Just Sad, "Chicago sees deadliest Memorial Day weekend in four years"

[HINrichPolice]

The inflation would be a result of massively increasing the money supply.

Common misconception.

Let's take Andrew Yang's UBI policy for example.

In his plan, money wouldn't be printed to fund UBI. Instead, a huge mechanism to fund UBI would be through VAT which would allow for money to be redistributed from wealthy to poor.

[HINrichPolice]

There are countless reasons why UBI is a terrible, misguided idea. But here's what really gives the game away: why don't some states enact a UBI and show the country how great a program it is? Or how about just one state? There are a number of liberal states with a large contingent of wealthy residents to tax; why not start a UBI program there?

Totally disagree, but curious - if not UBI, then what's your proposal to fix poverty?

[HINrichPolice]

League Circles and GetBuLLish,

I am a UBI skeptic as well. That said, the income comes from somewhere (increased corporate taxes, etc) as a way to offset the savings they make from automating people out of jobs.

Maybe it's the universal aspect I disagree with. I think people whose jobs have been eliminated due to automation/robots/outsourcing--particularly those who have already reached middle age and have spent their entire careers in this field that no longer has jobs for them.

That doesn't really address inner-city violence, though.

That said, UBI may further people's means to purchase narcotics, but that also minimizes the amount of robbery/pawning/prostitution that may happen when destitute people are looking for their next fix.

I also think we're ignoring the fact that a huge portion of the drug sales--particularly heroin--are suburban (white) folks going into the city to get drugs. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1761118/

Crack, not as much, but powder cocaine is still a pretty heavily white/upper-class thing. I've never seen crack at a house party but see cocaine pretty regularly among even my grad school cohort. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4533860/

Heroin has the added demand pipeline of opioid prescriptions getting cut off and addicts looking for their next fix. Anecdotally, a good friend of mine from high school had an emergency appendectomy near the end of junior year. During recovery, he had an on-demand morphine drip and, upon release, was prescribed narcotic painkillers. When the prescription ran out, he was already hooked and slid into heroin. The next few years of his life were not great. He stole from his friends to get drug money until he alienated all of them, went to halfway houses and had a long road to recovery. He's doing very well now, but it got bad.

The demand side of the drug trade has to be solved. Limiting supply only amps up the value of territory/supply with those that do still have supply. Lower demand, and the supply lowers with it because it's just not that valuable anymore.

Draconian drug policy might work when that demand doesn't already exist, but when the demand is rampant, it's a lot more difficult. Not to mention,

League Circles, I do agree that the drug trade is a major reason for the violence we see in Chicago. I do believe there needs to be a multi-pronged approach to addressing it, though.

1. Lower demand for illicit drugs. I suggest that the way to remove the black market component is to legalize and regulate it. Pricing should be cut to where black market incentives are no longer viable. This goes a long way towards helping with #2.

2. Minimize the allure of joining the black market, particularly for minors. We've talked at long length about this, but what it comes down to is giving kids hope that there are safer, respectable ways to make money. To this end, I think raising minimum wage beyond subsistence (which is then subsidized by SNAP and other welfare) should be a big deal. Working at McDonalds, Walgreens, or Walmart should not still leave people struggling with basic costs like housing, food, and healthcare.

3. Healthcare shouldn't be tied to your employer/employment, and should be easily accessible and of high quality regardless of your economic situation. M4A helps a lot here. You're right that a crusty sex ed high school teacher isn't going to be that influential, but a one-on-one conversation with a doctor might be.

4. Free community college education for Associates degrees or vocational certificates, and need based scholarships to public four-year institutions.

5. Student loan breaks/credits for community service. Kids in high risk neighborhoods/situations should be exposed to the possibilities beyond their neighborhood. I think orgs like Big Brothers Big Sisters and Teach for America do wonderful work on this front. This type of altruism should be incentivized, though, otherwise the "haves" tend to not have any interest.


I'll leave this here because I think there's a lot of truth in it:

Watch on YouTube

A lot of what you've said has been refuted here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/BasicIncome/wiki/index#wiki_that.27s_all_very_well.2C_but_where.27s_the_evidence.3F

It's about time that we try to trust people with money instead of the government. People know better than the government on how to use money to improve their own life. We need to shift away from this parental mindset and show more trust in people.

[2018C3]

One easy thing that I think could help the poor dramatically, is setting a tax free income bracket for the lower wage jobs.

