more notes

* Based on experience with the cigarette tax, total revenues of $1.5 - $2.5 billion might be realized.* Based on experience with the wine industry, the total economic activity generated by legal marijuana could be nearly three times as great as retail sales, around $8 - $13 billion. Amsterdam-style coffeehouses would generate jobs and tourism. If the marijuana industry were just one-third the size of the wine industry,

main debate notes

It was recently reported that the annual retail value of marijuana grown in the city of Vancouver alone was $750 million(1). According to the B.C. Minister of Agriculture, Ron Charles, profits from marijuana operations are three times greater than from dairy production, B.C.'s most valuable farm industry at $245 million per year(2). It might be possible, through amendments to the current Act and Regulations, and through strict cultivation, distribution and marketing regulations, to redirect illegal marijuana profits to legitimate agricultural operations California NORML estimates that a legal market for marijuana could yield the state $1.5 - $2.5 billion. A basic $1 per joint excise tax would yield about $1 billion to the state, while the state would save over $150 million in enforcement costs for arrests, prosecutions and prison. Additional benefits would accrue from sales taxes and spinoff industries. Total retail sales of marijuana would be on the order of $3-$5 billion, with total economic impact of $8-$13 billion including spinoff industries such as coffeehouses, tourism, and industrial hem * Retail sales on the legal market would range from $3 - $5 billion, generating another $250 - 400 million in sales taxes. in california alone

Innocent Man sentence to death?

At age 17 Ruben Cantu was charged with capital murder, he was excecuted at age 26. There has been questions about his innocenc. The primary witness has caome forward saying that Cantu was guilty because he felt pressured. There goes an innocent one.

Iraqi policy

Has anyone seen the new Iraqi policy, now that is what one of our debate should be about.

"The retired Marine colonel delivered an emotional statement Thursday, saying he had concluded that the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq was counterproductive because they had become a magnet for insurgent violence and that troops should be redeployed over six months."

At least somebody in congress is seeing things my way. I am tired of seeing our troops die.

unlawful marriage

A woman that was 38 I believed married a 15 year old boy and they had sex. The lady was arrested and placed in jail. Her lawyer is saying that even thought they had sex she should still be free because they were married. Does anyone realize that the boy was 15. Personally I think he was old enough to make his own decisions, but by law he should not have been married.

muhammad ali

Muhammad Ali was presented with the National Medal of freedom which is the highest award that can be given to a civilian. Ali is remembered for his time a the heavyweight champion of the world but he is also remembered as the African American that refused to fight in the Vietnam war, he was sentence to prison for it but it was later reversed. Ali is a deserving recipient of this award.

trade defecits

The U.S. trade deficit has soared to record levels in September, according to a government report, as higher oil prices, rising gasoline imports and a fall in exports caused the gap to widen far more than forecasts. Everything has its roots in the oil prices.

France

France is under fire. I just thought it was funny to say that. They need to get those riots under control.

What else?

I recently read an article on a mother that lost her house to hurricane Katrina. As if that was not bad enough, she lost her son who was serving in Iraq. 1st Lt. Robert C. Oneto-Sikorski, 33 was serving in Iraq with the 155th Brigade . He was serving with the mother of his children Clare Ranger. Oneta had two months remaining on his current term. This is only one of the unfortunate tragedies that is becoming too common to military families in the United States. I know that what we are doing for Iraq is a very good "deed" but what we are doing to some of the children and families of American soldiers is not very good. We are helping Iraquis but at the same time we taking something away from our fellow Americans. WE NEED TO GET OUT OF IRAQ, the government need to set a date that we are going to withdraw.

Rosa Parks

Senator John Kerry has proposed a piece of legislation calling for the erection of a statue of the late civil rights leader Rosa Parks. This legislation has been cosponsored by senators such as Barack Obama, Car Levin, and John Corzine. There is one problem that could occur because of this piece of legislation. A statue might have to be removed from stauary hall which is where Rosa Parks statue is to be erected. I believe that this is a very good piece of legislation. Whether she refused to give up her seat because she worked for the NAACP or because she was tired. She still deserves credit for her bravery. Rosa Parks was very instrumental person for the civil rights movement. She deserves to be honored as such.

supreme court judges

I believe that this thing about judges is getting very time consuming. I know that this is a very important thing but there are other things going on that need to be taken care of. I am pretty sure that there are many other bills that need to be passed. With the expected long confirmation hearings, who is to tell what else could be getting done . I believe that someone should create a smoother process of confirming these judges. I know that it is very important, but there are also a lot of other important issuse that need to be dealth with.

What else is there to say about the war.

The war in Iraq has divided our country. Some people are in favor of the war (JD Olivares) and some people are not. Now I'm not saying that the stance he takes on the issue of the war is wrong, but I don't agree with it. I have nothing against Bush, but I have something against seeing american soldiers die. A lot of people in this class might disagree with me on this but it's just the way I feel. Put your political biases a side. Think of the litle kid who is now going to have to grow up without a father. I know many people are going say that we doing it for the good of the Iraquis, but what about the american family now without a male as the head of the house. What about the stay at home mother who now finds out that she has to be hurried back into the workplace. I am not saying we should just withdraw immediately, we should at least set a date for withdrawal. Put your political views a side; think as a person with a heart. This is not an attack agianst Bush. All the Bush lovers in the class; please stay off my case.

Gay Marriage/ Full faith and credit clause

Gay Marriage, just what everybody wants to hear about. Is it right for a man to marry another man? I think not. Is it right for a woman to marry another woman? I think not. Just because I don`t think gay people should be able to get married does not mean they should not be able to. My personal preferene or the president's preference should not affect the rights that gay people are entitled to. Gay people are normal Americans too. They should have the same rights that every other tax paying Americans have. Sexual prefernce should not be taken into consideration when making laws. If our government discriminates against gays, that is no different than our government discriminating against black people. The Defense of Gay Marriage Act was passed in 1996. This is an act that declared that states will not have to recognize a same sex marriage even if it is legal in other states, even if it is legal in another state. Is this not clearly disciminating against gay people? Why is congress allowed to pass a law that goes against the full faith and credit clause. This is is a clause in the constitution requiring that states normally honor the public acts and judicial decisions that take place in another state. Passing the Defense of Gay Marriage Act clearly shows that states never intended to honor the full faith and credit clause, and Congress is giving them the right to not honor the clause. Gay people pay taxes so I believe they should have the same rights of other citizens. If the trend of congress passing defense laws against issues continue. I am scared that one day there will be some kind of defense against racial issues. Think about that.