This nation is a Boozeocracy.
We allow consumption of alcohol, and have clear distinctions between “Use” and “Abuse”. Get hammered and drive= Abuse. Get hammered and ride with a designated driver = Responsible Use.
Any use of marijuana = Abuse You are hereby ordered to do time, or get “Treatment”.
The medicalization approach seems so kind and humane, but it perpetuates a clinically useless definition of abuse. Instead of filling jails, we fill treatment programs with people who don’t deserve jail or need treatment.
Until we get some realistic, consistent distinctions and standards of Use vs. Abuse, we’ll never make real progress dealing with real drug abuse and the harm it causes.

Ah, Max.. who had Single Payer advocates banned from testifying, then had them handcuffed and dragged away when they dared to show up. Then he made sure the folks in Libby Montana all got on Medicare because the place is a toxic death trap thanks to the “Makers” who made millions from their mining, didn’t clean up, and left them to get sick and die.
Wish he had done that for the rest of us, but we gotta be Uniquely American with our health care..

But Look What Did Pass! Stock trading for Congress critters, protection for Monsanto, and coming soon a sales tax on the internet..
Welcome Back My Friends, To The Show That Never Ends…

The background check should have passed, though it probably would have little practical effect on incidents like Newtown. More important is the overall culture of rage, violence, and desperation that fuels the murder.
The Minneapolis program had some expanded gun control measures, but also focused on reaching out to the fringes of society, the unemployed, the excluded, the rejected living in poverty with jobs programs, mentoring programs, and other measures to include people who are otherwise out in the cold.
But a economic system that relies on unemployment to keep wage inflation under control is going to fight full inclusion tooth and nail.
Property and Profit are worth the price of culling the herd, I guess..

What this thread really needs is a Democrat Party blogger to wag a finger and ridicule anyone who thinks FDRs New Deal is better than the DLC Deal.

Social Security is not part of the deficit. Eliminate the cap.
Is there really a “Democrat” in the White House.
Or anywhere else..?

Is there a neo-New Dealer candidate around? Hell no..
The Democratic party is like Linda Blair, spinning its head and running upside down and backwards down the stairs..

I’m a boomer, a Vietnam Vet turned hippy (Stephen Gaskin Monday Night Class and all!). Our views were Never in the majority of our generation. But, they were the vanguard of badly needed changes in consciousness, which have moved things along at a glacial pace..
The changes are happening, but not nearly as radical or as fast as I want them to.. or as is needed. We inherited a torch from those who came before us, now we pass it along.. may it’s light keep shining.

Do you suppose we could get a few more Surprises installed in our bills?
How about Medicare For All? Remove the cap on the Social Security tax? Allow states to control and regulate marijuana as they choose? Allow adults to marry who they choose? Declare peace justice freedom prosperity for all the world.. blither on..
If it’s that easy, why not do something Good…

China is the 800 pound gorilla in this room..
They are not happy with a raving lunatic grafted to their geo-political side,
at the same time they would be compelled to confront any US Navy intrusions..
And NK serves as the yapping chihuahua to worry the forces of Imperialism.
So they both need and dislike each other… and everybody else..
Merry Minuet Redux 2013

I watched the healthcare reform process very carefully. The polls began to turn against Obamas plan when it became obvious that the Public Option, Medicare buy in was DEAD.. in fact never even seriously considered with Billy Tauzin and Liz Fowler at the controls. Robust Public Option… and the Demo-Snarks don’t see that the long nose from lying turned into a trunk..

SS is not part of the deficit. Eliminate the cap. Duh.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-to-use-solar-energy-at-night

Solar thermal is a reality. Germany is solarizing their electrical grid with thousands of rooftop panels. Solar water heating does not have to attain full temperature in order to impact energy usage, simply raising the temperature 25 degrees before sending it to a conventional water heater saves energy, money, and resources. We do not need one single, centralized, investor owned, profit driven generating system. We need decentralized, broad based, non-profit system using regionally appropriate sources. One of the wonders of electricity is the wide range of ways it can be generated, kinetic (wind blowing, water flowing), chemical, thermal (geo and solar), even radiant (remember crystal radios?).
A one dimensional approach to this problem is simplistic and a proven loser.
Once we get past the 19th century paradigms of investment driven utilities, we might stand a chance.