Veterans push for medical marijuana in conservative South(stripes.com)
stripes.com
Veterans push for medical marijuana in conservative South
https://www.stripes.com/veterans/2021-08-15/veterans-push-medical-marijuana-us-south-2563514.html
89 comments
South Dakota voters passed medical marijuana, Measure 26. They are still a very red, conservative state. I think legalization is, if anything, overdue.
Recreational too by a narrow margin, was to be legal July 1st but it's stuck at the state supreme court on some procedural grounds that were allegedly violated to bring it on the ballot.
Most of the people who are against marijuana distribution in the South are in the baby boomer crowd, who upon failing to live up to the standards of their parents decided that sophist puritanism was necessary in order to redeem themselves.
Baby boomers did better than their parents in general
I'm not really talking about their financial well-being. The "Greatest Generation" won a World War and built a great economy on the ruins of Europe and Japan while creating a very safe, very white, very Christian-friendly world of televised entertainment.
Boomers questioned that authority, protested their wars, wanted sex, drugs, and rock and roll, and then suddenly middle age hit them and they yearned for the safety of the world their parents raised them in. Many of them even decided that their parents' houses of worship didn't go far enough, leaving moderate traditional churches for extreme and fundamentalist churches.
Boomers questioned that authority, protested their wars, wanted sex, drugs, and rock and roll, and then suddenly middle age hit them and they yearned for the safety of the world their parents raised them in. Many of them even decided that their parents' houses of worship didn't go far enough, leaving moderate traditional churches for extreme and fundamentalist churches.
Sophist puritanism and $1 million RVs big enough to house dozens of pot plants and Larry Ellison’s ego at the same time.
People usually don't buy $1M RVs to grow weed. You can buy used campers for $15K or less for that purpose.
The two most underrated jobs in the US are boat and RV salesmen. Better percentage commissions at selling what amounts to house-level prices a lot of the time.
The two most underrated jobs in the US are boat and RV salesmen. Better percentage commissions at selling what amounts to house-level prices a lot of the time.
Fair enough. The $1M ones are for trafficking. But $15K for weed? That's contempt. That's a Jesse Pinkman meth RV low-ball.
> RVs big enough to house ... Larry Ellison’s ego
Come on, now you're just making things up.
Come on, now you're just making things up.
Enough already. Just legalize it federally and pinch it off.
I really don’t get why this hasn’t happened yet.
Because a massive federal agency (DEA) exists as a protector of drug cartel monopolies and assures they'll never be out of a job.
the old guard (long-time senators and reps) perceived it as a way to lose long-term older constituents. that changed in the past 5-10 years as the long-term older constituents are now pro-pot.
Politics. Representatives aren’t aging out/turning over as fast as the overall electorate, so you have popular support but reps who disagree and therefore won’t sponsor or vote for legalization. The perils of a representative democracy.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/marijuana-legalization-...
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/04/16/americans-o...
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/04/20/senate-democrats-we...
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/marijuana-legalization-...
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/04/16/americans-o...
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/04/20/senate-democrats-we...
Love it when representatives don't represent, such democracy
Voters don't represent.
Young people are much less likely to vote, so of course their values aren't reflected in the electorate.
And then you have unnecessary barriers to voting that further discourage young, transient, and lower-income from voting.
Young people are much less likely to vote, so of course their values aren't reflected in the electorate.
And then you have unnecessary barriers to voting that further discourage young, transient, and lower-income from voting.
It is litterally the will of the people. The voters (*should) know what their representatives represent, if they didnt like it they wouldnt elecet them back with sweeping mandates.
Money. It's about who makes/takes the money.
Generally, any mass scale stupidity that seemingly makes zero sense boils down to specific people making money. Bigger stupidity equals big financial gains
Generally, any mass scale stupidity that seemingly makes zero sense boils down to specific people making money. Bigger stupidity equals big financial gains
No, there was a review for decrim in TN this year that clearly stated they are losing 2m of state budget per year enforcing these laws and it still failed 6-3 in state judicial committee. It seems like it is maintained so they can continue using selective enforcement to punish people political adverse to their "conservative" ideologies arbitrarily.
TN also has a huge alcohol lobby that bribes legislators doesn't it? Surely they don't want any other legal drugs competing with them...
