thedeserttortoise
Well-Known Member
I always say..."just follow the money". This is a classic case. Californians just lost the true legalization they were seeking...guess what? Can't tax it now... AND... the cost of prosecution and incarceration (even overnight) previous to this bill just weighs down the already sagging economic conditions in CA. SO... whats the next best thing... you got it. Cut out the logistics's of criminal possession, streamline the method or protocol of the citation process...and get a hundred bucks to boot. Your still involved in a criminal act (hence the fine) which realistically opens your doors to more scrutiny. Remember, it just takes one good dog to lead a herd of sheep..... MJ is safer than alcohol and medicinally beneficial. It would be legal if big brother wasn't making zillions off it already. The infrastructure built up around it is disgusting. 78% of the DEA's budget is used in combating pot... and your border patrol stops... they used to be worried about illegal immigrants. Not anymore. The signs at our BP stops boast of pot seizure's now days. We live in a culture of corporate control that is hid in the haze of smoke and mirrors. Wherever there's a way to punk the average Joe or Jane out of money you'll find a politician and corporation holding the reigns... the bureaucracy's that have been built up over the criminalization of pot are so profitable that it's legalization and taxation would actually be a step backwards for the corporations profiting from it... the fine is wrong. It's just being served up with a spoonful of sugar to make it easier to swallow. Pot needs to be decriminalized completely. In closing, I really do agree with all of you here. Yes. A hundred dollar fine is a lot easier to cope with than spending thousands in court fee's. And, yes. It not going on your record is a grand step forward. But do me a favor. Remember that it's just a way for the state to continue to rip you off for an action that truly falls outside the realm of government jurisprudence in an ideological sense. Since our beginnings as a country and a culture, we have seen the deterioration and degradation of liberty and freedoms that made this country special. In the spirit of liberty and freedom, we are all right and our views are valid. It's our leader's that suck, and the ease in which they are manipulated by interest's other than the people's. OK, OK... I'm dancing around on this soapbox and the nails are about to fall out. I'll take my leave.... but oh wow.. that really felt good to get off my chest...