If Kamala can match him, she can smoke him!
Well, this is interesting! Vern, you got your wish, even though it didn’t come from Orly Taitz!
Republican Ron Gold, the presumptive challenger to Democratic Attorney General Kamala Harris, wants California to legalize and tax marijuana and use the proceeds for substance abuse and mental health treatment.
Gold, a Woodland Hills lawyer and former deputy to Attorney General Evelle Younger, told The [Sacramento] Bee that decriminalizing pot would decrease the costs of enforcing victimless crimes and allow the state to direct more resources to serious criminals.
“I just think that police resources are so few, and we have so much to do, that going after someone who is having a joint in West Hollywood is about as useful as having another Carter’s Little Liver Pill,” Gold said.
Gold’s stance puts him at odds not only with Harris but other high-profile Democrats like Gov. Jerry Brown and U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Gold favors adopting a version of Colorado’s law.
“Basically, I am to the left of Harris on an issue that’s always been very popular and critical in California,” he said. “I view it as a matter of principle.”
The story goes on to say that Gold disagreed with — called “absurd,” in fact — a statement from the man who turned out to be his biggest rival for the #2 spot in the election, Phil Wyman, that state lawmakers found guilty of certain crimes should face the death penalty. So that’s two marks in his favor — or three, if you count his knowledge of the dosage effects of Carter’s Little Liver Pills!
Harris should head Gold off at the pass by declaring her own support for a Colorado-style bill. (No, a Washington-state style bill will not do — as plenty of people in Washington State can attest.) Furthermore, she should drag the likes of Feinstein and Brown with her. Brown in particular is infuriating with his imposing his own peculiar beliefs of how one should treat one’s consciousness, based largely on his years in seminary and visiting Buddhist temples. No one’s saying that that’s not fine for him; he’s the one who’s saying that an alternative to his semi-neo-Puritan ascetic views is not OK. Well, if he keeps doing that now, he runs the risk of messing up the campaign of his AG — and if Neel Kashkari is smart enough to jump on the legalization bandwagon, which he might well be, possibly his own as well.
California libertarians are feeling sort of sullen right now with the major rollbacks over the past four years by the Obama Administration, which has admittedly started to back away from the worst excesses. Harris and Brown would be smart not to write off the libertarian vote — which between OC, the Inland Empire, and much of the north coast can amount to a whole lot.
I won’t vote for the man I will now refer to as “Acapulco” Gold, because I’m not a single-issue voter and I like what Harris has done overall. But lots of other people around here will. Head them off at the pass, Kamala! What are voters going to do — go with your opponent? It’s the right political move right now — as well as being long overdue!
“former deputy to Attorney General Evelle Younger”
Must be getting up there, Younger was AG over forty years ago.
Next you’ll roll out ol’ Houston Flournoy.
I’m not crazy about the taxing thing but it would have to be minimal or people will still be growing their own.
When are the elected Dems going to start showing some of the genuine Dan C. “testicular fortitude” on hemp? Or are they all in thrall to the cop/prison complex? Shall we start with our own assemblyperson? What does she say on the subject?
My Assemblyperson is Curt Hagman. But you’re referring to Sharon — and she’s not good on this issue. That probably reflects the sentiment in the district, unfortunately.
Yeah, Gold is Old. So is Wyman.
You can tax homegrown too by selling tags. Security from arrest? Not priceless, but worth a bit.
I think that Colorado’s experience suggests that this can be done.
She is my representative, alright, and seems to be terrified of anything remotely controversial. This shouldn’t even be controversial, and wouldn’t be if the Drug Warrior Complex/National; Security (they seem ever more co-mingled) didn’t keep up the pressure and the relentless PR.
She has taken controversial stances, like the one on an LGBT issue about which Young Kim gets visibly excited about attacking her, but generally she doesn’t like to go beyond what her district is likely to accept. It frustrates me sometimes, and yes his willingness not to be bound by constituent desires was a good thing about Norby, but there is an argument to be made for the delegate as well as the trustee model of representation.
We all know that the public safety unions are the ones in the way here, right?
“…there is an argument to be made for the delegate as well as the trustee model of representation.”
There is indeed. However “leadership” – that thing all the politicians claim they are doing requires that the leader fashion consensus once in a while.
In her case I really doubt there is that much antipathy toward decriminalization or even legalization in the district. However it was the cops who put her there, the cops who broadsided Norby as a sex offender and drunk, and I’m sure that gives her lots of cause for pause.
Maybe in year 5/6? Of course there may not even be a year 3, which is always a good reason to do the right thing when you have a chance. You might not get another.