That's 2m out of the state's money though, not money they've personally lost. If the people they're paying that 2m to happen to be influential in the election, it can still be helpful. Police endorsements are sought after by most politicians, you have to be very far left to not consider it a boon.
It's not like the police would stop endorsing them if they decriminalized though. They have to support someone and it really can't go much further right than it currently is.
Well over 2m in federal funds are provided for counties in the appalachian high intensity drug trafficking area organized by a group called the appalachian regional commission and subgroup substance abuse advisory council. Those funds are then used to sponsor manufacturing industries moving to the area and keep up a substance abuse treatment grift that includes a lot of cannabis users. Often the punishment for minor drug crimes is supervised probation for a year, including the requirement of full time employment and inability to leave the area (which is known to be under performing economically as that is the criteria for ARC intervention) [0]. This creates the additional benefit of a cheap labor pool for the sponsored companies.
The entire Appalachian region (which somehow includes Mississippi and Alabama) is given 235m to achieve the goal of retaining or creating 26k jobs (9k per job).
So yea, I guess 2m state budget is nothing compared to propping up several industries in the poorest counties using some people who are essentially enslaved for cannabis use to prop up their success metrics. It is easier to extract productivity from people using a non-addictive substance than actual hard drug users or alcoholics.
[0]https://www.arc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/FY2022-Congre...
Well over 2m in federal funds are provided for counties in the appalachian high intensity drug trafficking area organized by a group called the appalachian regional commission and subgroup substance abuse advisory council. Those funds are then used to sponsor manufacturing industries moving to the area and keep up a substance abuse treatment grift that includes a lot of cannabis users. Often the punishment for minor drug crimes is supervised probation for a year, including the requirement of full time employment and inability to leave the area (which is known to be under performing economically as that is the criteria for ARC intervention) [0]. This creates the additional benefit of a cheap labor pool for the sponsored companies.
The entire Appalachian region (which somehow includes Mississippi and Alabama) is given 235m to achieve the goal of retaining or creating 26k jobs (9k per job).
So yea, I guess 2m state budget is nothing compared to propping up several industries in the poorest counties using some people who are essentially enslaved for cannabis use to prop up their success metrics. It is easier to extract productivity from people using a non-addictive substance than actual hard drug users or alcoholics.
[0]https://www.arc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/FY2022-Congre...
Not disagreeing with you in the general sense, but in this case there's a medical marijuana industry spending a small fortune on lobbying with (as far I'm aware) no well-funded opposition.
Disagree. The money made from taxes will for sure replace the lost revenue from incarcerating more folks.
Also, the south is ruled by Republicans, mostly, and they're all about denial. No abortions and no birth control. No public assistance--there is some, but they always seek to minimize it. No affirmative action. No BLM, since they're about All Lives Matter. No vaccines. No mask mandates. No reliable power grids. No lack of corruption at the state level (FL is off the charts corrupt... the people being bribed with zero state taxes). They're generally, bootstrap yourself into wealth like they did, even they they had privilege on their side; poor people need not apply to the American Dream. Curiously, they will ask the Federal government for a handout when they run into trouble, usually due to natural disasters, like flooding.
Also, the south is ruled by Republicans, mostly, and they're all about denial. No abortions and no birth control. No public assistance--there is some, but they always seek to minimize it. No affirmative action. No BLM, since they're about All Lives Matter. No vaccines. No mask mandates. No reliable power grids. No lack of corruption at the state level (FL is off the charts corrupt... the people being bribed with zero state taxes). They're generally, bootstrap yourself into wealth like they did, even they they had privilege on their side; poor people need not apply to the American Dream. Curiously, they will ask the Federal government for a handout when they run into trouble, usually due to natural disasters, like flooding.
> No reliable power grids.
Texas is the only independent power grid (to which I assume your ignorance refers). The states that people refer to as the south are all actually part of the eastern grid.
Texas is the only independent power grid (to which I assume your ignorance refers). The states that people refer to as the south are all actually part of the eastern grid.
And yet people continue to move to the South and out of liberal disasters where it's all tax, tax, tax and waste money.
You’re incorrect. People are moving to urban centers, many in the south, all of which meet your your criteria of “tax, tax, tax and waste money.” According to the conservative lens, which doesn’t really grasp the concept of “per capita.”
