Paterson Too Good to be True? (Probably)

I know he hasn’t even officially assumed the governorship yet, so it’s way premature to judge him. Still, I just assumed I’d easily find a lot not to like about David Paterson, but honestly I’m having a very hard time of it. Turns out he supports reforming the Rockefeller drug laws, reining in trigger-happy cops, and even voting for non-citizens. Now it turns out he is (or at least was very recently) a big opponent of eminent domain:

If David Paterson as governor displays the opposition to eminent domain that he showed as a state senator, several high-profile development projects in New York City could be derailed or delayed, including a Columbia University expansion, the Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn, and the transformation of Willets Point in Queens.As a state Senate leader, Mr. Paterson in 2005 held a rally with Council Member Letitia James and state Senator William Perkins on the steps of City Hall during which he called for a statewide moratorium on the use of eminent domain.

Mr. Paterson said a decision handed down by the Supreme Court in the Kelo v. City of New London case could lead to a “gold rush” of eminent domain use across the state, The New York Sun reported at the time. He said he would gather legislators and introduce legislation to impose a moratorium on its use.

I’m sure he’ll go along with whatever tax hikes Sheldon Silver proposes (but then again he might surprise us), and all his talk at his press conference yesterday about campaign finance reform made me nervous, but so far we could do a lot worse. Heck, we have done a lot worse — in each of the last three gubernatorial administrations.

Do any of our readers have any dirt on Paterson? Leave a note in the comments.

New York Politics Bizarro World

What’s going on here? Is there a full moon? Two of my most favorite New York politicians to despise actually came out with positions that I agree with!

First Congressman Anythony Weiner said the FBI and Congress should give it a rest already on whether Roger Clemens lied about HGH use.

“I do believe that public embarrassment is a sanction. The real consequences are a loss of revenue from endorsements and a loss of respect in the eyes of the fans. It may be that Roger Clemens’ entry into the Hall of Fame is in question. It may be that future employers won’t have an interest in his services.”

As Weiner views the role of the federal government, that should be enough.

That should be enough? Limit the federal government’s role?! Okay, buddy, what have you done with the real Anthony Weiner.

Second, the loathsome Dr. Thomas Frieden, NYC Health Commissioner — the instigator of the smoking ban and the trans-fat ban — actually came out with a pro-freedom proposal. He wants to change state law to allow pharmacists to give flu shots, just like they already can in 47 other states. Currently only doctors and nurses are permitted to give flu vaccines. According to Frieden, expanding access to the vaccine would save lives. Imagine that — greater freedom benefiting mankind.

I’m going back to bed before I read that Charles Barron thinks maybe some white folks aren’t so bad after all.

Three Cheers for Jury Nullification

Every once in awhile, Time Magazine really surprises me. Usually it’s a bastion of conformity and inside-the-box thinking, but then out of nowhere, pow! Take this week’s surprising guest editorial, from the creators of HBO’s The Wire. Not only do they call out the drug war as the monstrous, destructive atrocity that it is, but they up the ante by calling for good old-fashioned (but unheard of in the MSM) jury nullification:

If asked to serve on a jury deliberating a violation of state or federal drug laws, we will vote to acquit, regardless of the evidence presented. Save for a prosecution in which acts of violence or intended violence are alleged, we will — to borrow Justice Harry Blackmun’s manifesto against the death penalty — no longer tinker with the machinery of the drug war. No longer can we collaborate with a government that uses nonviolent drug offenses to fill prisons with its poorest, most damaged and most desperate citizens.

Jury nullification is American dissent, as old and as heralded as the 1735 trial of John Peter Zenger, who was acquitted of seditious libel against the royal governor of New York, and absent a government capable of repairing injustices, it is legitimate protest. If some few episodes of a television entertainment have caused others to reflect on the war zones we have created in our cities and the human beings stranded there, we ask that those people might also consider their conscience. And when the lawyers or the judge or your fellow jurors seek explanation, think for a moment on Bubbles or Bodie or Wallace. And remember that the lives being held in the balance aren’t fictional.

