Pot-TV: Andrew Bernstein- ‘The Case For Ending Drug Prohibition’

Posted on July 1, 2015 by Erik Schneider
Andrew Bernstein

Source:Blog-TO– “The Case for Ending Drug Prohibition: Dr. Andrew Bernstein speaks in …”

Source:The New Democrat

I mostly agree with Andrew Bernstein here and I disagree with him when it comes to full legalization. I’m not a Libertarian and that is just one example of why I wouldn’t legalize cocaine, heroin and meth. This idea that people who consume these drugs and lot of these users are addicted to these drugs and is why they still use them, that they’re only hurting themselves, is simply false.

Cocaine, heroin and meth, are a lot stronger than marijuana and alcohol and are very addictive. And when you get and stay on heroin, cocaine and meth, you’re not only devastating yourself physically, but it’s bad for our healthcare system with all the added costs to our emergency rooms. And it hurts our economy as well, because of the lack of productivity that comes from having workers on those narcotics. You legalize those drugs in America and we’ll see a lot more accidents on our roads and people making horrible decisions that hurt others. Simply because they don’t know what they’re doing, because they’re high.

So here’s what I would do.

End the War on Drugs and even end drug prohibition. I want marijuana to be legal everywhere in America and taxed and regulated like alcohol. But with the current makeup of Congress and even with a Democratic President, that is not very likely right now. But what I believe Congress could do and President Obama and the U.S. Justice Department is already doing, is to stay the Feds won’t interfere in states that decide to legalize marijuana. And won’t prosecute marijuana cases that involve the simple possession, usage and selling of marijuana for adults in those states. Congress and the President, could make that official Federal policy going forward.

As far as cocaine, heroin and meth: again, end the War on Drugs and end drug prohibition. But that’s not the same as legalizing those drugs. What I would say for people who choose to use those drugs, they would no longer face prosecution, jail, or prison time, for simply being under the influence and in possession of those drugs. But if they are just in possession of those drugs, they would be fined for the amount that they have. If they can’t pay it, they would work it off. If they’re caught under the influence, or are addicts, they’re looking at forced drug rehab, at their own expense. As well as continue to prosecute cocaine, heroin and meth dealers.

The War on Drugs, is a complete failure. The War on Iraq, looks like a brilliant military strategy and campaign in comparison. But just because the War on Drugs has failed, doesn’t mean we should make a colossal mistake in the opposite direction. We need a sensible narcotics policy in America, that supports personal freedom and choice, but at the same time also makes sense for our economic, health care, law enforcement and corrections systems.
Vapor Central: Andrew Bernstein- The Case For Ending Drug Prohibition

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The New Republic: Andrew Sullivan: Here Comes The Groom- The Conservative Case For Gay Marriage

Posted on June 29, 2015 by Erik Schneider

Source:The New Democrat

Just to be perfectly clear, conservative writer Andrew Sullivan, wrote this piece in the formerly liberal The New Republic, back in 1989, of all places. And the New The New Republic, (ha ha) reposted his piece about same-sex marriage last Friday. I once heard Sullivan on a panel talk show, I think on PBS, or maybe CNN, say that he opposed same-sex marriage, because of how straights have ruined marriage and hurt it so badly. With half of all American straight marriages ending in divorce and all the adultery that goes on in marriage. Kids, growing up in single-parent households, or being shipped from their father and mother back and forth. Perhaps only seeing their father on weekends and holidays, because their parents are divorced. And I’m not sure how Sullivan currently feels about same-sex marriage.

As far as the conservative case for gay marriage. I agree with Andrew Sullivan and I think he makes an excellent conservative case for it. But for me even as a Liberal talking about Conservatives and conservatism, it depends on what you mean by conservatism. Do you combine both political conservatism, which has more of a federalist conservative libertarian bent to it and is more constitutionally based. With religious or cultural conservatism, that takes us back to a time that Christian Conservatives and Neoconservatives see as an American Utopia, what they view as Traditional America. Where things that are considered mainstream and even legal today and homosexuality would just be one example of, would’ve been unacceptable and even illegal back in the 1950s and 1940s.