Meanwhile vastly subsidized rural America, much of it in the south, is dying, because the wealth producers and job creators in those tax tax tax waste money jurisdictions are tired of sending money to people who complain about having money sent to them.
Meanwhile vastly subsidized rural America, much of it in the south, is dying, because the wealth producers and job creators in those tax tax tax waste money jurisdictions are tired of sending money to people who complain about having money sent to them.
70% of the countries GDP were in counties Biden won. 90% of counties that voted for Trumps population shrunk since 2010.
> 70% of the countries GDP were
country’s*
Regardless, that’s a stat for morons to parrot (e.g. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2020/11/09/biden-v...). A county that Biden won 60/40 that produces $1 billion GDP is not $1 billion of GDP support for Biden. It’s 600 mil Biden and 400 mil Trump, and that’s under the charitable interpretation that rich people are just as likely to vote Democrat as they are Republican.
country’s*
Regardless, that’s a stat for morons to parrot (e.g. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2020/11/09/biden-v...). A county that Biden won 60/40 that produces $1 billion GDP is not $1 billion of GDP support for Biden. It’s 600 mil Biden and 400 mil Trump, and that’s under the charitable interpretation that rich people are just as likely to vote Democrat as they are Republican.
Slow change is better for stability and avoiding regression.
If you jam something through, it will never achieve 100% buy-in. If you let it progress naturally, the naysayers will eventually come around organically.
Granted that’s not why we’re moving at this glacial pace but the benefits certainly don’t hurt.
If you jam something through, it will never achieve 100% buy-in. If you let it progress naturally, the naysayers will eventually come around organically.
Granted that’s not why we’re moving at this glacial pace but the benefits certainly don’t hurt.
It really depends on the kind of change we're talking about. With this stuff, every year it's delayed is one more year that people end up in prison and with criminal records for the rest of their lives, with no benefit to the society.
Furthermore, the states are supposed to be "laboratories of democracy" to run such experiments. If the feds legalize it, any state prohibitions remain in effect. Those states that want to be conservative about it can keep them on the books, and those that don't can move fast to legalize themselves - and then we see what happens.
(Although, at this point, I'm not sure there are any states left where the majority public opinion is not in favor of legalization.)
Furthermore, the states are supposed to be "laboratories of democracy" to run such experiments. If the feds legalize it, any state prohibitions remain in effect. Those states that want to be conservative about it can keep them on the books, and those that don't can move fast to legalize themselves - and then we see what happens.
(Although, at this point, I'm not sure there are any states left where the majority public opinion is not in favor of legalization.)
The real answer as of today: it's coming soon (as per the demand of Chuck Schumer, Senate majority leader), but isn't the top legislative priority.
At a minimum, I'd say we won't have a bill on the Senate floor until after the after the reconciliation infrastructure bill and debt ceiling increase are passed. Most likely it'll take until after a voting rights bill is passed as well.
My prediction is 4/20 of next year, both for the obvious symbolic reason and because the timing means that the law could go into effect shortly before midterm elections.
At a minimum, I'd say we won't have a bill on the Senate floor until after the after the reconciliation infrastructure bill and debt ceiling increase are passed. Most likely it'll take until after a voting rights bill is passed as well.
My prediction is 4/20 of next year, both for the obvious symbolic reason and because the timing means that the law could go into effect shortly before midterm elections.
It's the dark side of representative democracy. Because, in practice, the representatives tend to be career politicians, often from long-running political dynasties, they effectively are - and, more importantly, consider themselves to be - distinct from the electorate at large. And this elitism often comes with a very paternalistic attitude - "the people might want it, but the people don't know what's good for them".
FWIW this is not at all unique to right wing politics, or to the US in general. For another example, consider how UK censors porn: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pornography_in_the_United_King...
FWIW this is not at all unique to right wing politics, or to the US in general. For another example, consider how UK censors porn: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pornography_in_the_United_King...
A simpler view for America: the representatives to things that make them personally welathy, and current politicians haven't been paid enough to introduce a competitor to their existing investments
Look at what organizations lobby against legalization in the states that have legalized it. PBAs and police unions are often the top spenders against legalization.
Marijuana convictions generate a lot of revenue, and in some places marijuana arrests are a significant chunk of all arrests.
