Much More Data Needed Before Pot Legalization: New York Doctor

I have written here before of a looming public health problem.  Forces favoring the legalization of marijuana have succeeded in convincing citizens and legislative leaders in several states to legalize the formerly verboten drug. 

The main advantage to this serious over-turning of a century of legal precedent is that we are beginning to develop a body of knowledge about the dangers of marijuana from the states where it is legal.  The news is far from good. 

Perhaps the biggest concern is the effect on young people.  Beginning with concerns about second-hand smoke in the home and the effect on driving, we now have concerns about the effects on the human brain, especially before the age of twenty-five.  It is a pity states have rushed to legalize pot before sufficient data about its effects are available.  At least the shroud of mystery is beginning to lift. 

Reference:
Marijuana: The Word from a Qualified Doctor

The Rise of Far-Right Economic Orthodoxy

Robert Bork did more than any individual in the twentieth century to embed the libertarian free-market principles of Ayn Rand and Milton Friedman into the heart of the American economic and judicial system....Bork came to the University of Chicago in the late 1940s as a true believer in Roosevelt's New Deal politics....But as he began to get attracted to the intersection of economics and law, the conservative professors who dominated the Chicago faculty discouraged any belief that government could or should play a role in regulating business.    

                                                 -- From Move Fast and Break Things by Jonathan Taplin, pp. 109, 111

The story of how far-right economic theory became mainstream in America is rather involved, though its beginning and course are quite traceable.  The main thing is that this orthodoxy -- which says the government has no place regulating big business -- is prevalent today, and to a large extent has simply taken over public policy as it is enunciated by politicians, academics, and pundits.

There are exceptions, of course.  After all, it is pretty cleat that the Sherman Anti-Trust act was and is not in favor of trusts (combines of corporations, including financial outfits).  Yet, as author Taplin points out, we have in good measure returned to domination of only a few firms, particularly in the Internet field.

What Taplin attempts to do -- and this is ever so useful -- is show how the Internet monopolies grew out of the capitalist economic system.  And he further shows how this has been so very hurtful to true variety, diversity, and freedom. 
                              

Robert Bork

Former Republican Prosecutors Release Video

Several former Republican prosecutors who served in the highest ranks of government have recently released an important video about the Mueller report.  This video details their view that the Mueller report is absolutely damning when it comes to the President's attempts to obstruct justice.  It appears that in some cases the attempts at obstruction of justice were successful.

How sad it is that not only is the President credibly accused of obstruction of justice, but his Attorney General and Republican leaders in Congress all profess myopia and an inability to see a problem.  This means justice is delayed.   And, has been said, justice delayed is justice denied.


(See the note at top right about the video which can be viewed at Patriot in Exigency.)

The Immigration Crisis at the Border Explained

From Democracy Now, an expert speaks

via Democracy Now -- June 5, 2019