Smaller/Limited Government update-
“Eight states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use…”
Attorney General Sessions,
It took a constitutional amendment to prohibit the sale of a glass of wine- why no constitutional amendment to authorize a federal war on drugs, drug czar, prohibition of marijuana, etc.
Medical Marijuana- now at 29 Legal Medical Marijuana States and DC
Looks like people prefer alternatives to federally approved prescription drugs.
How about using legal anti-depression meds that may bring on thoughts of suicide (0:34)
Same country that makes a big deal of celebrating freedom & independence each July 4th.
Same country that makes a big deal of thanking The Troops for defending American rights and freedoms.
Local history:
In 2008, Washington was one of several legal medical marijuana states.
Olympic Peninsula immigration checkpoint-
At a checkpoint- away from any border crossing or port of entry- the US Border Patrol stopped a legal medical marijuana user with a legal amount of medical marijuana. He was a passenger in a car:
Small-scale pot busts snared in Border Patrol stops
Boder Patrol public forum-
In 2008, the US Border Patrol came to Jefferson County, WA and set up suspicionless checkpoints and bus boardings- away from border crossings and ports of entry.
At a local Border Patrol forum a lady asked:
“What is the penalty for not identifying oneself to federal agents at an internal, suspicionless checkpoint?”
US Border Patrol said they would call in the Sheriff when a person refused to identify themselves.
Sheriff says they will not respond to a non-emergency situation involving a person peaceably refusing to interact with federal agents.
Question about providing ID is at 0:35
Will the Joint Chiefs of Staff send The Troops to safeguard American freedoms?
More here: Saying No to the federal government
Photo- Double Bluff
Funny isn’t it, how those on whichever end of the political spectrum think how many federal dollars and how much oversight and intervention are appropriate and when. Nice peaceable conversation at Christmas dinner, ‘cuz what would Christmas be without such discussions, went like this: A: Goddamn government regulators, telling you when you can and cannot go crabbing in the bay out there, why can’t they just leave it alone and let you go whenever you want, ‘cuz freedom n Merica n all. B: Seems to work for me. That dip you’re eating came from crab right in front of the house. I catch so much in two months we have plenty all winter. I’m not worried about it. A: Maybe so, but you turn wildlife over to the government, they’re gonna screw it up. You just know they are. B: Maybe you’re right. Like Afghanistan. A: What? We’re over there fighting. Fighting for freedom. B: Is that a fact. You really believe that. A: What, you don’t? B: I have no idea why we’re there. Just saying, if you don’t even trust the government to manage the crab population right here in this little bay on Whidbey Island, how the hell do you justify putting that much trust in them to do the right thing with seven hundred billion dollars of tanks and missiles and throwing away our children’s lives in a bloodbath thousands of miles from home? You’re ok with the government telling you that’s the right thing to do, but you blow a fuse over the game commission regulating crabs because it’s government overreach? A: …..uh….Merica.
Happy new year Alex.
Bill
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Bill,
I’ve had a WA fishing license for many years now- but I’ve gotten away from using it other than to collect washed up kelp & seaweed for compost & tilling into the garden. The rule book is about 130 pages thick. You need to be part lawyer and part marine biologist to properly follow the rules. It’s too complicated for it to be fun for me anymore. I’m not interested in fishing for any endangered species. Maybe I belong in the South- where I could go out and get a few catfish for eating. If you followed the rules in the 70s- it was supposed to maintain a sustainable fishery for the 80s. Follow the rules in the 90s to allow good fishing into the new century, etc. Sad to realize it’s not working out. As a kid I caught fish. As and adult- I brought home more lures from the sporting goods store than fish.
We have had good luck with clams & oysters over the past decade or so. My favorite spots are in Jefferson County.
My brother came out for a beach walk and commented on a kelp bed offshore- he asked if I’d like to be out there doing a little fishing. I told him that fishing in WA is semi-illegal these days.
I wish more people would question the idea that The Troops are in distant lands fighting for American rights and freedoms.
Happy New Year Bill.
Alex