Or do you separate political conservatism, classical conservatism, conservative libertarianism even, with religious or cultural conservatism. I mean, are Barry Goldwater, who is Mr. Conservative and Phyllis Schlafly, who is Miss American Traditionalist, both Conservatives, or do they come from different political camps on the right. Are Rand Paul, perhaps the modern Mr. Conservative and Mike Huckabee, perhaps the hero of today’s Christian-Right, both Conservatives, even though ideologically they look and talk very differently and have very different views when it comes to their politics. And social issues might just be an example of that.

Does conservatism, mean conserving the growth of government and even shrinking it when it becomes big, so it doesn’t threaten our economic, or personal freedoms and doesn’t violate the U.S. Constitution, as well as conserving freedom both economic and personal? Or to go back to Phyllis Schlafly, doesn’t conservatism mean conserving the 1950s and taking America back to that point, or perhaps even the 1920s pre-New Deal and saying through government force, “this is what America is and what it means to be an American. And people who move away from this way of life and lifestyle, are Un-American and perhaps should even be in jail.”

Again I’m a Liberal and it would be easy for me to lump all Conservatives and anyone on the Right into one big camp of traditionalists and neanderthals and say that conservatism, is really the big government ideology in America. Because they want to force their way of life through government force on the rest of America. But that wouldn’t be accurate of me and it would even be dishonest. I go with the Barry Goldwater/Rand Paul wing as far as who I see as the Conservatives in America. And say the Conservative case of same-sex marriage, is that marriage is about two people who are in love, in most cases and want to be legal romantic partners with each other for the rest of their lives. Or at least give it their best shot. And that marriage just like domestic partnerships, should be a civil issue between consenting adults. Not for government to decide.
Greg Hengler: Andrew Sullivan- On The Gay Marriage Decision

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Quest TV: ‘Unsolved History: How Did Marilyn Monroe Really Die?’

Posted on June 28, 2015 by Erik Schneider

Quest TV_ ‘Unsolved History_ How Did Marilyn Monroe Really Die_’

Source:Quest TV– Hollywood Babydoll Marilyn Monroe.

Source:The New Democrat

“Was Marilyn Monroe’s death really a suicide, or something much more sinister?”

Quest TV_ ‘Unsolved History_ How Did Marilyn Monroe Really Die_’ _ The New Democrat

Source:Quest TV– Hollywood Babydoll Marilyn Monroe, at Santa Monica Beach, California in 1962,

From Quest TV

Marilyn Monroe

Source:Alison Martino– this is from a Mysteries and Scandals episode of Marilyn Monroe, that was produced by Alison Martino. But the video is not currently available.

I’ve seen several documentaries this month alone about Marilyn Monroe and her life. Because I’m very interested in her and was looking for new material that I could blog about Marilyn’s life. And in every show except for this one, they all suggested that Marilyn died from the wrong dosage of pills and then combined those pills with alcohol and you have the deadly combination which is what killed her.

The idea that Jack or Bobby Kennedy killed Marilyn, is stupid. Perhaps not as stupid as the idea that Vice President Lyndon Johnson ordered the hit of President Kennedy, but it’s still pretty stupid.

Marilyn Monroe, was certainly unhappy. You don’t drink and take as much medication as she did in the last few years of her life, if you’re mentally healthy. But suicide, especially considering everything else she had going for her, is a little hard to buy. She had a lot of people around her and if this was on her mind, someone would’ve probably picked up on that and hopefully would’ve done something about it.

Peter Lawford, who was sort of a personal consultant and assistant to President John F. Kennedy, if he’s involved in this, it would’ve come out. Simply because of his relationship with the Kennedy’s and Marilyn Monroe.

Marilyn Monroe, was drunk the night she died and yet felt the need to have more sleeping pills. And not that I know this from personal experience, but when you’re drunk especially lets say, shit-faced drunk, you’re pretty stupid, or at the very least you act very stupid and do a lot of stupid things. Simply because you’re not in control of yourself and do things that you wouldn’t normally do.

Some people say that drunkenness, makes honest people out of everyone. Marilyn, didn’t know what she was doing on the last night of her life. Because she was drunk and as a result, she took the wrong pill combination and then add all the drinking and that is what killed her.

