Updates on the various drug law reform items I’ve been following:
– Yesterday, former U.S. Attorney for Western Washington John McKay, along with former police officer Tim Burgess and Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes, encouraged the state legislature to legalize marijuana and have it sold in state liquor stores. At the very least, I’d like to see a vote on this bill. There are a lot of legislators in this state who talk a good game on the budget, and it’d be interesting to see how many of them have the courage to put politics aside and walk the walk.
– The trial of medical marijuana provider Bryan Gabriel ended with a hung jury. Eight jurors found him not guilty, three found him guilty, and one was undecided. It’s not known yet whether King County Prosecutors will attempt to retry him, but I have trouble believing that they would. The case they had against Gabriel was laughable (and it’s worth pointing out that they filed these charges on the day Snoqualmie Police were forced to return 10 ounces of medical marijuana to him from a different sting operation – and 15 months after the alleged transaction took place). In trial, they had no audio or video evidence, no fingerprints, and the person to whom Gabriel allegedly sold the bag wouldn’t even testify under oath. Only Snoqualmie Police officers took the stand for the prosecution. If Satterberg’s office balked at bringing charges against Ian Birk because they wouldn’t be able to win a conviction, then what the hell was this?
– On Monday there were a number of raids across Montana shutting down marijuana production facilities. Just as in Washington, Montana has legalized the use of medical marijuana, but hasn’t established a network of distribution to supply their patients. But unlike here in Washington – where we’re on the verge of legalizing both dispensaries and licensed grows – their legislature tried to repeal their still-popular medical marijuana law. As the Montana State Senate deadlocked on the repeal bill, the Obama Administration’s DEA began shutting down the facilities across the state anyway. Because these facilities were operating outside state law, this wasn’t a violation of Obama’s stated position on medical marijuana, but this certainly appears to be a case where the Obama Administration is working closely with Montana’s Republicans to gut a law that both the people of the state and the state’s Democrats both support. There’s no excuse for that.
http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/wh.....34014.html Captn Blynd sets ablaze a pile of marijuana plants and buds outside his Freeland (whidbey Island) home earlier this week after he said he received threats against his medical marijuana cooperative.
Looks like we don’t have too much to worry about with southern voters, they’re all going to die young from complications from diabetes.
http://www.dailyyonder.com/thu.....03/17/3233
“encouraged the state legislature to legalize marijuana and have it sold in state liquor stores.”
That’s why I didn’t vote for those initiatives taking the state’s liquor control monopoly away: the state’s current liquor control system is the perfect venue for the eventual legalization of cannabis. Legalization is coming and will be here within our lifetimes.
‘Bout effin’ time!!!
Satterberg’s decisions are driven by whatever will keep Satterberg in office.
Lee wants everyone to believe that all the pot smokers are just going to happily pay for expensive, heavily tax laden pot sold in stores.
LMFAO…sure…cause they arent going to pay for the cheaper stuff in the underground market or just grow their own.
the “state will make huge $$$” of off pot story is just another bullshit lie being told by the pot heads.
are you going to be a tax-cheat lee, and just grow your own? of course you are.
owned.
and since this is an open thread, lets not forget Mayor McStupid and his “lets close the viaduct down” idiocy.
Hey Mayor McStupid, whats your plan for the 110,000 cars that drive the viaduct daily? “we dont have one” Mcstupid says.
and if you think Mayor McStupid is an idiot, just think how idiotic the droolers are that voted for him……
add this asinine idea to others like “lets eliminate lanes for cars and give them to bikes”, etc…..
@5
Some will buy state weed, some wont. We’ll make a little more cash and save a bunch. As long as you smoke it at home and stay off the roads, wether you smoke pot or not really shouldn’t be any of The Gov’mnt’s business.
# 5: Sure. That’s why nobody buys legal liquor these days, they would much prefer to make bathtub gin or go blind buying moonshine from the hill people. I guess federal government, and the states, never made much money from the taxes they imposed on liquor, and the restaurants, nightclubs, and taverns have to rely on sale of tea and pop to stay in business.
(Sarcasim intended, in case there was any question about it).
Poking around on winger websites I see that some of the Christianists have gotten the notion that public schools are somehow unconstitutional. These people also homeschool their children, guaranteeing that little Billy & Suzy will grow up to be just as stupid as mom & dad.