This way benefits payed out can be reduced, and the additional funds could be pocketed by the people who actually need the extra funds the most.

_________________________________________________________________

As a example. "If you make less than $25,000 a year as a individual you would be tax exempt for both state, and federal income taxes. This would allow the poor to keep what they make, and encourage more people to make a honest living.

If you are married, or just living together this would give a couple a chance to make up to $50,000 a year without income tax expenses.

That works out to be about $12 a hour on a full time job. which is what a company like Aldi's often starts out its entry level workers.. It would also give teens and younger people entering there first job a much needed break, and encourage a family structure of dual incomes.


Its just a idea, the cut of limit to tax exempt status could be adjusted to a level by people who know more than I.

[Shill]

The inflation would be a result of massively increasing the money supply.

Common misconception.

Let's take Andrew Yang's UBI policy for example.

In his plan, money wouldn't be printed to fund UBI. Instead, a huge mechanism to fund UBI would be through VAT which would allow for money to be redistributed from wealthy to poor.

I've heard his UBI proposal, but not all the nuts and bolts.

Unless his version of the VAT is only on big-money items like yachts, it will end up being regressive.

[Shill]

It's about time that we try to trust people with money instead of the government. People know better than the government on how to use money to improve their own life. We need to shift away from this parental mindset and show more trust in people.

Agree 100%.

The only problem is if UBI is implemented incorrectly (as I'm sure you know, there isn't a consensus on which model to use), it would just turn into an ever-expanding bureaucracy.

[League Circles]

The inflation would be a result of massively increasing the money supply.

Common misconception.

Let's take Andrew Yang's UBI policy for example.

In his plan, money wouldn't be printed to fund UBI. Instead, a huge mechanism to fund UBI would be through VAT which would allow for money to be redistributed from wealthy to poor.

Ignoring the fact that we print a **** of money now to pay for all the stuff we can't afford, inflation would IMO still be very significant because you'd have a bunch of new dollars bidding on the same goods and services. You give everyone money and the next opportunity, landlords will jack up rent. Buyers will bid up the prices of homes, etc.

Then there is the issue that a VAT tax is regressive.

[League Circles]

One easy thing that I think could help the poor dramatically, is setting a tax free income bracket for the lower wage jobs.

This way benefits payed out can be reduced, and the additional funds could be pocketed by the people who actually need the extra funds the most.

_________________________________________________________________

As a example. "If you make less than $25,000 a year as a individual you would be tax exempt for both state, and federal income taxes. This would allow the poor to keep what they make, and encourage more people to make a honest living.

If you are married, or just living together this would give a couple a chance to make up to $50,000 a year without income tax expenses.

that works out to be about $12 a hour on a full time job. which is what a company like Aldi's starts out its entry level workers.. It would also give teens and younger people encountering there first job a much needed break.


Its just a idea, the cut of limit to tax exempt status could be adjusted to a level by people who know more than I.

This is essentially already the case. It's estimated by the tax policy center that 44% of Americans pay no federal income tax.

[Hold That]

I think it goes far beyond drugs, sadly.

Predatory/discriminatory real estate practices (kind of the root cause historically)
Discriminatory hiring practices
Lack of accessible, high quality schooling
Lack of available parents...
- lots of parents end up in prison
- it's extremely hard to be a single parent, particularly with so many negative influences ready to fill the gaps.
Limited positive interactions with police
Ease of access to guns (Indiana and Wisconsin)

Honestly, the only reason drugs are a part of the equation is because it's the most direct, accessible, and realistic way for many of these people to make money and earn respect.

The only reason???? You don't think countless people abusing drugs is a big problem that, for example, heavily correlates with bad and/or absentee parenting?

There’s tons of affluent communities abusing drugs. For example Seattle and it’s surrounding Suburbs has a major addiction problem almost probably worst than Chicago’s, but not nearly the crime. I think garden is focusing on the root of the issue. “What is causing people in these neighborhoods to turn to drugs at a high rate”

We’ve had a war on drugs since the 80s and it’s gotten us nowhere. It’s time to focus on the issues the LEAD these kids to drugs and a life of crime. And the reasons Garden listed is exactly why.