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Associated Press: Mark Sherman Explaining Supreme Court’s Health Care Ruling

Posted on June 25, 2015 by Erik Schneider

Mark Sherman
Source:The New Democrat

What I get from Mark Sherman, is that the challenge to the Affordable Care Act in King V Burwell, is that the challengers were saying that the subsidizes through the health care exchanges in the ACA are unconstitutional, because they are supposed to come through state exchanges. But as we all know at least the people who’ve been following the ACA, is that not every state has set up their own exchange. Republicans, control something like 30-50 governorships and maybe a couple of those states have their own exchange. And Democrats, have around 20 governorships, but not every Democratic state has a Democratically controlled governorship and legislature.

So if the challengers were right, the subsidies shouldn’t be available in states that don’t already have their own health care exchange. Even though the subsidies come from the Federal Government and are available on HealthCare.Gov. What Chief Justice John Roberts said, was that the purpose of the ACA is to expand health insurance in America. Not decrease it and that is what Congress intended in the law. Not to decrease health insurance. And to improve and expand the health insurance market in the country, not to ruin it and establish a Federally run health insurance system in the country. The Chief Justice, was ruling on the intent of the law.

Whatever you think of the ACA and I by in large support it, even though I would’ve gone further and added a public option and done more with preventive health care, the law is here to stay. For Republicans to get rid of the law, they’re going to have to win the White House back and retain control of Congress at the same time. And to do that, they’re going to have to win back young voters and Latinos. And the way they talk about immigration and these so-called voter ID laws, good luck to them on that. And hopefully Congressional Republicans will listen less to their Tea Party and Far-Right base and instead work with Congressional Democrats and President Obama. On ways to improve health care in America. Instead of trying to repeal a law that they don’t have the votes, or the President to support. But don’t go underwater hoping that will happen. Don’t hold your breath.

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VOA News: Janet Weinstein- Activists- Higher US Minimum Wage Still Not High Enough

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Erik Schneider
Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez hugs Jesseca Hudson, 11, of Cleveland after talking at the SEIU District 1199 building in Cleveland on Friday March 28, 2014.

Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez hugs Jesseca Hudson, 11, of Cleveland after talking at the SEIU District 1199 building in Cleveland on Friday March 28, 2014.

Source:The New Democrat

The so-called conservative economist in this piece, said something that is simply false and perhaps even insulting to minimum wage workers, that I have to correct, or I don’t think I would be doing my job. He said that if you force employers to pay minimum wage workers more than they are worth, that will cost jobs, because employers would find robots to replace those employees. Well, if you’re a cashier at a fast food restaurant, or retailer, or grocery store, you’re an essential employee. Why, because without those employees, those business’s couldn’t stay in business. No one has yet to invent a robot that can do the job of a fast food cashier, or cook. These restaurants have to have those employees in order to stay in business.

So this idea that these positions are only worth the bare minimum, or even less than that for people who believe the minimum wage shouldn’t even exist, is simply not true. Because without these employees, these business’s couldn’t operate and serve their customers. So given all this minimum wage workers are simply underpaid, because their employers have to have them in order to stay in business. And not only do these employers get away with underpaying their employees, but they are able to pass the cost of living of their employees, that don’t cover at all in many cases other than the minimum wage, onto hard-working middle class taxpayers. Who not only struggle to cover their own cost of living, but have to cover at least part of the cost of living of minimum wage workers. Because employers simply underpay and under benefit their essential workers.

One thing that I agree with Democratic Socialist Senator and Democratic Party presidential candidate Bernie Sanders on and I you’re familiar with my blogging, you know it’s not a long list, but he’s said that if the Federal minimum wage kept up with inflation from where it was in 1968, it would be over twelve bucks an hour right now. So-called Conservatives and Libertarians, like to say that the market should decide what people are worth. But the market doesn’t decide that, employers do. Employers are only part of the market. And the Federal Government shouldn’t decide what everyone is worth either.

But employers shouldn’t be able to pass their cost of doing business and their employees compensation on to the backs of hard-working middle class workers. That money should go from the employer to their employees. With a twelve dollar an hour minimum wage. Along with having employers pay their share in payroll taxes to cover public assistance programs. Instead of workers having to pay for all of that themselves.