Marijuana convictions generate a lot of revenue, and in some places marijuana arrests are a significant chunk of all arrests.
The federal government can legalize it without the states doing the same, it’s still up to the states as an and rather than an or.
It matters quite a lot what the federal government does. As long as it's federally illegal, it creates a weird shadow no matter what the state law says.
The Federal government’s restrictions are illegal in the first place.
Their argument is (quite literally) that because marijuana could in some theoretical sense cross state lines that they then have the authority to regulate it (even if it never crosses between states).
The Interstate Commerce Clause has been used by both parties over the years to illegally centralize and cement their Federal power.
State legislatures and governors don’t get enough attention. They still exert tons of day to day influence on your life. Almost as importantly, a voting poll of a few million rather than a couple hundred million means you have much more influence and thus more influence over your life.
Their argument is (quite literally) that because marijuana could in some theoretical sense cross state lines that they then have the authority to regulate it (even if it never crosses between states).
The Interstate Commerce Clause has been used by both parties over the years to illegally centralize and cement their Federal power.
State legislatures and governors don’t get enough attention. They still exert tons of day to day influence on your life. Almost as importantly, a voting poll of a few million rather than a couple hundred million means you have much more influence and thus more influence over your life.
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Heh. "Conservative South." I completely understand how arbitrary stances on drugs can be, but for a region with strong ties to alcohol production, someone without cultural context would be pretty confused that alcohol is celebrated[1], while cannabis is stigmatized.
[1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKZqGJONH68
[1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKZqGJONH68
I don't think alcohol production correlates as much as you're alluding to. I lived in Texas and the state is highly unforgiving around alcohol. A first time drunk driving offense takes the better part of a decade to overcome. Bars and stores are constantly presented with tricks and arbitrary limits that make a job that averages $60k a year a legal minefield. We'd have massive grids around the city setup on holidays that were sobriety checkpoints.
A lot of constituents in the south, from my experience, already use CBD, THC, or both. I'm not sure what actually holds the state back from legalizing it given that so many folks already support it.
A lot of constituents in the south, from my experience, already use CBD, THC, or both. I'm not sure what actually holds the state back from legalizing it given that so many folks already support it.
I've lived in Texas a good while. I think alcohol is completely celebrated here. People consume a lot of alcohol [0]. It's a massive part of every social function and many peoples daily home life. Many have drinking problems.
I remember when it was a big problem in terms of the combination of Texas roads & drunk driving. And people carried shotguns & rifles in their vehicles (on display).
Now, at that time, we also had a bunch of marijuana and "illegals" from South (which were associated, at least in our minds). We also had a national/universal war on drugs and cartels. Reefer madness was in full effect during my teen years, but as teens, we smoked Mexican brick weed mostly. This, this is the mentality that continues to shape our marijuana policies. Also, Fox News.
In good news, Gov. Greg Abbott has recently said he would sign the bill to broaden medical marijuana usage [1]; including for veterans.
[0] https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/annual/measur...
[1] https://twitter.com/gregabbott_tx/status/1403188569817161730...
I remember when it was a big problem in terms of the combination of Texas roads & drunk driving. And people carried shotguns & rifles in their vehicles (on display).
Now, at that time, we also had a bunch of marijuana and "illegals" from South (which were associated, at least in our minds). We also had a national/universal war on drugs and cartels. Reefer madness was in full effect during my teen years, but as teens, we smoked Mexican brick weed mostly. This, this is the mentality that continues to shape our marijuana policies. Also, Fox News.
In good news, Gov. Greg Abbott has recently said he would sign the bill to broaden medical marijuana usage [1]; including for veterans.
[0] https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/annual/measur...
[1] https://twitter.com/gregabbott_tx/status/1403188569817161730...
The word is race. Many drugs in the US are associated with particular races. America used to get much of its weed from South America, hence it is associated with Mexicans and border smugglers. Conversely, in Canada, weed was once controlled by biker gangs. Bikers gangs being predominantly white organizations, weed in Canada is not now associated with minority groups.
Race is intertwined in nearly all American policies but I don’t think it particularly plays a role in why Texas or the South has been slow to legalize/decriminalize marijuana. I think that’s the southern conservative values thing, which does have a racist component. Towing the party line means supporting the war on drugs.