But those who are making decisions never had to rise up from out those areas and most who are speaking on it have never had to live in areas like that. Which is exactly why most look at the short sided answer of just focusing on the Drugs and not the community lack of options, poor schooling and no recreation centers for kids to get into. Idle mind is the devils work shop. If there’s no jobs or recreation centers in your community, what do you think these kids are going to do?

Also, I'm not sure that this even can be true. Yes selling drugs is thought of as a way to make easy money, and as a way to earn street cred in bad areas, but from what I've read, IIRC, entry level drug market employees earn next to nothing, and numbers wise, I don't really think it's possible that such people outnumber honest working people.

Entry level drug market makes double what entry level burger flipping makes. You have no parent at home, no guidance, your friends are in the same boat, so they see it as a way to hang out with their friends, make money, albeit risking a life they haven’t been taught or educated to appreciate.

But respect is a key word. The wrong types of actions are respected while truly respectable ways of living are laughed at or scoffed at. Though this is a problem everywhere in the US IMO.

The problem is simply the kids are looking to get respect from the wrong people or crowd.

If they wanted to get respect from a hard working honest person then they’d try to emulate that person. But they want the respect from the guy with the huge bankroll, flashy car and designer cloths. Instead of the guy in their community who works a 9-5 and still in the same ghetto they are.

Idk, the countries with the most severe drug penalties, IIRC, have basically low level or non existent drug problems, and a number of these are very poor countries where people live not only a poorer lifestyle than Chicagoans, but also live under a greater wealth disparity than Chicagoans.

The drug penalties are already harsh almost, to harsh. Most of these kids are being locked away at age 18-20 for 20-30 years. You’ll do 5x the amount of time than if you actually raped someone or robbed them of all their life savings. These kids are already being sent to jail in droves and lives being thrown away over teenage mistakes. Let’s be honest if everyone in your neighborhood has a gun and showing you and threatening you with it. What you expect that kid to do? It takes a rare headstrong individual NOT to fall in that trap. And some kids will regardless of how much you preach to him, the environment is just too strong. Funding for better schools and opening activity centers with GYMs around the city will do wonders. DC did this for their area after the 80s drug problem and it did wonders for them.

[2018C3]

One easy thing that I think could help the poor dramatically, is setting a tax free income bracket for the lower wage jobs.

This way benefits payed out can be reduced, and the additional funds could be pocketed by the people who actually need the extra funds the most.

_________________________________________________________________

As a example. "If you make less than $25,000 a year as a individual you would be tax exempt for both state, and federal income taxes. This would allow the poor to keep what they make, and encourage more people to make a honest living.

If you are married, or just living together this would give a couple a chance to make up to $50,000 a year without income tax expenses.

that works out to be about $12 a hour on a full time job. which is what a company like Aldi's starts out its entry level workers.. It would also give teens and younger people encountering there first job a much needed break.


Its just a idea, the cut of limit to tax exempt status could be adjusted to a level by people who know more than I.

This is essentially already the case. It's estimated by the tax policy center that 44% of Americans pay no federal income tax.

I'm suggesting raising the federal limit, and also cutting out state income taxes for salaries below a specified limit. I think a strategy like this could pay for itself, as more people would enter the workforce, and get off of benefits.

Maybe the tax exempt limit I tossed out from the back of my mind needs to be even higher for it to work.

[MrSparkle]

Since it's a Chicago post, I'll keep it to Chicago.

I applaud CPD for reform in their training, spot-cameras. It is still a long way away.

Southside politics need more intellectual leadership (as do Northside).

Indiana is southside Chicago. State-spillover.

Chicago drug war needs to end. Pot is legal and it's still a mess. De-criminalize all drugs. Stop trying to make money off the private sector once it's legalized. This state's business plan for legal Marijuana is a ****ing joke. They used it to attempt to fund the pension and debt hole. Prices with taxes are up to 10x more than street prices. They're CRAZY. Of course gang-trade is going to be more profitable and active than ever.

Education and jobs need to be injected into the southside. Injected. Free. Pushed. With incentives. Yeah, I know - Chicago is in position, but math, science, literature, history, music and technical/trade schooling for K-14 need extra-curricular investment.

Pritzer and Lightfoot have a lot of crap on their plate, but they are also doing a lame-duck job with other issues at hand. They ran for office during tough times, they are not playing chess with any of this reform. Status quo isn't gonna fix anything.