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Janson Media: The Hollywood Collection- Marilyn Monroe Beyond The Legend

Posted on June 20, 2015 by Erik Schneider

MM
Source:The New Democrat

Marilyn Monroe, did seem to lack self-confidence and live in some cocoon or something and not able to see what she really had going for her. From both a personal and physical perspective. And yet the way she carried herself, you would almost have to believe that she knew she was hot, sexy, great body, baby-face adorable, with voice as cute as her face. And the things that she said and how she expressed herself and how she played her parts, you would have to think that she knew that she was very funny as well.

She wasn’t a blonde bimbo, some airhead who looked great, but had nothing else going for her. But she did lack maturity and seemed to stop aging both physically and emotionally when she reached 17, or 18 and never really grew up inside. And yet she was a hell of a talent as an actress, singer and comedian even. Similar to Shelley Winters and Elizabeth Taylor, she made her serious roles and parts look like funny people. Because she was a very funny person herself, who brought herself to all of her roles. And because she didn’t see how talented she was and what she had going for her, abused herself and was depressed a lot.

If Marilyn just bothered to grow up personally and just had a healthy sense of self-worth and self-confidence and bothered to take care of herself and not drink and take all the pills that she did, she could easily still be alive today. I mean, a women with all the skills and talent that Marilyn had, to die at 36 and have died in a plane crash, or a car crash, but to die the way she did from a pill overdose and being drunk at the time as well and all by herself, is one of the biggest damn shame’s of all-time. I can’t think of a sadder way for such a talented women to die then to be that young and alone and die from an overdose. But in her short life, she accomplished so much and left so much behind for people to remember her. And most of it positive.

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The Economist: What Happened When Portugal Decriminalized Drugs?

Posted on June 19, 2015 by Erik Schneider

The Economist
Source:The New Democrat

I believe what Portugal is saying with their drug decriminalization policy is that narcotics are bad for you, but is still locking up people simply for illegal drug possession or illegal drug use is also not only bad for you, but bad for the society as well. That Portugal, is not endorsing the usage of cocaine, meth, or heroin, but they’re saying there are better and more cost-effective ways of dealing with narcotics in this country. And instead of sending drug addicts and users to prison for simply using narcotics, they send those people to drug rehab. Which frees up jail and prison space for actual criminals. People who pose an actual threat to the security of Portugal. And hopefully this works, because as bad as the War on Drugs might have been in Portugal, it isn’t a positive thing in any other country. Especially America.

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Eric Schnurer: ‘Don’t Look Back to Move Forward’

Posted on June 17, 2015 by Erik Schneider

Martin O'Malley
Source:U.S. News– former Governor Martin O’Malley (Democrat, Maryland) announcing his 2016 presidential campaign.

Source:The New Democrat

“I once had dinner with Martin O’Malley – who announced his presidential candidacy last weekend – at a National Governors Association meeting. From what I knew of him, I expected something similar to Olivia Nuzzi’s recent description of him in The Daily Beast as “sociopathically charming.” Instead, I found O’Malley, as both a speaker and a dinner companion, so earnestly mired in policy details as to be almost boring: In short, I liked him.”

From U.S. News

I agree with Eric Schnurer, that Martin O’Malley is an old-school Liberal. But we differ on what it means to be an old-school Liberal. Schnurer, seems to think that an old-school Liberal is someone who believes that government has a program that can solve every problem that comes up. That big centralized government has all the answers. That we’re always one new tax increase, or new tax, new social program, or new investment in a current social program from solving all of our problems. And this type of political thinking does have a label for it, but it’s not Liberal. And liberalism is not that government and statist centric.

Jack Kennedy, when he ran for President in 1960, gave a speech at the New York Liberal Party convention and he defined liberalism and liberal there and I’m paraphrasing JFK, but he said that: “If liberal means someone whose soft on defense, irresponsible with tax dollars, believes in a superstate to solve everyone’s problems for them, then I’m not that Liberal.” Then Senator Kennedy went on to say: “But if a Liberal is someone who looks ahead and not behind, whose concern about the welfare of others, who believes we can always do better, then I’m that Liberal.” JFK, is Bill Clinton’s political hero and they think a lot alike when it comes to politics and policy.