I think we look to places that have legalized. Where it’s basically an extension of the craft beer industry and very white, so I think the same would be true here if/when legalized. I don’t see how racism comes into current policy choices.
My personal opinion, and I feel like I’ve always been pro legalization, but I don’t like how it’s been done in other states I’ve visited. I don’t want to see a weed shop in every strip center or a green cross on ever billboard. I don’t want my kids seeing that. Just because we do alcohol that way, doesn’t make it the best way. I wish it was behind the counter at a pharmacist or mail order only or something similar. Porn shops and strip clubs are highly zoned to keep it out of neighborhoods here, that could work.
I think we look to places that have legalized. Where it’s basically an extension of the craft beer industry and very white, so I think the same would be true here if/when legalized. I don’t see how racism comes into current policy choices.
My personal opinion, and I feel like I’ve always been pro legalization, but I don’t like how it’s been done in other states I’ve visited. I don’t want to see a weed shop in every strip center or a green cross on ever billboard. I don’t want my kids seeing that. Just because we do alcohol that way, doesn’t make it the best way. I wish it was behind the counter at a pharmacist or mail order only or something similar. Porn shops and strip clubs are highly zoned to keep it out of neighborhoods here, that could work.
To be fair. Texas is Texas; not the south.
At least that’s what my Texas History teacher told me in the state mandated class.
At least that’s what my Texas History teacher told me in the state mandated class.
One history book I read spent like an entire chapter on the topic of how to define The South.
Some people include Texas in their definition of The South and some don't. There are multiple states that people have this argument about. Humorously, Florida is another such state.
Some people include Texas in their definition of The South and some don't. There are multiple states that people have this argument about. Humorously, Florida is another such state.
Yup, it's definitely not an obvious definition. I grew up in GA and the people around me always saw it as appalachia south of the Mason-Dixon line. Texas was kind of a mixture. Same with Louisiana though less so than texas. The joke for Florida was that the further south you went the more north you'd end up.
I'd bet he would be screaming mad about which side Texas is of the Mason-Dixen line. By my eye Texas is not part of the north.
It fought for the Confederacy, but in the first couple battles took such catastrophic losses that it was effectively out of the war.
From what I remember, it was different from other Southern states in that a large minority of settlers weren’t southerners and held the relatively new religious Northern idea that slavery was evil. Southern Democrats were still the majority and the Democrats were holding the threat of succession and violence against Republicans to force concessions about slavery (eg, the Missouri Compromise).
From what I remember, it was different from other Southern states in that a large minority of settlers weren’t southerners and held the relatively new religious Northern idea that slavery was evil. Southern Democrats were still the majority and the Democrats were holding the threat of succession and violence against Republicans to force concessions about slavery (eg, the Missouri Compromise).
Also the state legislature voted overwhelmingly to secede and join the Confederacy citing wanting to keep slavery as one of the primary causes for seceding.
It seems pretty cut and dry to me now, but this man was an intimidating teacher, and I was a quiet kid...
It seems pretty cut and dry to me now, but this man was an intimidating teacher, and I was a quiet kid...
Don't forget the intelligence agency off book guns, drugs, money triangle. I've thought for a while as a border state, thats the primary thing exerting influence over the state congress. One of Columbias most famous hitmen said it, if the US legalizes it would change a lot of Mexico for the better, and ironically would be bad for Columbia since they are the upstream supplier. AZ went legal and I can't wait to see how it has impacted the peripherial black markets like human trafficking. If a state on the border like AZ can do it well and reduce over the border criminal activity then I think Texas will start catching up.
What takes a decade to overcome? That seems like a gross exaggeration - from reading the Texas penal code it looks like your first DWI conviction is a class A misdemeanor and the license suspension period is 90 days to a year… that’s rather standard in the USA. Texas also allows you to petition the court for an occupational driver's license that allows you to drive to perform essential functions even while your license is suspended, which is definitely not an option in all states.
Cities are allowed to leverage civil penalties which can also withold your drivers license. You'll get penalties from the city as well as the state.
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A huge push for checkpoints means drinking is so common that drinking and driving is a major problem.
Texas is weird. They definitely talk the talk with regard to freedom but when you take a closer look they're highly authoritarian.
Depends on the policy. The way I think about TX and CA is that they divide up the Bill or Rights and divy up the ones which they will actually respect.
