Tag Archives: California

The beginning of the end of the war on drugs?


Stand in support of California’s landmark proposition to reform marijuana laws.

Sign the Petition

The phrase “war on drugs” conjures up images of DEA agents locking up big-time drug King Pins. But the reality is much less glamorous and a lot closer to home. Over 700,000 people were arrested in the United States in 2009 just for possessing marijuana — not selling or buying it.

Police waste valuable resources targeting non-violent marijuana consumers in communities across the country, while thousands of violent crimes go unsolved. After decades trying to make America “drug free,” marijuana is easier for kids to get than alcohol. The “war on drugs” is a massive failure. Yet we waste $40 billion every year fighting it.

But California has a game-changing proposition on its ballot in November. Proposition 19 would make marijuana available to adults over 21 in California and make that state the first to regulate, tax and control marijuana. If passed, Prop 19 could be the tipping point we need to wind down our country’s failed “war on drugs.”

The vote is less than two weeks away – take action now and stand in support of Prop 19 and the reform of marijuana laws today.

With a devastating economic downturn and increasing violence associated with criminal drug cartels, Americans are beginning to realize that prohibition has failed, and taxing and regulating marijuana is just smarter policy. Political strategists originally thought Prop 19 was a long shot, but public support has recently grown as mainstream organizations have joined in support and a grassroots movement has begun to build.

The state’s biggest union – SEIU – has come out in support of Prop 19 along with the California NAACP. Reflecting the position of many, the President of the state NAACP recently said, “I am not advocating for a higher use of drugs. I am advocating for it not to be a crime.”

It’s time for an honest debate about our country’s marijuana laws – and with Prop 19 we could actually make real progress toward reform. National opinion polls show growing support for legal access to marijuana for both medicinal and other responsible uses. It’s time for public policy to catch up.

Please stand in support of the movement to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana today.

Thanks for taking action,

The Change.org Team

Meet Darryl Issa


Video is from 4/2008

Olbermann names Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., today’s ‘worst person in the world’ for his statements refusing 9/11 sicker workers aid and belittling the 9/11 attacks despite his constant terror-mongering–

“It simply was an aircraft, residue of two aircraft and residue from the materials used to build this building,” Issa said.

GOP Rep. opposes sick Sept. 11 worker fund

WASHINGTON, April 2 (UPI) — A California congressman said Wednesday he has reservations about a proposed new fund for rescuers sickened by the 2001 terror attacks, not supporting victims.

At a hearing in Washington Tuesday, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., balked at the idea of a new compensation fund for emergency responders who fell ill after the Sept. 11 attacks in New York, the New York Daily News reported.

Issa insisted the airliners that crashed into the World Trade Center towers in New York were not weapons. He suggested the cause of illness for the responders was simply debris from the collapse of the towers.

“It simply was an aircraft, residue of two aircraft and residue from the materials used to build this building,” Issa said.

Rep Darrell Issa (R-Cal) gets chided for his continued wingnut use of “Democrat Party” to refer to the Democratic Party. Barney Frank (D-Mass) came to his defense by calling the opposition the “Republicanistical” party. Serious times.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR7MphuhEwc

Weekend reviews &some News


I forgot to add that President  Obama and VP Biden will be in Philadelphia today campaigning…reports of it being broadcast are great … so left coast be aware …the Band Roots will entertain…love them …FYI!!!The president spoke to more than 17,000 voters last week in Madison, Wis., where many more thousands watched on screens in an overflow area.