Other than that? Yeah. Lot of death in Chicago. Just like every week. It's sad and screwed up. But it's out of our hands. You can throw more police into those neighborhoods, it's just gonna perpetuate the problem. Why don't they legislate with a long-term goal ? The city and state are 1 party with majority. Very poor and unthoughtful social policy standards if you ask me.

This decision to safe-guard all pensions and infrastructure budgets while paying for it with marijuana, taxes and casinos was a mistake.

Yeah. Next to nothing about the murders. It's sad and tragic. I feel like it's all rooted in a lack of long-term thinking legislation. You can't snap a finger and fix it. Yet no one elected into office goes ahead and effectively pushes legislation that attempts to fix it. The best they can do is endorse a Whole Foods market built in Englewood. Pretty pathetic.

Appreciate ya.

Likewise! I’m finding this Bulls forum to be the most therapeutic and civil discussion spot in the midst of a lot of social media options and extreme times. I guess our desires to see a good Bulls team bring the posters here together, albeit some differing political opinions, but man oh man is hoops talk and OT discussion a relief compared to the stress I feel from day-to-day news and commentaries.

[2018C3]

When I started this topic, I was hoping more people would offer potential solutions to the problems we have in the city, and brainstorm ideas on how it could be fixed going forward.

My parents grew up just a 3-4 blocks or about a mile east from Marquette Park, and as a child my grandfather on my dads side took me fishing there often, He used to wake me up early in morning and we would walk to the park. The other grandfather on my moms side I never knew. He passed a year after I was born. My parents first met as teens though a local church that both families attended. They dated for a little while, broke up, and reconnected while my father was in college.

As a child I never felt I was in danger, but today the area has more crime. My grandparents on my dads side remained in the area until they moved into a retirement home in the mid 90's.

[Susan]

No tolerance policy for gang activity. This will probably anger some people, but lock them all up and put the worst offenders down like dogs. They will never change. The need for revenge is an unsolvable situation.


If they could all kill each other fast enough that would work, but they don't and there is always another ready to step up and get payback. Plus innocents get killed in this mess. I have no sympathy for anyone doing this evil ****.

George Floyd was put down like a dog a few days ago.

This post is trash. They're humans in a **** **** situation. Seeing them as dogs is evil in itself.

I don't think George Floyd fits the description of the type of people he was referring to.

And lots of people are in **** situations, doesn't mean they have to resort to living their lives as a**holes and make it miserable for everyone around them.

Nobody should be referred to as dogs. Nobody should be locked up and put down like dogs.

[2018C3]

Just to be on record. I'm 100% against the legalizing of all drugs. I consider it a poor society influence, and could care less what color the people are doing the drugs.

I'm one of the few who do not actively participate or commonly associate with the drug crowd. Its just not something I see as beneficial in my life.

It has nothing to do with my upbringing, less than a week ago my 75 year old father sent me a photo of cannibals vodka he now has in his liquor cabinet.

[chitownsalesmen]

Also I generally favor decriminalization of drugs, but I've got to think that we should at least ponder drastically increasing criminal penalties for dealing coke, heroin, etc. Not all countries have this problem.

Another idea I've had is to make search and seizure for drugs somehow exempt from criminal search warrant requirements. Basically cops could come in and confiscate drugs based on much lower criteria than is required for a criminal search warrant, but it would be basically a CDC (centers for disease control) thing. They couldn't arrest anyone, but they could confiscate over and over almost at will,

If you don't think that will be abused immediately and en masse - I don't know what to tell you.

which may drive prices through the roof and drastically decrease the problem.

You've just increased crime. The demand for the drug remains - they'll find new ways to pay for it. An addict is still an addict - regardless how much that drug is selling for. If anything you'l see even more deaths from dirty drugs and fentanyl.

I think at its heart the violence problem on Chicago is a drug problem.

Economics / drugs / systemic racism / education all play into it.

The best thing we could do for this city and cities all across this country is to stop the ridiculous war on drugs. Stop militarizing our police forces. Take all of that money and sink it into education, addiction/recovery, and jobs programs. Stop putting generation after generation into prison for addiction and mental health issues.

We've incentivized our cities and police forces to arrest and imprison as many people as possible. We need to focus on rehabilitation rather than incarceration - but there is far too much money to be made from private prisons and federal grants for city/state government to do the right thing.

