Comments on: Two Seattle Police Chiefs: One a Drug Czar, the Other a “Legalizer”

By: Lea

Lea — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:49:58 +0000

O.K., so I won’t get an answer, sigh ….

Here’s something that may be of interest:

The latest bailout came as AIG admitted to having just posted the largest quarterly loss in American corporate history — some $61.7 billion. In the final three months of last year, the company lost more than $27 million every hour. That’s $465,000 a minute, a yearly income for a median American household every six seconds, roughly $7,750 a second.

I’ve been following this since the early days and have come to a conclusion that is never voiced: this whole thing came in three parts.

In the first part, the “shadow banking system” created garbage bonds and sold them to bondholders (suckers). This was supposed to play out that the suckers got taken and life would go on. But!

In the second part, the “shadow banking system” chose to become their own suckers. The owner of the Mirage casino does not go over to the Bellagio casino and play craps on borrowed money. But that is exactly what these guys did: they played in their own casino and burned themselves and each other (C.f. Goldman shorting AIG and buying insurance from AIG. I am not allowed to buy 10 fire insurance policies on your house.)

Unfortunately, the casino is the “engine room” of the economy and that’s why we’re dead in the water.

In the third part, the “engine room” does not want to get repaired for a few reasons: 1) the extent of the damage requires replacement rather than repairs, 2) the disclosure of this would quite likely sink the ship, and 3) (the third rail of international finance) fantastic amounts of drug and other criminal funds are involved. Disclosing this would either sink the ship or involve replacing the entire crew or both.

Another suggestion: reduce the deductibility of debt payments. This whole thing is about debt pyramids: remove the granite quarry and the pyramids will stop getting built.

By: Rosebud

Rosebud — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 07:50:48 +0000

i would have to agree with joe mama…..there are slightly more pressing issues right now other than keeping potheads locked up. people like madoff and the wall street jerks that have ruined this country are getting away with it, not only that sex offenders and child molesters get lighter sentences than a non violent drug offender?? WTF! that seems to send a message to me that its ok for perverts to rape our children…but smoking a bowl is going way to far!…because if i want to be PEACEFUL, not hurt anyone or steal their money, and smoke a bowl of weed i can go to jail for that. the priorities in this country are so wack backwards its ridiculous.

By: Lea

Lea — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 02:07:48 +0000

#14 – Rachel H: “He” meaning Norm Stamper?

If this is the case I’d CERTAINLY love to hear from “him”.
I don’t doubt your comment Rachel H., just want to hear a reply, a comment from either NORML people or Norm.
What’s that? I’m listening ……. .

By: Brinna

Brinna — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 22:02:02 +0000

LEAP is an incredibly powerful voice of sanity. We should all dig into our pockets and support their work, which includes sending out speakers to talk about transforming our drug policy. Make a painless donation by buying some of the merchandise they offer. If you care about ending prohibition, your money could not be better spent.

By: SAINT RICO

SAINT RICO — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:02:04 +0000

Hell yea!!! I’m down for the return of protests. Jerry Moler has a great idea.

By: joe mama

joe mama — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 01:09:50 +0000

okay so again we are worried about drugs, in america, what about all this money we just gave to aig. and we again are worried about pot. Didn’t we rescue crooks in the 80′s for savings and loan scandal? Why are we still arresting people for pot , and not for basically stealing the american tax payer for billions of dollars ?? what a crock

By: Jeff

Jeff — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 01:04:34 +0000

Just by Reading tis Story…
Lets Celebrate Wit A Blunt :]

By: Jerry Moler

Jerry Moler — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:43:25 +0000

If so many intelligent people understand that prohibition doesn’t work why is it still being pursued? Does anyone in a position to actually change this policy have this same understanding. I think our political system handcuffs those that may want to see this policy changed. Maybe we need a veitnam era style protests to get the governments attention. It should be peaceful and well organized but it should take place in every major city in america on the same day. Let’s tell them how we really feel about this. We’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore!!!

By: Vote like a Beast

Vote like a Beast — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 21:49:11 +0000

My guess is the new drug czar will do his job and enforce the law. To change the law change the CONGRESS.
STOP trying to change your congressman’s closed mind and work for his or her removal. Maybe someday pot smokers will have an organization to marshal their collective political will, until then I guess Norml is the next best thing.

By: Rachel H

Rachel H — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:28:02 +0000

@Jordan -

When he was here in Seattle, he was part of a corrupt, power-driven drug prohibition machine.

He was part of a regime that used drug laws, police informants, and set up drug buys inside the businesses of innocent people in order to shut them down.

Once he left Seattle, he started preaching the LEAP line.

He may talk the good talk now, but he will always be one of the “bad guys” in my book.