Weekend buzz … and rants include “the Media” screaming to all that will listen that it’s a tidal wave coming but if you are listening to the way the poll questions are configured and or how the hosts or commentators talk you start to get the sense that people have not been getting all the information so that they can make an intelligent decision when it is time to vote or maybe the question is skewed. Some days i want to wipe my nose with the stuff i hear from Political Pundits yet because i am not an insider some of it has to have some foundation and that is troubling. We are in the final weeks leading to the midterm elections and some interesting stories are coming out of the woodwork regarding a few candidates clearly on the extreme right and while it seems we cannot boot them out for their extreme ideology it is important to expose them on as many levels as possible: The fact that Meg Whitman or any other candidate would employ an undocumented worker while talking the political hard line against immigration is practicing hypocrisy at its worst…to be honest the whole wh**e comment does not bother me because Brown did not say it and why it was said proves Whitman is in fact buying votes and or endorsements which she is against right… sigh. The story about the guy who used to play Nazi dress up on weekends who is now running for a Public Service job is so outrageous as well the story about Governor Christie trying to dump the Hudson Tunnel Project which did not get enough airplay and it epitomizes why its likely we are not improving …how many other Republican officials have or are trying to lay people off or dumping projects and if so what do we assume their intent is and should they be responsible for paying back the money they took from the stimulus fund —that is a Hell yes! To continue …After the latest comments from Senator DeMint i wonder what his constituents are saying and what seems even clearer for me is DeMint definitely is telling Americans to do as we (Republican Tea Party) say not as we do and that truly is un-American. I am still trying to get over how DeMint was able to implement Universal Health Care but managed to give the rest of us the proverbial finger. I know that even though the people in Massachusetts hated the process, hated who was implementing HCR, some even protested what they call the sausage making yet while Congress was putting HCR together Massachusetts voted for a tea party guy into Congress complaining about HCR, but when you asked them 80% stated they wouldn’t give up the Universal Health Care that DeMint and others implemented but I guess they did not want the rest of us to have it. I believe the current dissent in the country is not just class warfare, race, religion so on and so forth it is because this Congress did not take a hard left and while that might be what we all want it is not what the office of President is all about. Unfortunately, Republicans refuse to let President Obama govern, refuse to be apart of the solution and well here we are – I blame the Republican Tea Party

I admit it …I feel tense when I listen to the opinion news but because I am listening closely they do fail to convince me that Congress will have a new look after Nov.2nd but if the scream of a tidal wave helps people do their civic duty -Vote for DEMS; then by all means scare us but with folks like ab stoddard all you get is democratic gloom and doom and that is tiring. I have faith that people will come to their senses even those in “the Media” because though they seem to exclude themselves from the inevitable …they too are apart of the voting consortium and should be concerned that crazy people actually have a chance to represent Americans. In the end do we blame “the Media” for what happens in November or the obvious side of the issues they seem to take because money does talk and what with major corporations owning all the cable and main stream stations can we expect them to tell the truth …food for thought eh? the comment below is from our President while at the Chicago rally.

“Sometimes I feel as if we had such a high on election night, and then there was the inauguration and Bono was singing and Beyonce,” Obama said at a fundraiser in Chicago last week. “That was the start, not the finish, of the journey. And it made each of you a shareholder in the mission of rebuilding our country and reclaiming our future.” -President barack obama  -source: charles babington -AP

Saturday …For sure the 206 will be raining, cloudy with frequent bouts of wind… sigh it’s all good this weather could be worse right. The News Tribune reports heavier-than-normal traffic is expected for a holiday weekend at the U.S. -Canada border crossings because Monday is Columbus Day in the United States and Thanksgiving Day in Canada.

My rant today is about the extreme and somewhat silly behavior of the Republican Tea Party. If you are watching the news it is hard to look away from the ugly behavior but now they are becoming downright desperate and oh boy does Meg Whitman symbolize that on so many levels. The rumors that she has been buying votes seems to have become a reality …first of all it was an aid to not the next Gov Jerry Brown and while Whitman has been unleashing the conversation with out the full context or the entire conversation i would like Jeanne and Whitman to know that given the facts behind the comment i agree with the aid. It proves that you madam are definitely buying votes.  The comment was bad for anyone to make but all we heard is what it meant on the surface and a lot of people in “the Media” came out saying oh no he did not say that on all sides of the aisle the facts remained undercover and by late last night most of us heard how and why the aid would say such a thing.  My take is those quiet meetings, backroom deals if you will and include, if the talk is real – a sum of 45million dollars.  It does prove once and for all that Meg Whitman indeed is engaging in desperate moves to get ahead of the competition by buying votes from at least the Police in California but then someone from the Police must have gotten greedy and called Brown’s camp … and i paraphrase -were giving Meg our endorsement unless you deal with our union pensions. bad behavior gone ugly

Last … some days you just have to share right maybe ask  did that strike you as weird too but then i have this need to respond because the comment seemed extreme, the writer seemingly gothic and then again it could be all about sarcasm with a little bit or splash of threatening behavior at the same time. I have a choice of  taking what the writer says seriously or decide that what the writer is sharing is that right of center love or rhetoric that so many of the Republican Tea Party members seem to engage in and spew at any given moment …always lurking under the surface. Well, i decided to share it with everyone, heck this blog is on the interwebs right …Anyway, the article Tattoo is getting some attention, actually the article from Speaker Pelosi received quite a few comments, most were nice and because we do have 1st Amendment rights folks use it and i choose to share it. The article is about the need for the Democratic Party to help support our candidates attack their opponents because clearly the Republican Tea Party has big maybe foreign Corporations funding their party not to mention the rhetoric is ugly at best, it is also filled with mis-information or their truths and should be challenged now more than ever. I have absolutely no problem with someone who wants to use their 1st Amendment rights, share their view or ideology but let’s keep it nice, play fair and don’t throw jabs that seem like threats eh? And btw stay away from my lady parts…. so …below is a comment in response to the article Tattoo

thank you for the comment from

… jonolan

Yes, Americans and American industry has arrayed themselves against the Leftist filth who want to destroy America.

