What Tom Brokaw labeled “Our greatest generation” was the product of the hardships of the Great Depression and service during the Second World War. They had a strong sense of the requirement and honor of serving the community above self. When asked to participate in something that would benefit the community, they would volunteer their services. […]
Mysterious death of the Russian representative to the UN
By Slava Tsukerman Vitaly Churkin, who served as Russia’s permanent representative to the United Nations since 2006, “died suddenly” in New York on Monday, February 20th, one day before his 65th birthday. Churkin’s death triggered a lot of controversial reports. Child movie star, Vitaly Churkin graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in […]
Democrats show diversity
By Richard Miller WE.CONNECT.DOTS: No matter the outcome of Saturday’s battle for the chairperson for Democratic National Committee, the party leaders appeared to emphasize “diversity.” The three leading candidates were: Pete Buttigieg, age 35 – (pronounced “But–tigg– eej”) second term mayor of South Bend, Inc., Harvard educated, a Rhodes scholar, Navy veteran of the […]
Governor Terry McAuliffe Legalizes Syringe Access Programs in Virginia
Lancaster / Harrisburg / York Harm Reductio Project sponsor syringe exchanges in their respective cities. For additional information, contact Melinda Zipp, Director. Thousands of Lives Will Be Saved by Reducing HIV and Hepatitis C DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE: Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe signed legislation this week that legalizes syringe access programs in […]
REF: Don’t give everyone ‘a seat at the table’
There is an oft voiced concept that boards of organization should be made up of people representative of the general public. That may be good for window dressing, but it is a disaster for getting important things done! One public organization has tripped over itself for years because of the inexperience and lack of […]
Sean Spicer: Trump’s DOJ Will Push for “Greater Enforcement” of Federal Law in Recreational Marijuana States
Administration Suggests They Will Not Crack Down on Medical Marijuana States DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE: In a press conference today, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer strongly indicated that Jeff Sessions’ Department of Justice (DOJ) will crack down on recreational marijuana programs. When asked about whether the federal government will take action in states that […]
Putin challenges Trump through recognition of documents issued by Ukrainian Separatists
By Slava Tsukerman Most Russians believed that the first move of Donald Tramp as the President of the US will be removing sanctions against Russia. The latest actions and statements of the members of the new American administration showed that Russian expectations were wrong. On February 15, Trump wrote in his Twitter: “Crimea was TAKEN […]
Keisling on dysfunctional Supreme Court and how bond financing became the roots of recent statewide corruption
The following is a first draft of an excerpt from Bill Keisling’s forthcoming book on the history of corruption in Pennsylvania government. Over the past several decades, Keisling notes, as corruption in state government has grown worse, the state’s corporate media has often been complicit with the politicians. These media outlets, sadly, have been important supporting players in […]
Hope in Harrisburg, maybe
By Dick Miller WE.CONNECT.DOTS: There is hope for better governance in Pennsylvania, but improvement cannot happen until the next decade. We are better than halfway through the current decade and power has flowed to the Republican leadership beyond due by voter registration. Through a redistricting process known as “Gerrymandering” many more lawmaker seats are held […]
In the Time of Trump, Can Congress Take the Lead on Marijuana Policy?
by Phil Smith psmith This article was produced in collaboration with AlterNet and first appeared here. DRUG WAR CHRONICLE: While the marijuana community — consumers, industry, and advocates alike — eyes with trepidation the reign of avowed drug warrior Jeff Sessions at the Justice Department, the Trump executive branch isn’t the only game in town when […]
New York State Assembly Passes Landmark Legislation to Seal Past Marijuana Possession Convictions
Bill is First Step Toward Comprehensive Plan to Redress Harms of the War on Drugs in Communities of Color Sealing Records for Low-Level Marijuana Offenses Could Help Prevent Deportations in Trump America Advocates Urge Governor to Fully Decriminalize Personal Marijuana Possession, Seal Records, and Pardon People Who Have Been Falsely Arrested DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE: […]
We fall for political lies
By Dick Miller WE.CONNECT.DOTS: Politicians and government officials speak a different language. Because we accept these untruths, high taxes and poor services follow. This time of year, “politspeak” gets a little deeper. (Don’t ping your Merriam-Webster. “Politspeak” is a new term. A preliminary definition: “pledges by politicians to get re-elected, but – on the […]
SLATE: Government by White Nationalism Is Upon Us
SLATE: Before the election, when Donald Trump was still just an unlikely presidential nominee, a conservative under the pseudonym “Publius Decius Mus,” wrote a remarkable essay in support of Trump. The pseudonym alone gave a glimpse into the writer’s thinking. The real-life Decius was a Roman consul who sacrificed himself to the gods for […]
Gorsuch on Grass: Where Does Trump’s Supreme Court Pick Come Down on Marijuana?
by Phil Smith psmith This article was produced in collaboration with AlterNet and first appeared here. DRUG WAR CHRONICLE: Where does Donald Trump’s pick for the Supreme Court come down on weed? The record is pretty sparse. Neil Gorsuch hasn’t made any known public pronouncements about marijuana policy, and despite his tenure on the 10th […]