Exactly – remember, Norby told me that year 3 was when he was gonna come out as a closet immigration reformer … and then he never had the chance! I believe he said that was his greatest regret in the assembly.
Wait David, Didn’t she stand up for her friend and supporter, when he was getting villified by the DPOC. Didn’t she stand up on principal and say:
“I AM NOT GOING TO COWER AND WATCH MY FRIEND GET CREAMED FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING, NO MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY YOU THROW AT ME. I AM DOING WHAT’S RIGHT!
Oh yeah, I guess she didn’t.
Point.
She wasn’t cowering. I didn’t want her to do it. If she was going to risk her election over what happened to me, I would likely just have resigned outright. So you’re accusing her of — doing exactly what I thought, and publicly said, she should do?
Fuck Dan C and every mention of that cowards name. Don’t do that again Fucker!! As far as Hemp is concerned the current law says that “Its all good as soon as the Feds say so”. So basically, the took the pressure off themselves and put the ball in the court of the Feds. That was done to make sure it never happens.
If you want to see Hemp grow and become an economic engine that it should be in CA, go plant some yourself and wait for the DEA to come a knocking and then tell em to kick rocks and then get ready for along siege. They wont come onto your property to take it and you won get arrested but you will be laid siege upon like The Davidians at Waco and an equally large and vociferous groups of hippies parallel to the Feds having a drum circle to support you. Just don’t ask them to vote cause they wont.
Don’t do that again Fucker!!
Gee, I sure hope you’re not referring to me. That would be rude.
Lucas, Zenger’s opinion of Dan C is exactly as low as yours and mine, and his saying “Dan C testicular fortitude” is a sarcastic reference to the ballless, brainless blogger’s criticism of Tom Tait for alleged lack of that.
Still, I remain agnostic on the question of whether Zenger is a “fucker.”
Not feeling a lot of love.
Plenty of love, brother. I am just still researching if “fucker” is necessarily a bad thing.
Fucker* is more a reflection on how I feel about he who should not be named.
Paul, while I understand your natural revulsion to Mr. Business of Baseball, I really think you should try some empathy.
This is a character who was probably picked on a lot by the jocks in high school and who the smart kids just ignored.
Always being the last kid picked in PE teams is probably a hard thing to come to grips with. That’s why he, like Cunningham, are always latching themselves onto the “winners,” i.e. the big monied interests; and it’s not just about getting paid. It’s also about the association. Politics provides a very useful psychological outlet for people who have never accomplished much on their own.
Paul, be nice to Zenger. He is part of your extended blog family now, and he doesn’t like to be called names.
If you want to call anyone a name, you have Vern for that. He’s hard to offend.
Here, I’ll demonstrate:
VERN, YOU CHANGED MY NICE GRAPHIC, YOU MOTHERDANC!
There was no graphic. None at all that I could see. what was there? it disappeared by the time I saw it. I thought you forgot to put one.
OK, that’s possible. Sheesh. I’ll post it to the queue and you can decide on it.
DanC, DanC, DanC, DanC, DanC, DanC, DanC, DanC, DanC, DanC, DanC
Hahahahaha…..
What’s the difference between you guys and DanC? Gainful employment. Hahahaha
“Gainful” employment polishing turds. And “gainful” we’re taking your word for.
Better check with Dan, Vern – sounds like some 12-year old hacked his account.
Did he suddenly seem more intelligent and insightful?
Skadoosh! — Point – Zenger, but just my assessment of the post above.
jajaja…. Dan C texted me last night to MAKE SURE I KNOW that the above commenter “DanC” is not actually him. What a dim bulb, that “business of baseball” pundit…
Kami is the next Governor. She jas nothing to worry about here. While I like Newsome better. She is said to covet what her boyfriend never got around to: Governor.
Kamala’s a PUTZ!
Liberty should be the issue that all of us think about every time we vote!
Clearly its time for my version of Weed Wars in California. Remember the anyone but Cooley campaign that Harris did. I may have to come out with an anyone but Kamala campaign. Will talk everything from Rohrbacher to Gavin Newsom and the bills currently in play. some good, some bad but lots of evolution going on on on both sides of the aisle.
YES! Don’t make us wait too long either, officer.
And it’s up! http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2014/06/california-weed-wars-the-legal-lay-of-the-land/
“wants California to legalize and tax marijuana”
Pandering for votes, this has been going on for many decades and when a candidate does get elected, this pandering promise never gets a follow thru.
So are you saying that the majority of voters favor this, which is why “pandering” would work?
If we had both AG candidates willing to follow the lead of Colorado here, I believe that that would be unprecedented.
no but every 5 percent helps