if the possession, use and sale of marijuana and cocaine were decriminalized. The price of each would drop to the floor instantly eliminating the profitability, and therefore, the motivation of organized criminals, to deal in these drugs.
But, as I've said, capitalism is the great corrupter. When ever the government acts in what appears to be an arbitrary, irrational, illogical manner, you instantly know that kickbacks are being paid to elected representatives in exchange for a government contract or other government favor, like adding a new deduction in the tax code. The examples are limitless.
|
777Drum
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Feb 08 2006
Posts: 918
Loc: TX
|
|
Quote:
It's all a subterfuge to create a basis to give taxpayers' money to private capitalists in exchange for kickbacks to elected representatives. That's it! You've heard of "earmarks" in spending bills? There is no other rational basis to privatize government functions. Capitalism is the great corrupter of government. And, when you privatize a government function, it always costs more, and the services are always of lower quality. That's the nature of capitalism - to take as much as possible and give as little as possible.
----------------------------------------------------
The government specializes in losing money. Private enterprise can't do that. They don't have an endless supply of taxpayer money to run their business. The free market has what is known as competition. If a business has crap products and service they don't last as their competitors offer another choice to the buyers. Government offers one choice and it's the very worst. Private enterprise service and quality blow away anything the government has to offer. The big push to legalize pot comes from california which is broke due to failed social programs and entitlements. Their thinking is, Let's make some money on reefer and maybe we can stop sending out IOUs! Socialism doesn't work. Do the math.
--------------------
" I am not a Number! I am a Free Man!
Edited by 777Drum (Fri Apr 30 2010 07:09 AM)
|
Ratamatatt
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Jul 02 2003
Posts: 2236
Loc: Arrakis
|
|
Quote:
Quote:
It's all a subterfuge to create a basis to give taxpayers' money to private capitalists in exchange for kickbacks to elected representatives. That's it! You've heard of "earmarks" in spending bills? There is no other rational basis to privatize government functions. Capitalism is the great corrupter of government. And, when you privatize a government function, it always costs more, and the services are always of lower quality. That's the nature of capitalism - to take as much as possible and give as little as possible.
----------------------------------------------------
The government specializes in losing money. Private enterprise can't do that. They don't have an endless supply of taxpayer money to run their business. The free market has what is known as competition. If a business has crap products and service they don't last as their competitors offer another choice to the buyers. Government offers one choice and it's the very worst. Private enterprise service and quality blow away anything the government has to offer. The big push to legalize pot comes from california which is broke due to failed social programs and entitlements. Their thinking is, Let's make some money on reefer and maybe we can stop sending out IOUs! Socialism doesn't work. Do the math.
Your comments are non secuiturs and false premises all.
Socialism works very well, and there are numerous examples in which the citizens of countries with significant socialist economies have higher standards of living and live healthier longer lives than do Americans. America also has a significant socialist economy. Unfortunately, it has been severely corrupted by capitalists over the past 30 years.
Further, you erroneously imply that socialism is the antithesis of free market capitalism. It's not. Regulated capitalism is. As we've all witnessed (those of us who can see), again, regulated capitalism is the only way for capitalism to succeed. Without sufficient regulation, capitalism cannabalizes itself and everything around it.
Moreover, government is not business, it is not in business, and it is not supposed to make a profit. That is not the purpose of government. To say that the government specializes in loosing money is a cheap attempt contaminate the debate. It's a meaningless pejorative.
In the reality based world the role of a capitalist is to grab everything he can for himself, to the detriment of all others. And it matters not to a capitalist if his gain is achieved by lying, cheating, stealing, murder or corruption of government in the aid of gain. Here's a recent and typical example: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/04/fbi_probing_fed_officials_and.html.).
Also, in the reality based world, capitalism cannot be maintained without a strong, competent government and competent regulation. In addition, the government provides essential services MUCH MUCH more efficiently and equitably than capitalism. There is no rational dispute about that fact. Socialism just works better than capitalism at providing the large scale services and infrastructure which serve as a level playing field allowing for all a realistic opportunity to succeed as capitalists.
But, none of that is the point. The point is that the possession, sale and use of marijuana and cocaine are criminalized because of capitalist corruption of the government.
|
777Drum
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Feb 08 2006
Posts: 918
Loc: TX
|
|
Obviously, you are not self employed. I disagree with everything you said.
--------------------
" I am not a Number! I am a Free Man!
|
Ratamatatt
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Jul 02 2003
Posts: 2236
Loc: Arrakis
|
|
Quote:
Obviously, you are not self employed. I disagree with everything you said.
Wrong again, Fox Noise breath! I am self employed! And, my taxes are too high because Exxon, GE and Henry Kravis don't pay their fair share.
Of course you disagree. You've swallowed the Ronald Reagan lie, that government is bad, perpetuated by the propagandists for the corporatocracy (aka the main stream media), ever since, hook line and sinker. You need to do some independent investigation and some independent critical thinking. It's easy to declare that you disagree. It's a little more difficult to back up your position with principled authoritative argument.
|
Copyright
© 1998-2006 by TigerMix.com,
Inc.
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