99% of drug users are otherwise law abiding citizens. Give them a legal way to go buy drugs from a store and pick out bags of dope just like you pick out broccoli or bananas and suddenly every street dealer will go out of business. You'll significantly reduce the power of the criminal network and significantly increase revenue. I'm not just talking about Marijuana, just let it all fly people are going to find drugs to do, and yes theirs going to be negative consciousnesses of use of hard drugs, both medical and social but what
we are currently doing is increasing the damage to extend to non-users and putting a cash-cow into the hands of career criminals.

If you could walk into CVS and buy a labeled dose of Heroin it would lower the chance of accidental overdosing/drug tampering.

Plus I think most people could use a mega dose of entheogens and experience an ego death or 2 before they actually die.

[dice]

Just to be on record. I'm 100% against the legalizing of all drugs. I consider it a poor society influence

so is alcohol. and soda is low grade poison. hell, banning sugar would cure a lot of society's ills

[dice]

There are countless reasons why UBI is a terrible, misguided idea.

nope. there aren't. unless you're going into it with biased preconceptions. people have said the exact same thing about every new form of wealth redistribution

But here's what really gives the game away: why don't some states enact a UBI and show the country how great a program it is? Or how about just one state? There are a number of liberal states with a large contingent of wealthy residents to tax; why not start a UBI program there?

you realize that there is a wide range of taxation policies in the various states, right? some liberal states ARE taxing the wealthy pretty heavily

there's very good reason why states are hesitant to implement a UBI. because it's a substantial change to the way things have long been done in terms of taxation. all new forms of taxation take a long time to build up public support for. unfortunately, it generally requires a major national event. do you think that income tax (now a very mainstream idea) was easy to implement in the united states?

-the first peacetime income tax took until 1894 to implement, and that was just 2% on household income above the equivalent in today's dollars of $145,000. that ran into constitutional issues, so....

-a few years after the ratification of the 16th amendment in 1913 the government waded in slowly, but it took WWII to take us to modern rates. and it wasn't until the seventies that states started getting into the act to any significant degree. two hundred years after the nation's birth:

[MrSparkle]

Just to be on record. I'm 100% against the legalizing of all drugs. I consider it a poor society influence

so is alcohol. and soda is low grade poison

Yep. Unless it’s a fruit, vegetable or decent piece of meat... Most “food” sold in the aisles of supermarkets is basically poison - lot of the processed corn oils and gluten extracts and “Natural”-yet-artificial flavoring and sugars and inverted fructose and whatever else basically results in joint inflammation and diabetes.

But don’t call us crazy yet - check the stats (taken from cdc.gov).

2017: there were 17,000 opioid overdose deaths.

2017: diabetes was counted as the cause in 270,000 death certificates (and likely under-reported)

34.2 million Americans have diabetes. 10.5% of the population. 88m or 34.5% over 18 have prediabeties.

The food industry is basically worst than the illegal drug market. It simply is as far as hospitalization and medical costs go if we want to talk empirically. And yeah biologically speaking, some active people can live a healthy 90yo life drinking beer, eating hot dogs, pizzas and kraft snack - it’s not a death sentence. But neither are drugs or alcohol.

And of course you can’t dictate what people eat, but IMO it’s the misleading “health food” and fad dieting that should be addressed. Even all the vegan alternative meats and power bars and drinks that Whole Foods sells for too much money, most of it is toxic processed and risky for your immune system.

Don’t get me wrong; meth and opioids are really dangerous animals. Hideous drugs with awful consequences. And there is a serious opioid problem in rural (and urban) America.

The only reason I support legalization is because it’s as rampant as it will be with or without the law. Taking drugs of that magnitude, it’s not recreational, it’s mental illness. I’d address it as that, not as a criminal offense.

Now providing hard drugs to minors? That should have strict consequences. But for a country that wants the liberty and freedom to consume bleach, get infected by a pandemic disease, carry assault weapons, eat refined corn syrups and oils in high quantities that certifiably lead to stage 3 diabetes or cancer, I’m not sure why you can’t have the legal choice to screw your life up with meth or heroine.

[2018C3]

Also I generally favor decriminalization of drugs, but I've got to think that we should at least ponder drastically increasing criminal penalties for dealing coke, heroin, etc. Not all countries have this problem.

