Drugs Legal in America?

Drugs legal in America.  At first glance, it sounds alarming to some.  But why is that the case when so many drugs are already legal in the U.S.?  Prozac, Valium, Oxycontin, Viagra, and Cialis just to name a few.  Those roll off of the tongue with ease.  But the mention of Marijuana, Cocaine, Ecstasy and Heroin generate a much different reaction from most Americans. Forget why this is, people don't usually examine the reason for their reaction.  Maybe it was growing up with some education programs fighting drug use, like D.A.R.E.  Or maybe it was someone's parents or family that instilled in them that drug use is wrong.  It's tough to credit society these days with steering people away from drugs.  Any good that society does is easily neutralized with one hour of Entertainment News and learning about who's abusing what this week.  We know drugs can be harmful.  That's not the issue at hand.  The real question is, could they be less harmful on society? The growing violence across the U.S.- Mexican border is spilling over into America more and more every day.  And let's face it, many Americans don't start paying attention to something until it's in our backyard.  So while we have the attention of the American people, it's the perfect time to pose this question:  Should the United States of America legalize drug use? If we did, it could help to stop the drug-related violence along our border and around the rest of our country.  The Government could also regulate the production and sale of these drugs which would have a lot of positive effects on the country.  First, the Government could produce the drugs and the FDA could inspect and regulate them.  This would mean a much safer product and clear warnings for people who use them, like cigarettes and alcohol already have listed on their packaging.  Second, the Government could tax these drugs at a high rate like they do on cigarettes and make a great deal of money for the country and its states.  Third, legalizing drugs could give the U.S. a shot in the arm as a travel destination for tourists.  Just like Amsterdam is a destination for people who want to smoke Marijuana legally. Lastly, the Government could use this money for a variety of useful purposes.  They could use it to help balance state budgets (46 of our 50 United States could file bankruptcy this year due to the Recession).  For those concerned about preventing drug use, the Government could use this new found money to fund drug rehab programs that are underfunded, or don't exist yet. Now legalizing drugs isn't all a big positive.  Some people may not currently use drugs because they are afraid of being arrested and thrown in jail.  Those same people may not feel that fear if these drugs are legal and more pure, which could lead to them using.  But then again, why is this prospect okay with some Americans for alcohol and tobacco, but not for drugs? I say make alcohol and tobacco illegal just like other drugs are, or start making Marijuana legal.  I still can't sit here and say I'd be okay with Cocaine, Heroin, and Ecstasy being legal.  Marijuana has some medical benefits, like relieving the pain of terminally ill people and is legal in some parts of the U.S. for that specific use.  At worst, Marijuana kills some brain cells, makes people lazy and gives them the munchies.  If people want to do that to themselves, that is their personal choice.  I'm okay with it in exchange for the benefits I listed above, as long as they're not hurting anyone else.  But the harder drugs that I mentioned seem to make people more dangerous when they are on them.  Therefore, I think the negatives far out way the positives for those.  So in my United States, if you can buy cigarettes and alcohol legally, you should be able to do the same for Marijuana.  In the meantime we should at least stop crowding our jails with non-violent drug offenders.  It doesn't help in rehabbing the drug users and it's just another bill for the American tax payers.  Looks like New York Governor David Paterson and I are on the same page.  Just today he agreed to ease drug laws in N.Y.  These drug laws were once among the harshest in the nation and led a movement more than 30 years ago toward mandatory prison terms.  Paterson says that judges will now be able to use techniques like treatment and counseling that have proven more effective than prison for low-level offenders. At the same time, penalties will be toughened for drug kingpins.  New York has taken the lead here America, let's follow. Leslie Marshall and Mark Grimaldi The Leslie Marshall Show "The Only True Democracy in Talk Radio – Of For And By The People" www.lesliemarshallshow.com

AIG: 2 Questions should be asked...

There are two questions regarding AIG and these numerous failed corporations:

a) should the government have bailed them out and

b) what to do about those bonuses?

The first is simple. Just as we have separation of church and state, so should we have a separation between the federal government and the private sector. It's astonishing to me that Republicans want less government, but want their corporate buddies bailed out!?! The Government has no business in the private sector. Let AIG, GM, etc. fail. If they cant run their own company; if GM didnt forsee needing to make an environmentally sound vehcile like a hybrid and cared more about quantity than quality; unlike the Germans and the Japanese, then so be it. If they were making great cars, that were affordable and perhaps didnt eat as much gas like a hybrid, we would have bought them. Pure and simple.

As for the second question, question "b"; what to do about those bonuses? That's pure and simple too. If the government owns 80% of AIG, that is enough ownership to disallow the previous contracts which guaranteed those bonuses. Anyone in business knows that contracts are only as good as the paper they're written on. So tax them at 90% ? Absolutely- I say tax them at 100%. Take the 170 Billion back and let them figure out how to pay out the $165 million to the 400 AIG current/former employees. If they/AIG feel the contract on bonuses must be honored; then let them do it, not the American taxpayer. Let the folks at AIG and on Wall Street feel what it's like to be an average American for a change.