Be thankful that, so far, it’s being handled through elections. Keep to your treasonous ways and we’ll have neither reason or desire to refrain from exterminating your ilk unto the last misborn crotch-dropping of unknown paternity.

For myself, I hope you continue; I look forward to the purge.

————————————————————

Other News …

**NOW has chosen to back Jerry Brown instead Meg Whitman -i am proud

**Queen of Gospel’ Albertina Walker dies at age 81

** Greenlake mtg w/ officials at library 10/16

**NYC/Fed charged tried and sentenced bungled time sq  bomber to life in prison

**Tumwater -A 45million dollar prison sits empty due to budget cuts,lack of inmates and employee layoffs  -yes they are trying to figure out what it can be used for in the interim

**The Federal home improvement Rebate will be over at the end of the year

**Did anyone hear Bill Maher say President Obama may get impeached -reckless use of time or does bill have an agenda?he certainly has the platform …people please remember he is a Pundit of fun, jokes ,sarcasm and a whole lot of mean barbs …the Prez

**Mercedes recalls 85thousand cars

**BofA stops home foreclosure activity for all 50 states

**Job employment 9.6% 95thousand govt jobs lost 80% due to temp census and i guess 20%layoffs, 64thousand Private Sector jobs gained –I would like to know the states and companies that laid folks off

**Asst Mgr Jeanne Cumming from Politico got on cable and stated how offended she was to hear about the Jerry Brown wh–e comment.

**Hurricane Otto is forming in the Atlantic Ocean

**John Lennon a music icon would be 70 this weekend

**Solomon Burke -king of soul/rock dead at 70

**Chile…drill reaches 33 trapped miners

**

**NRA supporting at least 58 democratic candidates …as well as Repubicans

CSPAN

International Monetary Fund and World Bank News Conference International Monetary Fund and World Bank News Conference
Saturday
Weekly Addresses Weekly Addresses
Saturday
C-SPAN Debate Coverage of Campaign 2010 - Friday, October 8, 2010 C-SPAN Debate Coverage of Campaign 2010 – Friday, October 8, 2010
Friday
Supreme Court Oral Argument Snyder v. Phelps Supreme Court Oral Argument Snyder v. Phelps
Friday
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) Remarks on Economy House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) Remarks on Economy
Friday
NPC Address by Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan NPC Address by Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan
Friday
Pres. Obama Remarks on Monthly Jobs Numbers Pres. Obama Remarks on Monthly Jobs Numbers
Friday
Pres. Obama Remarks on NSA James Jones Resignation Pres. Obama Remarks on NSA James Jones Resignation
Friday
Georgetown Law Symposium on Justice John Paul Stevens Georgetown Law Symposium on Justice John Paul Stevens
Friday
Pres. Obama Signs 21st Century Communications & Video Accessibility Act of 2010 Pres. Obama Signs 21st Century Communications & Video Accessibility Act of 2010
Friday
Defense Dept. Briefing with Sec. Gates & South Korean Defense Minister Defense Dept. Briefing with Sec. Gates & South Korean Defense Minister
Friday
Common Sense Media Press Conference on Online Privacy Common Sense Media Press Conference on Online Privacy
Friday

a message from Jim Dean …DFA


This past weekend I had the great honor to speak at the One Nation Rally in Washington DC. More than 200,000 people had turned out to work for a more united country — one with good jobs and equal justice.

When I stepped up to speak and I saw just how many people were there, I had to ask myself — Where’s that enthusiasm gap I keep hearing about?

For months, talking heads in the media have been telling us that Democrats are doomed. But DFA members never stopped working. We doubled down, knocking on more doors and making more calls than ever before. Now, our hard work is paying off. Polls are turning around for DFA-endorsed candidates Sen. Barbara Boxer in California, Joe Garcia in Florida and many, many more.

Now, we need to double down again to put our progressive heroes over the top. We’re running the biggest Get Out The Vote program in DFA history — call centers, phone bombs, and staff on the ground in more than 30 key races.