I’ve been a jury rights advocate for years. If you do nothing else to restore freedom in our country, it is essential that you let every person you know — especially when they are about to serve jury duty — that they have the absolute right and duty to just the law itself, as well as the facts of the case, regardless of any instructions to the contrary by the guy in the black dress. The Fully Informed Jury Association is a great resource for spreading the word.

And, as luck would have it, I have jury duty coming up in three weeks. You’d better believe that every potential juror in the waiting room with me will get the new FIJA brochure.

Hat tip: LewRockwell.com

Disgraceful

This is one of those stories that makes me spend the day wondering what the hell is wrong with this country. A new study from the Pew Center shows that 1 in 99 adult Americans is behind bars right now. Not has been been incarcerated at some point in their lives. In prison or jail today, as you read this.

 And of course, the stats are even worse for minorities:

One in 36 adult Hispanic men is behind bars, based on Justice Department figures for 2006. One in 15 adult black men is, too, as is one in nine black men ages 20 to 34.

One in fucking nine!

And they wonder why Michelle Obama isn’t prouder of her country.

The United States, the land of the free, imprisons more of its population than any other country on earth, both in percentage terms and absolute terms. Communist China, with over a billion people, only has 1.5 million prisoners. We have 2 million.

Germany imprisons 93 out of every 100,000 of its citizens. We imprison 750 out of every 100,000.

So is there something intriniscally criminal about the American people that requires locking them up in so much greater numbers than any other people on earth? Are other countries allowing dangerous fiends to run wild? Or maybe, just maybe, do we have too many stupid laws — especially our insane drug laws – and a FUBAR justice system?

Hunter Thomspon was right. We have become a nation of jailers.

Spitzer’s Cocaine Tax

The Times’ City Room blog points out a bizarre provision among the hundreds of items in Eliot Spitzer’s budget proposal — he wants to impose a $3.50-a-gram tax on marijuana and a $200-a-gram tax on other illegal drugs such as cocaine.

New York City and State combined tax tobacco cigarettes at a rate of $3.00 per pack. Anyone know how many grams of tobacco are in each pack? I’m curious to see whether tobacco or pot will have the higher tax.

Either way, as with tobacco, Spitzer is muscling himself a piece of the drug traffickers’ action. He has an advantage over other thugs in that his gang has the most guns — and badges.

Presidential Candidates and Medical Marijuana: Republicans flunk except Ron Paul and Tom Tancredo

I just received a mailer from the Marijuana Policy Project.  If you are not a member - sign up now.  This is one of the most effective organizations anywhere promoting an issue important to libertarians.

The mailer includes a report card for 16 Democratic and Republican presidential candidates and the results are pretty interesting.  The only real surprise is that Hillary Clinton got something right for a change - indicating (according to the report card) that she would end federal raids on legal medical marijuana users.

Did you know that the federal government ignores state law in medical marijuana states and arrests and imprisons law abiding citizens?   After you read this you might want to take a look at what’s happening Pakistan.   Constitution? - we don’t need no stinking Constitution.

 The Democrats actually do pretty well in the report card.  Only Joe Biden scores less than an A.   Chris Dodd seems to have read the Constitution and says he would leave it to the states - yeah Chris! .  Mike Gavel says he would legalize marijuana - yeah Mike!.

Then we have those pillars of small government the Republicans.  Of course Ron Paul scores an A+.  No surprise there.  As a doctor an a libertarian Dr. Paul hits yet another bulls-eye referring to people making their own choices and to state law.  Tom Tancredo also earns an A+ referring to state law.  Good work Tom - I can see you read the Constitution too.  

Every other Republican earns an F.  FDR would be proud.  Shouldn’t the candidates of the party of small government read the Constitution and resist using the federal government to enforce their own view of morality - especially when the will of the people in those states has been made clear in the democratic process? 

Giuliani, the big “liberal Republican” in the bunch proves his big government instincts referring to the FDA’s assessment that marijuana has no medical benefit.   Well Rudy - a lot of doctors and a lot of voters think the FDA is wrong.  Rudy is big on obeying the law. Perhaps he should make it clear whether he would obey the law in this case.  Rudy - does the FDA over-rule the Constitution?

