There has never been a better time than right now to end marijuana prohibition. The war is lost, the government has failed. Time to put the counter culture to good use, for economic and social gain.
xposted @ ascelios.com
After eight years of a presidency that could site the Earth not spontaneously exploding as the only bright spot, President Bush’s reign is nearly over. History will be harsh, no matter who ends up writing it. He leaves the nation significantly worse off in nearly every facet, than it was before he took office.
The failure of 9/11 and the ensuing hunt for Bin Laden, the neocon war of revenge and resources in Iraq, the clumsiness driven rebirth of the Cold War, the erosion of influence in Asia and the destruction of cultural bonds of friendship with Europe and other western nations. All of these events have diminished our standing in the world and weakened our nation. But they are all things that we can overcome with time and effort.
What threatens to become beyond recovery is the economic health of the US and the world. Without major action, society as we know it runs a real risk of changing. We need all the help that we can get to keep standards of living and comfort from dropping.
With that melodramatic opening, let me suggest something light to help ease the pain. President Bush could help our nation’s economy and well being, while improving his tattered legacy. He could issue an executive order to legalize marijuana and direct the DEA and the FDA to assist local communities to establish growth, distribution and sales centers.
Bush’s legacy already includes massive use of signing statements and executive orders that contradict the law. Why not use it for once to make the nation a better place. The result of such an order would be to add jobs, create commerce, reduce crime and dramatically increase food service profits and incidents of kind conversations. I’m so sure of this outcome that I’m not even bothering to look up statistics.
And why not use your pardon powers for something good as well? Instead of using them to pre-pardon anyone in the military, intelligence and mercenary business for carrying out the illegal torture policy he imposed, commute the sentences of the millions of Americans in jail for marijuana use. They can return to society and become integral parts of the new industry.
We’re about to have the third straight President that has admitted to using marijuana in the past. Each of them went on to the highest office in the land, something they might not have been able to achieve if they were caught breaking a law that devastates millions of families a year.
Sigh, someday maybe this country can have a rational discussion about our most irrational law.