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My 70 y/o mother-in-law kicked a 9 pill/day habit and drastically reduced her alcohol intake by taking a trip to the dispensary. And she did it by herself! She reminds me of the person I first met years ago. It’s an amazing transformation.
Divest yourself of anything related to the ATF and pay attention to the changes at the DEA.
Divest yourself of anything related to the ATF and pay attention to the changes at the DEA.
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There are many dry counties in the south. In many places “beer drinker” is used a pejorative. The north and west, generally more urban places, consume most alcohol.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/442848/per-capita-alcoho...
This is an important thing to understand. Pills prescribed by trusted medical professionals in these places were destined to be a kill shot because there were no “cultural antibodies” against them. Weed, alcohol and other potentially damaging habits are kept in check by religion. Opiates and bad diet are the big killers in the south because there are no religious restrictions to moderate. The notion that southerners are drunks is a myth, as are many negative stereotypes of the south.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/442848/per-capita-alcoho...
This is an important thing to understand. Pills prescribed by trusted medical professionals in these places were destined to be a kill shot because there were no “cultural antibodies” against them. Weed, alcohol and other potentially damaging habits are kept in check by religion. Opiates and bad diet are the big killers in the south because there are no religious restrictions to moderate. The notion that southerners are drunks is a myth, as are many negative stereotypes of the south.
Bourbon/whiskey tradition or not a lot of the South has this very moralistic relationship with alcohol where because of Baptist and similarly strict religious traditions casual alcohol use was forbidden or looked down on, so even today in a lot of less urban places you wouldn’t see adults having a beer or glass of wine with lunch. They kind of conceptualize drinking as an all or nothing thing where college students or alcoholics binge and respectable adults abstain. Of course its changing quickly but its always weird coming back here and being constantly hassled for id instead of having wine pushed on you by a server as you have in other places.
Dot not underestimate religion in the south. Change comes from the pulpit, not the soapbox. Little can change until the local preachers speak out. And Reagan republicanism, which is basically a civic religion in the south. Its preachers, the talk radio crowd, have to change first too.
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Here in Canada, weed's been fully legal for several years, and our society has yet to crumble. It's been legal for medical use since 2001. It's pretty similar to alcohol in regulation. More places (including the US federally) should get on board with allowing it recreationally, but doing it medically would be a good start.
At this point, the feds really just need to get out of it, and let the states do as they will.
Curiously, this isn't even something that requires legislation! Existing federal drug laws already give DEA extremely broad latitude wrt re-scheduling drugs (which is generally problematic, but in this case it could be an advantage). So, DEA could just move cannabis off the schedule if they felt like it. But they'll never do it by themselves, because all the high-ranking officials in the agency literally made their careers fighting the "war on drugs".
However, since this is purely an executive branch decision, the president could prod them with an executive order - much like Trump did to force ATF to reclassify bump stocks as machine guns. At that point, Congress could still override it by passing legislation to put it back on the schedule... but that would be political suicide for them, and they know it.
Curiously, this isn't even something that requires legislation! Existing federal drug laws already give DEA extremely broad latitude wrt re-scheduling drugs (which is generally problematic, but in this case it could be an advantage). So, DEA could just move cannabis off the schedule if they felt like it. But they'll never do it by themselves, because all the high-ranking officials in the agency literally made their careers fighting the "war on drugs".
However, since this is purely an executive branch decision, the president could prod them with an executive order - much like Trump did to force ATF to reclassify bump stocks as machine guns. At that point, Congress could still override it by passing legislation to put it back on the schedule... but that would be political suicide for them, and they know it.
The redneck veterans I've known have almost all been enthusiastically in favor of cannabis since the mid 70s or longer. Families who have run moonshine and tobacco and other farms are both untroubled by overbearing laws and likely to have a tradition of military service.
I read a lot about "the South" that sounds like the closest anyone ever came to it was watching "Dukes of Hazard" while high on a bet.
I read a lot about "the South" that sounds like the closest anyone ever came to it was watching "Dukes of Hazard" while high on a bet.
Kendall Martin is serving 60 years for possession in Mississippi. That's not a sentence from the 1950s. That's from 2015.
https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/4435830/kendall-martin...
https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/4435830/kendall-martin...