Martin O’Malley, is not a Centrist and someone who is basically in the middle on most issues and perhaps leans left on social issues and leans right on fiscal issues. But he’s also not a Democratic Socialist, or perhaps even a New Deal Progressive. He’s someone who believes government can’t do everything, but can help people who especially need it move ahead, move forward and be able to live in freedom with the rest of the country. As his record as Mayor of Baltimore and then Governor of Maryland indicates. He’s someone who believes in making government work and making it efficient to serve as many people as possible. Not making government bigger, just to create more government jobs and spend more money.

Governor O’Malley, has been light on details as far as his presidential campaign so far. But I believe that is how he’s going to run for President. He’s not going to try to out Socialist the Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders, or get stuck in the middle with Hillary Clinton. But you’ll see the JFK New Democratic Liberal leanings in him and policies. As someone who wants to bring young voters with him and show them how government can work to help people improve their own lives. Not to try to take most of their money from them and try to run their lives for them. And I believe he’ll be able to bring a lot of Democrats with him with that type of campaign.

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C-SPAN: Hillary Clinton’s FDR Park The Bargain Speech

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Erik Schneider

HRC
Source:The New Democrat

Hillary Clinton, finally found her vision and theme for running for President. Which is to create and build an America where all Americans can succeed. Where everyone who plays by the rules, works hard and is productive can make it in America and live in freedom and security. Unlike Senator Elizabeth Warren, even though this speech did have some progressive populist themes in it, it was much more positive. And not talking about the rules are rigged just for the wealthy, or corporations and the rich are screwing the rest of America. But instead talking about an America where everyone can do well if they work hard and are productive.

By talking about how the wealthy have done so well, while the rest of the country is still struggling, but at the same time talking about an America where everyone did better and well, which was the 1990s, she offered a contrast and vision from the neoconservative trickle down supply side economic policy of the Republican Party right now. The theory supply side being that if you cut taxes and regulations for business’s and the wealthy, somehow that will benefit everyone else. That theory has never been proven to work, but that is still the main Republican economic policy. And she was able separate from the Sanders/Warren social democratic wing of the Democratic Party that wants more taxes and social programs for everyone to close the economic gap.

What Hillary did, was separate from both the Tea Party and Reagan Republican wing of the Republican Party and the Sanders/Warren social democratic wing of the Democratic Party. And carve about a big area where most of the rest of the country is in between. Not a centrist message, but a message and vision of her own. That says government can’t do everything for people, but it can’t do nothing. That it should focus on people who are struggling and empower them to be able to do well in America. Get them the tools to do well. With traditional Liberal Democratic policies of individual initiative, education, infrastructure and economic development. So everyone can do well in America and I think she hit out of the park.

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Reelz: Marilyn Monroe’s Estate- Celebrity Legacies

Posted on June 14, 2015 by Erik Schneider

MM
Source:The New Democrat

The five-hundred-thousand figure, as far as what Marilyn Monroe was worth when she died, even if that is 1960s money and not today’s money, does seem a little surprising to me. Considering how famous and talented she was and all the work that she got as a result. From movies, modeling and even singing. Plus a lot of endorsement’s and performances that she gave. But she also did spend a lot of money and wasn’t all together mentally even when she was sober. And did spend a lot of money on herself and people she cared about. Like her biological mother and other people close to her.

But Marilyn Monroe is still one of those women and entertainers who fall in the category of, “what could’ve been”, or, “if only.” If only she took care of herself, or actually got the help that she needed. If someone stepped up and told her that she needs help. She’s drinking way too much and taking a lot of pills. If you do just one of those things, you’re really hurting yourself, but if you do them together, you can literally kill yourself by overdosing. Which is what I believe and a lot of other people believe is how Marilyn died. Taking pills and perhaps drunk when taking them and taking the wrong combination.

Marilyn, is part of what, “what if”, or, “what could’ve been” crowd, because she accomplished so much in such a short time. I mean, dying at thirty-six years old when you look like that. And you were as a good of an entertainer that she was. Actress, singer and even comedian, one of the funniest people in Hollywood at the time. People wanted to see even more from her and where expecting to, especially considering she was only thirty-six and probably had another fifteen years, or more to look forward to as far as getting big parts and roles in her career. Had she only just took care of herself.

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