Another idea I've had is to make search and seizure for drugs somehow exempt from criminal search warrant requirements. Basically cops could come in and confiscate drugs based on much lower criteria than is required for a criminal search warrant, but it would be basically a CDC (centers for disease control) thing. They couldn't arrest anyone, but they could confiscate over and over almost at will,

If you don't think that will be abused immediately and en masse - I don't know what to tell you.

which may drive prices through the roof and drastically decrease the problem.

You've just increased crime. The demand for the drug remains - they'll find new ways to pay for it. An addict is still an addict - regardless how much that drug is selling for. If anything you'l see even more deaths from dirty drugs and fentanyl.

I think at its heart the violence problem on Chicago is a drug problem.

Economics / drugs / systemic racism / education all play into it.

The best thing we could do for this city and cities all across this country is to stop the ridiculous war on drugs. Stop militarizing our police forces. Take all of that money and sink it into education, addiction/recovery, and jobs programs. Stop putting generation after generation into prison for addiction and mental health issues.

We've incentivized our cities and police forces to arrest and imprison as many people as possible. We need to focus on rehabilitation rather than incarceration - but there is far too much money to be made from private prisons and federal grants for city/state government to do the right thing.

99% of drug users are otherwise law abiding citizens. Give them a legal way to go buy drugs from a store and pick out bags of dope just like you pick out broccoli or bananas and suddenly every street dealer will go out of business. You'll significantly reduce the power of the criminal network and significantly increase revenue. I'm not just talking about Marijuana, just let it all fly people are going to find drugs to do, and yes theirs going to be negative consciousnesses of use of hard drugs, both medical and social but what
we are currently doing is increasing the damage to extend to non-users and putting a cash-cow into the hands of career criminals.

If you could walk into CVS and buy a labeled dose of Heroin it would lower the chance of accidental overdosing/drug tampering.

Plus I think most people could use a mega dose of entheogens and experience an ego death or 2 before they actually die.

Please provide sources for this statistic highlighted. Another statistic that may also be relevant to this topic, Is what proportion of violent criminals are illegal drug abusers?

If this type of mindset is allowed to continue. This country will crumble, and go the way of Rome and every other powerful society that has ever existed.

[chitownsalesmen]

If you don't think that will be abused immediately and en masse - I don't know what to tell you.




You've just increased crime. The demand for the drug remains - they'll find new ways to pay for it. An addict is still an addict - regardless how much that drug is selling for. If anything you'l see even more deaths from dirty drugs and fentanyl.



Economics / drugs / systemic racism / education all play into it.

The best thing we could do for this city and cities all across this country is to stop the ridiculous war on drugs. Stop militarizing our police forces. Take all of that money and sink it into education, addiction/recovery, and jobs programs. Stop putting generation after generation into prison for addiction and mental health issues.

We've incentivized our cities and police forces to arrest and imprison as many people as possible. We need to focus on rehabilitation rather than incarceration - but there is far too much money to be made from private prisons and federal grants for city/state government to do the right thing.

99% of drug users are otherwise law abiding citizens. Give them a legal way to go buy drugs from a store and pick out bags of dope just like you pick out broccoli or bananas and suddenly every street dealer will go out of business. You'll significantly reduce the power of the criminal network and significantly increase revenue. I'm not just talking about Marijuana, just let it all fly people are going to find drugs to do, and yes theirs going to be negative consciousnesses of use of hard drugs, both medical and social but what
we are currently doing is increasing the damage to extend to non-users and putting a cash-cow into the hands of career criminals.

If you could walk into CVS and buy a labeled dose of Heroin it would lower the chance of accidental overdosing/drug tampering.

Plus I think most people could use a mega dose of entheogens and experience an ego death or 2 before they actually die.

Please provide sources for this statistic highlighted. Another statistic that may also be relevant to this topic, Is what proportion of violent criminals are illegal drug abusers?

If this type of mindset is allowed to continue. This country will crumble, and go the way of Rome and every other powerful society that has ever existed.

Let me ask you a question what experience do you have dealing with drug users?

Im not talking dealers im not talking the extreme outliers that will go to hugely risky measures to secure drugs.The fact is for the majority of my life and yours if you or I was so much as in possession of a nominal amount of marijuana (even less than say half an ounce) that was in some cases a felony and in every case until this January still a reason for probable cause for otherwise illegal search and seizure.

So before you go associating drug use to the fall of Rome I recommend you go get a reality check and look at the serious issues in the country, and the absolute recklessness of both America's fiscal and foreign polices that are both bankrupting our nation and our citizenry.