The more reactionary elements who have traditionally controlled southern politics always have been enabled by the preachers. Hence the public lip service to conservatism in the state houses.
I used to drive to Savannah from South Carolina semi regularly. I always found it amusing that crossing the state line you’d have machine gun shooting ranges and full nude strip clubs over the line. Massachusetts used to be similar (New Hampshire was home to fireworks, cheap booze, nunchucks, tattoos and dog racing), but everyone thought it was stupid there.
I used to drive to Savannah from South Carolina semi regularly. I always found it amusing that crossing the state line you’d have machine gun shooting ranges and full nude strip clubs over the line. Massachusetts used to be similar (New Hampshire was home to fireworks, cheap booze, nunchucks, tattoos and dog racing), but everyone thought it was stupid there.
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The fact that major conservative networks don't announce the daily suicide count of veterans that they claim to care for and respect so much and scream "why the fuck aren't we doing something meaningful about this" until something meaningful is done is a good indicator of just how much their populace actually cares and what their priorities are.
Just like how the law enforcement beaten at the Capitol and those who have committed suicide afterwards (I think it's like 5 now?) are being called crisis actors.
I have a slew of my own terrible health issues, but I can't imagine what it's like living as somebody with something like cerebral palsy, who has near remission of debilitating symptoms while using marijuana (for some currently unknown reason, some have great symptomatic relief and some absolutely none at all), and not being able to legally or accessibly use it because of these stupid, mostly racist laws. I can't think of many better ways for a person, already suffering, to be told "we literally give not the slightest shit about you" by their representatives than issues like this.
Just like how the law enforcement beaten at the Capitol and those who have committed suicide afterwards (I think it's like 5 now?) are being called crisis actors.
I have a slew of my own terrible health issues, but I can't imagine what it's like living as somebody with something like cerebral palsy, who has near remission of debilitating symptoms while using marijuana (for some currently unknown reason, some have great symptomatic relief and some absolutely none at all), and not being able to legally or accessibly use it because of these stupid, mostly racist laws. I can't think of many better ways for a person, already suffering, to be told "we literally give not the slightest shit about you" by their representatives than issues like this.
Maybe not as counterintuitive as it may seem.
There's a long history of medical progress being closely tied to the military. Military service involves exposure to violence and people are routinely injured or even maimed in the course of doing their job.
There's a long history of medical progress being closely tied to the military. Military service involves exposure to violence and people are routinely injured or even maimed in the course of doing their job.
US Conservativism baffles me. It seems totally arbitrary what issues are personal freedom (guns, vaccination) and what are tightly socially controlled (drugs, abortion). I just don't get it. At least communists and libertarians are internally consistent.
Well, on the other side of the political spectrum you also have arbitrary boundaries on which issues are pro-science (vaccinations) and which aren't (nuclear power).
No one is totally self consistent, but it seems weird to me: the dems can't quite manage it on nuclear power which is about 1% of their platform. The Reps can manage it on abortion, guns or the budget, which is aboht 95% of their platform...
Is being anti-nuclear necessarily "anti-science"? How much have Chernobyl and Fukushima cost to clean up? Are there a lot of private insurers lining up to underwrite new plants?
Even if nuclear is perfectly safe (which it largely is), and waste disposal is a perfectly solved problem (which it's not), economically there's a big question mark over it. I don't understand why conservatives are so hot about something so fiscally reckless.
Even if nuclear is perfectly safe (which it largely is), and waste disposal is a perfectly solved problem (which it's not), economically there's a big question mark over it. I don't understand why conservatives are so hot about something so fiscally reckless.
Conservative values are guided primarily by business interests, then traditional Christian dogma. The things they want to control and ban are contrary to one or the other.
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"Politics makes strange bedfellows" i guess. I guess you can make an alliance of single issue voters much more easily than an ideological one.
They've ended up with most of the Christians, most of the guns and most of the money on their side.
I deplore everything else about them but I have to respect the effectiveness of their propaganda.
I deplore everything else about them but I have to respect the effectiveness of their propaganda.
>> a recently formed advocacy group called NC Families for Medical Cannabis.
And what about the countless veterans who are currently incarcerated on marijuana charges? What about all those soldiers who have had careers damaged by petty pot charges? They are veterans too.