If we raise $50,000 by the end of the week, we won’t have to hold anything back. Every dollar raised will go directly to fuel DFA’s progressive Get-Out-The-Vote campaign and deliver victory in November. It’s time to put our progressive heroes over the top. Please contribute today.

Contribute $10 right now to fuel the biggest Get Out The Vote program in DFA history.

Earlier this year, DFA members told us they wanted to see DFA staff on the ground in races across the country, so we’re sending our entire Field Team on campaign leave and we hired five Dean Corps organizers specifically to help recruit volunteers and Get Out The Vote.

With our friends at the PCCC, we’ve opened a full-time campaign call center and recruited hundreds of volunteers for our Call Out The Vote actions. Working together, we’ll generate over 500,000 calls by Election Day.

Combined with the work DFA members are doing on the ground across the country, we’ll generate over 250,000 volunteer hours for DFA-endorsed candidates before Election Day.

It’s your support that helped more than two-thirds of DFA-endorsed candidates win tough primaries this year. Contribute now to help us win again in November.

DFA is the boots on the ground winning elections across the country — contribute to fuel the campaign for progressive victories.

Working together, we can lead progressives to victory and beat the Tea Party once and for all.

Thank you for everything you do.

-Jim

Jim Dean, Chair
Democracy for America

Democracy for America relies on you and the people-power of more than one million members to fund the grassroots organizing and training that delivers progressive change on the issues that matter. Please Contribute Today and support our mission.

TGIF &some News …


Today the President will hold a News conference that will inform all Americans of the state of our economy and answer questions …

I am a proud American who supports President Obama

My rant today is the Media and their seemingly play to pit the public against the President of the United States of America.

The Media Spin on the Quran burning in my opinion is clearly the medias responsibility. It did not have to become a global issue and played a major role in placing security risks to our Military.

The BS comments coming from the Media is that they are not the gatekeepers to the information getting out. That is total BS -anyone with common sense would know that the media can and have handled these kinds of people behind the scenes without compromising the get. The competition seems to be more important these days. In this case, of Quran burning…the get was clearly more important than the people that could get hurt from the actions of this pastor and his followers. What a BS thing for any so-called reporter to say on national tv. Reporters …anyone reporting News has a responsibility and @msnbc and others should know this and act accordingly instead putting the BS out there and seeing what sticks… it is disturbing that a reporter on @msnbc would have the nerve to say they are not responsible? The media needs to take some responsibility in all of this nonsense… he would not have gotten any global PR had they had kept it on a national security level but the media did not –

It is odd to have only a few hours go by and so much has happened to so many people. A natural gas explosion in California which literally  has wiped out a neighborhood is disturbing since reports are that people smelled natural gas for a least 3 weeks, reported it but the question is what was done to fix it. The blast has at least three fatalities and quite a few people in the hospital. We all pray for all the people involved. A judge has determined that DADT is unconstitutional and is waiting for the Obama Admin to respond. The Saints won their football opener and the White House has tapped Goolsbee as the Presidents head economist.

The whole Quran burning story is very upsetting. The Media is still giving credence, a platform to this so-called pastor terry jones who is now spewing venom at the Imam stating that he was lied to …blah blah blah, and other copycats are out there trying to cause problems. I have a problem with how the media has handled this thing, how comfortable these so-called host and or commentators have blamed President Obama for either saying anything or not saying enough. I have an issue with the  donny doitch types who get on air and say what i feel are stupid things. It is obvious that Petraeus was asked a question we do not know if the information given to Petraeus was inflated but it got his attention and this  info moved up the ladder. It is my contention that this pastor had planned to hold the burning and the Islamic community center hostage. It is my hope that his plan will be stopped and is now found to be a crazy sob.

The report of any shootings based on what this pastor did causing one person to be killed is definitely seems to be his fault.

Other News …

**the President of Iran has decided 1 of 3American hikers will be let go soon

**Rep say GlennBeck will give up or donate his 9/11 fee to charity

**Judge rules against DADT, waits for the Presidents reaction

**Massive blast rocks S.F. neighborhood

**Cobell/black Farmers will be dealt with and President states he will cont to push Congress to release money for the settlement

**Brady gets contract extension even with his accident

CSPAN

White House Briefing with Press Secretary Robert Gibbs White House Briefing with Press Secretary Robert Gibbs

Latina Style Magazine Annual National LATINA Symposium Latina Style Magazine Annual National LATINA Symposium