Howl at the Moon

Rained Out!!

 

Man, total bummer… with all the wet weather we’ve been having in Virginia this past week I’ve been unable to get my garden plot tilled, and won’t be going up to start the planting this weekend. However, seeds have been purchased, plans made for getting the tillin’ done, and my lawnmowers are all repaired. I say bring on the spring!!

Dagnabit!!

Just Legalize it Already!

 

Yes, I’m talking about Marijuana.

The incredible gate-way drug of choice for many otherwise law-abiding American citizens. Whether you smoke it or not, everyone should be for the legalization of the weed.

To me its simple. We need to create new industry in America. We need new tax revenues that the public won’t revolt against. We need to cut back on government spending. We need to address over crowding in our jails & prisons. We need to allow legal access for the chronically &/or terminally ill to whatever treatment they feel eases their predicament.

Basically… we NEED to legalize the weed.

This is a main principal of the Libertarian platform (one of many), and for good reason. It makes SENSE people! If only fiscally, it makes sense.

- legalize & regulate, the gov’t can tax it heavily and I can guarantee that almost all the pot smokers out there would gladly pay to not have the fear of arrest hanging over their shoulder. Besides, with the economics of the weed the gov’t could probably tax the  hell out of it and the avg cost to the end-user wouldn’t change. A win-win if you ask me!

- new aggriculture, hope for farmers looking for a new cash crop. No more illegal grow operations screwing up the environment (along with associated violence). Legalize industrial Hemp again (look to NORML for more info on that). How can that be bad?

- lower gov’t spending on war on drugs, or at the least redirect funding to focus on the stoppage of more harmful drugs like meth, crack, heroin. Things you can actually overdose & die on. This is feel-good stuff, people!

- lessen the overcrowding of jails by releasing non-violent marijuana offenders. Save on the cost of running facilities that are maxed out. Focus on rehabilitation and not incarceration for drug offenders. Free up the courts that are swamped in minor marijuana related cases. Ultimately saves even more tax-payer money! AND you still get the warm n fuzzies!!

- overall impact on economy… invest in Taco Bell baby!!

I’m not getting into the ‘rights’ & ‘wrongs’ of marijuana other than these 2 points:

1- Alcohol is legal, 2- Cigarettes are legal

They say California is getting ready to vote on completely legalizing marijuana. Not just medically… completely. I hope they do. And I hope it works. And I hope the rest of the country is paying attention.

Ten years ago I said to a friend of mine that we’d see it legalized in the next 25 years. With fifteen years left, I think we’re getting closer.

Maybe something good will come from this financial crisis after all?

Stimulating My Package

 

Yup, been waiting on the government here to stimulate my package. Too bad it seems I’m gonna be left with the blue balls… no Trickle Down Economics for me.

Yeah, I’m talking about the Stimulus Package Deal Thingy that just passed from Washington. And I’m not gonna get political here, I know these are bad days for many… but speaking from my gut, I don’t like how the home bailout plan is being presented.

Seems to me it rewards bad behavior and poor decision making. I know something drastic has to be done, but why exclude those who have made their payments on time? Those that didn’t over borrow? Those who were responsible with their purchase, read the fine print, looked towards the ‘what ifs’ of fluctuating employment situations?

I’m paraphrasing from that loud stock guy Jim Cramer on Fox, but I like the idea he put forward… gets to the idea at 4:20, but the whole thing is good to watch.

 

     Cut all mortgage interest rates to 4%, adjust home loans to current values, lock in & refinance… banks will take a bath, but thats part of the bail out. At least everyone will see benefit, its FAIR (fair enough), and if you STILL can’t pay your home note, then maybe it just wasn’t meant to be.

 

I’m sure there could be exceptions for those who were truly defrauded by predatory lenders, but something along these lines just seems fair to me and more palatable to the American public. Its not perfect, but at least it won’t set up an ‘us vs. them’ mentality. I also think that the losses will put an exclamation point on this lesson and hopefully we won’t repeat this cycle again. If the consequence doesn’t sting enough for poor financial decision making, you can bet that those who are bailed out now will need bailing out somewhere else down the road.

And yes, we’re still living with Mom while looking for a house.

Maybe my next post will deal with the current state of trying to buy property in this ‘buyer’s’ market?