Pam, thanks for your heart-felt post.

It seems to me that the psychological progression for those who oppose anyone “different” goes something like: guilt, fear, projection, anger, attack. Fighting back seems like the response they want and expect. This justifies their original fears. Perversely, I think the only real solution involves helping the guilt and fear-ridden to feel better about themselves. And even as I type this I realize the huge difficulty of the path I’m suggesting. But revenge or counter-attack seems like a very unproductive path.

And at the risk of sounding too cynical or smarmy, I have a friend who is fond of saying, “I don’t expect anything from anybody, and I still get disappointed.”

I have a slightly off-topic question: In states with medical marijuana laws, is it also legal to grow hemp? Because this would seem to be another wedge that could be used against prohibition. Hemp is an extremely friendly and profitable agricultural product with many uses and virtually no environmental downside. Just wonderin’…

Thanks, Sam. I would add some random thoughts:

As long as cannabis is illegal, so is hemp. So there are other industries such as paper and cotton and corn (ethanol, cooking oil) that have an interest in maintaining prohibition.

Cannabis is classified as a Schedule I drug – no recognized medical use. To the best of my knowledge, Marinol/THC is classified as Schedule III – known medical uses. Go figure.

THC is to cannabis as cocaine is to coca. One the active ingredient is segregated from its natural state, it just ain’t the same.

And the political reality: Obama doesn’t need Congress to change the law. He has the authority to reschedule cannabis to Schedule III and take it off of DOJ radar.

Does the fact that the Commander-in-Chief has already declared Manning guilty work in his favor at all? That seems to be as prejudicial as not turning over evidence.

I just feel an overwhelming sadness and shame. Lots of shame.

Michelle Obama was ridiculed for saying during the election that she never felt so proud of her country. How’s it feel now, Michelle?

This is undoubtedly one of the silliest religious rites of all times. I think the Scientologists should launch a counterstrike and redirect all dead Mormons to whatever planet they’ve set aside for their post-appocalyptic existence. Good Lord, these people are gullible.

On another note, is making a tin foil hat considered origami?

Well, don’t conservative groups already buy up cases and cases of wingnut books to boost them onto the best-seller lists? Maybe Rush will sell his copius airtime at below market rates so these groups can push the books and their agendas. Kind of like a wingnut circle jerk.

No, it means that he is left-handed. But I was schooled in Latin and so h/t to your sublety.

In all of this intricate legal debate one simple fact seems to have been overlooked. And it’s right there in the video for everyone to see. Obama is LEFT-HANDED! LEFT-handed! No one in the liberal MSM will bother to point this out to you, but it’s right there. BTW, that phony birth certificate he produced said nothing about him being left-handed.

LEFT-handed! I rest my case.

So is the fact that a weapon is classified as “non-lethal” a legal defense? I mean, if I as a civilian used a taser on someone and they died, would I be charged with a crime? If so, why shouldn’t police officers be charged with the same crime? Or do they automatically get a free ride because, you know, it’s a “non-lethal” weapon?

Well, your nom de plume is certainly appropriate.

Why can’t Obama just give Cordray a title that doesn’t require Senate approval? How about “General-Manager-until-such-a-time-that-Republicans- pull-their-heads-out-of-their-asses-and-approve-a-Director”?

Cheers for the LA Council. And a h/t to Thom Hartmann. Long before Citizens United, Thom was calling for actions like LA’s to turn back the “doctrine” of corporate personhood. Thom has written several books about the erosion of our democracy and what we can do to counter the corporatocracy. Highly recommended.

To Phoenix Woman @19: Besides moving public monies to local banks and credit unions, there is also renewed interest in public banks. AFAIK, North Dakota is the only state with a public bank, but resolutions have been introduced in several others. It’s a concept whose time is past due.

Putting all political labels aside, it is possible that Warren possesses a trait that makes the moneyed elite tremble: integrity. If that is the case, then the “lesser of two evils” becomes much more desireable in my mind. Does that mean that she would always vote the way progressives want? Probably not. But if OWS is praised for “changing the conversation”, wouldn’t it be helpful to have a voice that speaks with integrity and sincerity? Just her presence in the race has already elevated the level of enthusiasm for many voters.

And for the deeply cynical, I have three questions: What outcome would change your attitude? How do we get there? What would you contribute to the process?

They’d never get away with this in Wisconsin. Walker would just fire them all and put prisoners to filling those jobs. Well, except for prison guards, I guess.