Leslie Marshall

The Leslie Marshall Show
"The Only True Democracy in Talk Radio – Of For And By The People"
www.lesliemarshallshow.com

Man Of Steele?

RNC Chairman Michael Steele is a man torn right down the middle.  His moral compass seems to be pulling him one way (left in some people's opinions), while the rest of the GOP is pulling him in the opposite direction. Less than ten days after having to apologize for speaking his mind about Rush Limbaugh, Michael Steele is recanting statements again.  This time it came from an interview he did with the popular Men's Magazine GQ.  The interview was conducted by GQ's Lisa DePaulo on February 24th, and was posted on-line Wednesday night.  Steele called abortion an "individual choice" and opposed a constitutional ban on abortion during the interview.  Here is the exchange: "Are you saying you think women have the right to choose abortion?" GQ's Lisa DePaulo asked in the interview in his office.  "Yeah. I mean, again, I think that's an individual choice," he said, according to GQ's transcript. "You do?" he was asked. "Yeah. Absolutely," he said. Steele does not dispute the transcript.  He did however issue a statement on it yesterday: "I am pro-life, always have been, always will be.  I tried to present why I am pro-life while recognizing that my mother had a 'choice' before deciding to put me up for adoption," he said, explaining his comments. "But the Republican Party is and will continue to be the party of life. I support our platform and its call for a Human Life Amendment." Chairman Steele, we already have a wuss in politics that goes whichever way the wind blows, his name is Joe Lieberman.  Show some guts and stick to your guns.  If you believe something, tell us you believe it and why.  Most importantly, stand by what you believe after it comes out of your mouth. There are a couple of disturbing things that have surfaced thanks to this story.  For starters, the fact that what you truly believe doesn't matter in GOP politics.  Put away your moral compass, it will set off the metal detector at the RNC.  This is further evidenced by Tony Perkins' comment on the issue: "[Steele] assured me as chairman his views did not matter and that he would be upholding and promoting the party platform, which is very clear on these issues," said Family Research Council President Tony Perkins. "It is very difficult to reconcile the GQ interview with the chairman's pledge." Anyone notice anything wrong with that sentence?  How about the part that reads "[Steele] assured me as chairman his views did not matter..."??? To make matters worse, check out the Republicans solution to this "problem."  The president of the Susan B. Anthony List, Marjorie Dannenfelser, said she expected Steele to win back anti-abortion support by engaging in the public fight on "wedge issues" like Obama's move to end the Mexico City Policy, which barred the use of federal dollars by foreign nonprofits that offered abortion counseling.  "When you have an issue like that, you ought to be using it," she said.  So in a time of Economic Crisis and uncertainty, the GOP wants to focus on wedge issues.  The same thing that got George W. Bush elected in 2004.  AKA, Karl Rove's "God, Guns and Gays." Looks like Chairman Steele would've been best-suited to stick to his guns, because the GOP looks like they'll be conducting business as usual for the foreseeable future. Leslie Marshall and Mark Grimaldi The Leslie Marshall Show "The Only True Democracy in Talk Radio – Of For And By The People" www.lesliemarshallshow.com

47,000 (!) accounts held by Americans who did not pay their taxes!

The UBS AG now says it had about 47,000 (!) accounts held by Americans who did not pay their taxes!

If you're a hardworking taxpayer like myself, this should infuriate you. The IRS continually audits the small business owner, trying to squeeze more and more out of those who are paying taxes, and not making an effort to track those who don't. These 47,000 are only those that we KNOW of and that have been reported. This is a further outrage when you consider how many millionaires and billionaires, yes, that's with a "b" who are hiding their monies in switzerland, kuwait, the bahamas, etc.

And what about those great leaders we have lost such as former Senator Tom Daschle who would have been the best leader for reforming health care in my opinion; but who had to back out because most likely his accountant overlooked an expenditure and some taxes weren't paid? I think the U.S. government shouod go after these banks and these people. It is fraud and illegal activity like this that contributes to the deficit and the poor economy. The UBS has accepted responsibility for helping certain Americans, rich Americans hide money from the U.S. government; but will the UBS be punished? Will this stop? How many more private organizations are assisting rich americans hide their cash from Uncle Sam? And of course, alhtough UBS assisted these people, the bottom line is the american taxpayers who did not pay their taxes knowingly broke the law; and even paid UBS to help them do that.

No mercy here folks! Where is their conscience?!!? There are children going to bed hungry in our own nation....! How can these people sleep at night? I personally feel that "to whom much is given much is expected..." The greed of America is making me sick. Seriously, with all of those millions and billions, how much money can you spend? or bank? We all know we cant take it with us! But putting monies overseas, not paying taxes on this income is hurting America and their fellow Americans. I say ship them to Kuwait, Switzerland and the Bahamas. Shut down their businesses. Quit rewarding bad behavior, bad people and bad business practices. Until we hold these companies and peoples accountable; we will never be the nation we truly claim to be.

Leslie Marshall
The Leslie Marshall Show
"The Only True Democracy in Talk Radio – Of, For and By The People"http://www.lesliemarshallshow.com