@7
I agree.
But please, all you potheads(Lee), stop trying to blow pot smoke up our ass by telling us the state is gonna bring in “$400 million in pot tax revenue”. its a crock of shit and you knwo it. NONE of you potheads is gonna purchase overpriced/super taxed weed, and you damn well know it.
you all are going to be nothing but a bunch of tax cheats….so you can take your “lets raise taxes” diatribe and shove it too.
@8
hey stoopid RHP, how many people own a still? How many people have the ability to make beer or tequila?
anybody can grow weed with a planter and a light bulb.
idiot, just move along and dont open your trap.
# 6: Of course, we could wait to see if an earthquake pancakes the entire viaduct onto before the planned removal. Given the ample evidence of the risk involved, the family of every person on, under, or near that roadway at the time of the crash can sue both the state and the city for negligence when that happens.
Aside from the cost in human lives, we can start counting the number of potential victims at about 1.5 million each if they died, or much more if they are permanately injured and need round-the-clock care for the rest of their lives.
Every day that viaduct keeps running traffic is really just a crap shoot at this point about when the damage occurs. We don’t need a 9.0 quake, another 6.0 to 7.0 quake would be sufficient to make it look like the double-decker highway which collapsed in the 1997 Kobe earthquake.
if you are that concerned about it, then dont drive on the motherfucker.
so tell us brilliant rhp, what are YOU gonna do with an extra 110,000 cars PER DAY.
ya, thats what I thought.
# 11: Where I grew up, it wasn’t hard to find someone who either knew how to make liquor, or knew someone else who did. But even there, only the old-timers would even consider touching the stuff.
But you keep missing the point. If people could grow it so easily, then why don’t they do so now, instead of paying large amounts for imported pot? Although fear of getting caught might be one factor, I think the largest factor is convenience and quality.
So whether they grow it themselves, or buy it through the liquor store, the main object (in my mind) is met – it takes the huge revenues away from the drug cartels, and keeps that money within the state. Less money to them means that they have less money to buy guns, bribe officials, etc.
Obviously, you haven’t thought your position through very well.
As for the rest of your post, I would suggest that you head Benjamin Franklin’s advice: “Better to remain silent and have people suspect you are a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”
Personally, I have absolutely no interest in smoking pot. I don’t drink either, except a sip or two of wine as part of a toast at a business function. But I can see the damage done to society by our current prohibition-style laws against a drug which is no worse than alchohol, and in some ways has fewer adverse consequences.
@14
Anyone can grow pot but, 80% of that pot is called (or at least was called back in the day) shake and it wasn’t very good, it could barely get you high. It takes talent to grow good pot.
* I haven’t touched the stuff in 20 years, don’t plan on ever starting again, and don’t think others should smoke it either.
@11
hey stoopid RHP, how many people own a still? How many people have the ability to make beer or tequila?
Lots of people brew their own beer, but the vast majority of people buy it from a store because it’s easier. Growing marijuana (especially high quality marijuana) takes enough time and effort that the vast majority of people will simply buy it at the store. The only person who’s kidding themselves here is you.
@11
anybody can grow weed with a planter and a light bulb.
I’d actually like you see you try it. In fact, if I can find a medical marijuana patient who would list you as a provider, I’ll pay for all the marijuana you produce for him from up to 6 plants. Send me an email and we’ll set it up.
whatever pothead lee….you know you arent going to pay for the overpriced legal stuff…tax cheat.
keep hanging that phony $400 million dollar carot in front of the same democratic party assholes in our state’s govt – you know, the same assholes who got this state into its current economic mess…Im sure the lure of money will be more than they can resist.
toke up….dood.
and sorry, if some pot head burnout piece of trash can grow a stash in his closet, Im sure just about anybody can.
@19
whatever pothead lee….you know you arent going to pay for the overpriced legal stuff…tax cheat.
Why? I pay for beer at the supermarket even though my own father-in-law has both the knowledge and the equipment to brew it himself (and has offered to make a batch with me). In Amsterdam, everyone buys it at coffeeshops where it’s taxed and fairly pricy. You’re completely full of shit here, I just feel sorry for you.
keep hanging that phony $400 million dollar carot in front of the same democratic party assholes in our state’s govt – you know, the same assholes who got this state into its current economic mess…Im sure the lure of money will be more than they can resist.