Romney’s comment is classic.  “I don’t want medical marijuana…”  Well Mitt - no one is forcing you to take it are they.  And I don’t think the sick people in medical marijuana states really care what a Governor of some other state thinks as long as he doesn’t become President.

I really can’t believe this is the crop the Republicans have raised up.  Except of course for our hero, Ron Paul, there isn’t an ounce of leadership in the batch.  I can’t wait til after the primary to change my registration back to Libertarian. 

Mitt, Rudy and you other flunkies - just keep pandering to your “big government conservative” base.  Hillary is counting on it.

Medical Marijuana Milestone

The New York State Assembly passed a medical marijuana bill for the first time ever today, according to the Marijuana Policy Project. The bill would allow patients with life-threatening conditions to use marijuana according to their doctors’ recommendations. The state health department could also add other serious conditions. Patients would be allowed to cultivate a safe supply of their own medicine (up to 12 plants) or have a caregiver do so for them. They could possess up to 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana.

Now the bill has to get through the Republican-controlled state Senate, and there’s a decent chance they could vote on it before they adjourn for the year next Thursday. Call your senator and tell him or her to let sick people have their medicine. Or at least send your senator an email in seconds via this handy form on the MPP website.

Global Marijuana March New York City!

Description:

The New York event of the 2007 Global Marijuana March, with 228 cities worldwide!11:00 a.m.: Gather at Washington Square Park for a harm reduction rally and health fair with Ed Rosenthal and Randy Credico of the William Moses Kunstler Fund for Racial Justice.1:30 p.m.: Cures not Wars‘ Parade/March against the Drug War via 5th Ave, 8th St & St. Marks Place with Cinco de Mayo/Pancho Villa float.2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.: Concert/Teach-In/Rally for health freedom and to defund war & prisons at Tompkins Square Park with Ernie Paniccioli, Native American activist and author of “Who Shot Ya? Three Decades of Hip Hop Photography,” The RedRum Republik (as heard on the Howard Stern show), Aton Edwards of the International Preparedness Network, Dana Beal and Ed Rosenthal.

That night: Benefit party with Ed Rosenthal at the Yippie! Museum, 9 Bleecker Street (between Elizabeth and the Bowery)
6 to Bleecker, or D/F to Broadway-Lafayette
$50 advance/$75 at door

More info: http://newyorkcity.wo…
Or call (212) 677-7180 or 212-677-5918 for more info or to RSVP for party.

Mayor Rudy and the Arrogance of Power

The Bush Administration has been much criticized for a culture of arrogance that has led them to disastrous decisions on the war, spending, civil liberties and just about everything else.

Well if you like the arrogance of the Bush Administration you will love President Giuliani. Mayor Rudy picked fights with the cab drivers, street vendors, recreational drug users, live music venues and probably the best known most tragic - with the Port Authority (see The Grand Illusion, Barrett and Collins). In an ego driven power play Mayor Rudy attempted to starve the Port Authority for cash which contributed to delaying installation of new fire radios in the World Trade Center. According to Barrett and Collins fire fighters died needlessly on 911 as a result.

Grass-over

For those Serf City readers of the Jewish persuasion, be advised that you’ll need to dispose of the kind along with the chometz before sundown Monday:

“Marijuana is not kosher for Passover, a pro-cannabis advocacy group says, advising Jews who observe the week-long holiday’s special dietary laws to take a break from smoking the weed.The Green Leaf Party announced Wednesday that products of the cannabis plant have been grouped by rabbis within a family of foods such as peas, beans and lentils that is off-limits to Jews of European descent during Passover.The Green Leaf Party, which has made several unsuccessful attempts to win election to parliament on a platform urging marijuana’s legalisation, said it was issuing its advisory as a service to Jews who don’t want to break ritual law.”

In my ‘hood on the lower east side, it’s a pre-Passover tradition to burn all the chometz (leavened bread) in steel barrels along Grand Street. If any of my neighbors need help, um, burning their stash before the holiday, please don’t hesitate to call.