At least the Democrats in this state make attempts to live in the real world. They’re not perfect, but the Republicans are truly embarrassing.
@20
and sorry, if some pot head burnout piece of trash can grow a stash in his closet, Im sure just about anybody can.
Then do it. My email is at the top of this post. I’ll pay you for every single ounce of high quality marijuana you can produce from six plants – all of that will go to an authorized medical marijuana patient (who would obviously be the judge of the quality – and would determine what I should pay for). A top notch grower could easily pull in over a thousand or two from that offer. And I’ll have the patient authorize you as his designated provider so everything would be perfectly legal.
So do we have a deal?
Remember the bus ride the WI GOP Senators took to get away from the protestors at the Capitol? Seems the Madison Metro wants them to pay for the ride.
http://www.masstransitmag.com/.....de/3$13951
@22
Hahaha…
@23
The driver should have asked that night, although some of the senators would probably have showed how out of touch they were, probably thinking bus fares are still under a dollar. In our state, many bus systems wished their fare could be a dollar. Metro is now up to about $2.25 for off-peak. Diesel has not been a dollar a gallon for years. Also, on one railfan board I surf(and occasionally post on), the moderator loves to post any news story he can find that is rail-related, and he found this one, an editorial, going after Walker over the canceled High Speed Rail project. In his budget, $60 million for fixing up a section of state owned track that would be part of the HSR project. If he had not rejected the federal money, the state would not have had to spend $60 million, as the Federal money was going to cover that too.
http://www.biztimes.com/blogs/.....llion-bill
Before last week, Germany looked like it was going to undo the phase-out plans of former Social Democratic Party Chancellor Schroeder to phase out Germany’s Nuclear Power plants.(Schroeder was in a coalition with the Green Party, kind of forcing his hand). The 2009 election gave Christian Democratic Chancellor Angela Merkel the coalition partner she wanted(the Socially-Liberal but pro-business Free Democrats), and it looked like Germany was going to restart the nuclear-age. Well, in the wake of the disaster in Japan, at the very least, those plans are on hold. During the Schroeder-era, Germany had entered the renewable age, with some investment in Solar and other renewables.
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14919681,00.html
@24
Thanks for posting that, I’ve put it up on my Face Book page. What an idiot.
@25
Check out the stats on peak uranium.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_uranium
Just like Peak Oil, eventually there will be peak coal and uranium as well. Although with the recent events, might see a decline in the need for uranium. Although notice the industry is continuing to make the case for more anyway. Surprised no-one is pushing Geothermal potential for the Cascades, although I would keep the plants away from the National Parks if possible. Maybe dusting off the plans for the third powerhouse at Grand Coulee might be worth a try. Also, is it possible to replace some of the turbines at the dams with more powerful ones? I mean, for the BPA, I heard Grant County PUD is already doing that with some of their dams.
http://www.snopud.com/PowerSup.....shx?p=1156
Another example of Dummocrat buffoonery-
http://detnews.com/article/201.....rty-scheme
You’ve got to read it.
Laugh of the day.
The Republicans in the house have continued their laser like focus on job creation by voting that global warming doesn’t exist.
@29: Yet you have no problem with the rest of the astroturfed Tea Party?
http://www.king5.com/news/inve.....21934.html
And Democrats wonder why initiatives to raise taxes fail so badly….
FAIL Democrat Leadership Olympia
FAIL Democrat Leadership Seattle
FAIL Democrat Leadership King Co
Epic Fail State DOT under Democrat Leadership/Administration
See a pattern? But I’m sure this is all George Bushes fault…..FAIL
@32….to continue what right stuff wrote….
$400 million for nothing.
This is what happens when you have washington state democrats/progressives run stuff.
How do we get this way? Because the idiots who mostly live in Seattle and western WA only vote by picking a D behind the candidates name.
raise my taxes? huh? go fuck yourself.
Dye also said early messages to the public were optimistic, but didn’t pan out due to trouble getting the public, politicians and WSDOT to agree on a design and how to pay for it.
Yeah, the problem is that WA politics are too nice. We want consensus and agreement.
You know, you are right. What we needed was a strong leader like Walker, to ram this through the legislature, regardless of who it hurts. If it bulldozed the Arboretum, cost Seattle trillions and doubled the taxes of everyone in state making less than a million dollars, looked ugly, sounded awful, falls down in 15 years, was built with illegal aliens, all the money goes to china and doesn’t actually have any effect on congestion, it wouldn’t matter, it would be done.
That would make you proud, I bet.
Because the idiots who mostly live in Seattle and western WA only vote by picking a D behind the candidates name.
Yup. Thank God. Cause if you were in charge, Washington State would be as prosperous as say Alabama or Louisiana.
Seattle and western WA where people vote D are the only thing saving your butts out in the rural counties.
PWN3D = Typical teabagger. They demand services but don’t want to pay for them.
Enjoy your pot holed roads and collapsing bridges and de funded schools and no cops or firemen or SS checks.
Yup, your perfect world. You thought you were powerless against a bureaucracy, enjoy anarchy.
Here’s the puddybitch and his superduperstitious religionist freak friends in action…
http://gay.americablog.com/201.....cause.html
…we’ll know they are christians by their love.
Here’s rightstuff, john425, ld and the rest of their fucking freak-show teahahdi in action…
http://www.dailykos.com/story/.....ass-layoff
…pretty isn’t it.
Fucking murderers.
@38
HHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHA
oh cry me a river…how many people have gotten laid off in the last 3 years? LOTS…so some shmuck off’s himself after getting laid off – and YOUR only care is that he was a public employee? HAHAHAHHA
Murderers? you have a really sick sense of reality.
Hey RUJAX – why dont you volunteer to pay more in taxes so you can keep public employees on the payroll? All you gotta do is write the check…whats the matter? pen out of ink? OH, I forgot, YOU dont want to pay anything, YOU want the rest of US to do the check writing.
Where is that voluntary check to the state?
Ya…thats what I thought.
@36
Blue Balls John is another clueless mouthbreather who doesnt know dick about large public projects.
So Johnny Blue, how do you feel about spending $400 million for nothing more than design? I work in this industry, and I can tell you that the design sure as hell didnt come anywhere near much in cost….so where did it go???
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm????????????????
Seems like you and your ilk sure as hell dont mind spending other peoples money – so why dont you write a check for $400 million worth of blueprints.
dumbass…get a clue.
@39…
…like the rest of his fellow travelers, this egomaniacal motherfucker doesn’t know when to shut up.
I hope these assholes…this shining example included…just keep digging. I’m sure EVERYONE will be attracted to this reasonable measured message.
Any time an “egomaniacal motherfucker” such as rujax gets their “news” from Daily Kooks you have to discount the “egomaniacal motherfucker” as being an “egomaniacal motherfucker” moron.
Can’t be any clearer than that!
To the “egomaniacal motherfucker”@37,
When has a Christian in the US stoned a gay blade? Oh wait a minute your religion of peace has done that many times.
Michael is on the Steve’s Stupid Solution again…
Michael, maybe you shouldn’t talk out your ASS like ylb and rujax do each day!
http://gay.americablog.com/201.....cause.html
You are a hateful, hate-filled monster and a fetid, rancid excuse for a human being.
First you state that your jesus visited the tragedy on the japanese…and I DO have your cite on the thead shitface)…
…THEN you DENY that you and your bigot christianist pals target gays and lesbians for hate attacks that lead to incidents like this.
That’ll just make anyone want to emulate you now won’t it. Shame on you mister.
Oh my rujax, the “egomaniacal motherfucker”:
All of the above. If the Landsdowne man was a Republican or conservative it would have been in the headline ya moron! It’s Philly, almost as bad as SF for their liberal news bent.
Since there is no reference to his politics we have NO IDEA who he is. Remember leftist “Christians” on this blog already attacked fools like you for making overly general statements before! Who knows he could have been a leftist “Christian”.
@46…
Shame.
Shame on you.
Yeah, shame on me for pointing out your fallacies in life. We all know the leftist media will leave out certain “little” facts. This moron is a leftist. Something the NY Times forgot to add. Yet if he was a Republican it would have been in the headline!
@48…
Shame on you mister.
Your god will deal with you. I won’t have to.
@48…
What “fallacies” mister?
That everyone is entitled to justice, equality and respect?
THAT fallacy, mister?
Now back to the rest of the rujax rant…
I quoted Matthew. I know what I quoted “egomaniacal motherfucker” [your term]. If you remember when Adam and Eve sinned they gave control their lives and this world to Satan. When Jesus came to save all of us even you “egomaniacal motherfucker” rujax, He said… “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” John 14:30 The “prince of this world” refers to Satan “egomaniacal motherfucker” rujax, your good friend! So when earthquakes and other tragedies come Jesus was giving a warning that time is short and He will soon come again in the Clouds of Glory!
Butt then again you are too stooooooooooooopid to understand that!
And when have you ever exhibited any one of those qualities on this blog rujax?
Earlier this week when rhp6033 asked for prayers for a friend did you exhibit one of those qualities? rhp6033 is a certified Cass Sunstein manipulable Homer Simpson lefty. Sure you should have found some compassion in that cinder block heart for rhp6033! Or as always you were MIA again “egomaniacal motherfucker” [your term] rujax?
Nuff said sucka!
@44
Um… So you think public schools are unconstitutional then?
Re-read my post my friend, I wasn’t dissing home schooling, I was dissing idiots who think public schools are unconstitutional and happen to be home schoolers themselves. And yes, I do think those particular home schooled children will grow up to be dumb as bricks.
In a sense you were. Just because some people think public schools are not constitutional and they home school their children doesn’t mean their offspring will be “dumb as bricks”. I copied your last statement which if you actually read the studies say otherwise. For instance, we know ylb’s father was conservative yet ylb is a dumb as a brick liberal and he went to public school!
Keep up the good work.
@43
Yeah, no Christian has ever, ever, beat up someone for being gay. Somebody get the milk of mag, Puddy’s full of shit.
@54
Nope! You’re just playing the same old, tired, stretching words and meanings game that you alway play. Nice try though.
@41
your ass got punked..deal with it dipshit.
write that check yet? its tax season..when you gonna give a little extra?
answer: never.
Oh Michael,
@55 I am quoting you. I used your direct words throughout the entry.
@54 Ummm regarding Philly. Until the politics of this moron are identified I stand by what I wrote. If he was a conservative it would have been in the headlines and the story. rujax brought it up. Now you are trying to “help” him along?
@ Puddy Dear,
What you’re doing is playing a game and I don’t feel like playing tonight. Or ever, really.
Yes Michael run away… Got caught like a deer in he headlights and now you run! You tried to paint people with a broad brush because they may not think school is constitutional.
bwaaaaaaaak bwaaaaaaaaak bwaaaaaaaaaaak
See ya!
@52…
Shame on you.
Some “christian” you are…NO-one would see the christ in you.
Oh my rujax. That’s the best you can do? You have no compassion for anyone at any time on this blog.
It’s hate 24×7. We see Satan in you!
Look in the miiror mister…there’s the beast.
Earlier this week when rhp6033 asked for prayers for a friend did you exhibit one of those qualities?
Still waiting for an answer… butt, alas, rujax is mirror watching himself again!
Who knew? Sure is amazing what James O’Keefe finds these days.
How much you wanna bet liberals are behind these attacks
Wasn’t it Hilary Clnton who first brought up Obama’s Birth Certificate issue? Yet all you leftist pinheads forgot that!
Hahaha… Way to go Scotty Walker.
Before this, all Fighting Bob’s Great Grand Nephew could do was delay publishing the law 10 days. This may, assuming the courts uphold the injunction, could see it delayed indefinitely. This is one of the few powers that the Wisconsin Legislature has not taken from the Secretary of State over the years.
As for the bus ride the Madison Metro wanted the Senators to pay for, I looked it up. If it was just the fare, it is $2.00 a person. At that rate, 19 GOP Senators, $38.00.
One thing puzzling me about the map various news sources have been showing of the 104 operational Nuclear Power plants in the US, is they appear to show one in Oregon. They only ever had one plant, the Trojan plant, operated by Portland General Electric, in Ranier, Oregon.(Was visible from I-5 near Kalama, Washington) It was shut down in 1993, but one reason whey it might still be shown, is that it turns out spent fuel is still stored there. Also, it often shows 2 in Eastern Washington, when there is just the Columbia Generating Station. Then again, I have remembered hearing that at times, Energy Northwest has gone back to the NRC to extend WNP 1’s(another reactor at Hanford that was one of WPPSS’s) construction license, just in case construction is ever resumed.
http://www.620kpoj.com/cc-comm.....le=8315282