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Ferre
Cannabis Sacrament Minister.
Joined: 14 Apr 2003
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Location: Amsterdam
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 Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 2:16 am Post subject: U.S. Supreme Court Ruling: Federal Sentencing Guidelines |
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Our sister and dear friend Lori Ann Parker, who is doing legal research for our cause and volunteers for judgesagainstthedrugwar, has written this article and I am passing it on.
| Lori Ann Parker, M.C.J. wrote: |
Here is a link to an overview of the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling concerning the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. This was a ray of hope in what has become a gloomy road of prison overcrowding over the past decades from drug offenses, along with the impact of incarceration upon the families, and subsequently, our society. It was a little disconcerting that some in Congress still seem to have the "off with their heads!!" attitude that is so far removed from a democratic society in which it should be obvious - or one would think it would be - that our drug policies have failed, and brought only devastation. It seems we should have learned these lessons long ago from the thirteen years of Prohibition of the drug alcohol from 1920 to 1933, and the devastation it caused to our society.
Here is the link:
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/370/bigruling.shtml
A point of interest to me in this ruling was the fact that it was stated in the ruling that in the end it is Congress' decision. And it is. For so long, some in Congress have "passed the buck" and blamed the Justices and other judges for Congress' poorly crafted legislation, or legislation that has only the interests of powerful lobbyists in mind (ie, privatization of prisons, etc. for profit), and it was good to see the Justices set the record straight.
It is time for Congress to represent the people. It is time for Congress to represent the true best interests of society, instead of trying to blame the Justices and other judiciary for their poorly crafted legislation, or legislation whose intent is to increase the profits of themselves or their lobbyist friends while putting the pain and heartache of such profiteering on the backs of those families in our American society who will ultimately pay the price. This was a welcome ruling.
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Related, by Lori Ann Parker, M.C.J. : The Discriminatory Origins of the American Drug Wars, The Creation of the Drug Criminalization Industry, And The Effect On Modern Fourth Amendment Law (pdf)
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Mystic Power
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Joined: 23 Aug 2004
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 3:01 am Post subject: |
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That's what's so odd about the Supremes. They'll surprise everybody from time to time.
There's nothing wrong with taking a moment and just appreciating and enjoying this ...
We've all earned a little FEEL GOOD time.
Bliss on...
Ben
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Fyrefly1
Cannabis Sacrament Minister
Joined: 07 Sep 2004
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 3:23 am Post subject: |
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I loved the part where the 'Justice Dept. was livid!' 
Gee, now they won't get to send white collar criminals home with a slap on the wrist if they rat on someone.....
Awwww....too bad they lost their chance at corruption!
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Fyrefly1
"All truth passes through three stages: first it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed, and third it is accepted as self-evident."
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Mystic Power
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 3:38 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Senator Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT), who said he was disappointed but not surprised. "We will need to examine our options carefully." |
Translation: "OK, Boys. We gotta get into gear and pull some really sneaky $#!T, here."
Bliss,
Ben
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Fyrefly1
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| Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 4:45 am Post subject: |
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Fyrefly1
"All truth passes through three stages: first it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed, and third it is accepted as self-evident."
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aeroplane
Cannabis Sacrament Minister
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
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Location: Valhalla
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| It is time for Congress to represent the people. It is time for Congress to represent the true best interests of society |
Okay, here's come Mr. WetBlanket to the party. I hate to sound like a pessimist, but after experiencing not one, but 2 banana republic styled presidential elections in the US of A, and seeing as how congress has been cowtailing to the demands of the Bush regime, I am left asking this question:
Do you honestly believe congress has the cohones to end the ethicless war on drugs?
I can see that anyone who stands to end it will be smeared as a "coddler of criminals" or at least someone who is not serious about crime when re-election comes.
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Mystic Power
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 1:46 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="aeroplane"]
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Do you honestly believe congress has the cohones to end the ethicless war on drugs? |
Does who honestly believe that? On these forums?
The drug war is a business-business-business. Just like the "War of Liberation" in Iraq.
Make billions destroying the place, and make billions repairing the damage....or pretending to. And, gosh-wouldn't-you-know-it... those unexpected cost over-runs...
War is always about business. Always.
Bliss,
Ben
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Fyrefly1
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| Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 5:25 pm Post subject: |
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Fyrefly1
"All truth passes through three stages: first it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed, and third it is accepted as self-evident."
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aeroplane
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| Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 8:28 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
Dear MoveOn member,
We've been burning the midnight oil to create a compelling new ad that visually presents what's at stake in our battle to stop the right-wing judicial takeover. For Americans who don't understand the impact extremist judges can have, our ad sets the record straight: it shows judges’ gavels shattering the protections and rights we hold dear, including worker rights, the right to privacy, the minimum wage, and environmental laws. For the three Republicans we need to win the vote next week, this ad can help add pressure and push them over the top.
Running the ad nation-wide will alert the public to this under-the-radar attack on the independence of our courts. We're also developing radio ads that will personally target the Republicans whose votes could make all the difference. But to do those things, we need to raise $400,000 pretty quickly together—we've got to get "Smashing the Courts" and our radio ads on the air in the next few days.
Airing "Smashing the Courts" once in Washington, DC costs about $150. Can you chip in to help run the ad once? Or, if that's out of your price range, can you subsidize a third of an ad—$50? You can take a look at the script and give online right now at:
https://www.moveonpac.org/donate/gavel.html?id=5387-3854704-IsMd1sg0ZlNMyafMNCvxzQ&t=1
Here's how the New York Times Magazine put it on Sunday: "Imagine a country in which Social Security, job-safety laws and environmental protections were unconstitutional. Imagine judges longing for that. Imagine one of them as the next Supreme court nominee." And I'd add to that: "Imagine we're powerless to stop them."
We could be facing that situation as soon as next Thursday—Republicans want to break the Senate rules to seize absolute power to appoint extremist judges. That's the bad news. The good news: when Americans hear about these judges' far-right ideology, and the way Republicans are grabbing control to appoint them, they're with us. We just have to get the word out—and we have eight days to do it.
This fight is about saving one of the last barriers standing between radical Republicans and total control of the American political system. That barrier, the filibuster, was created for this kind of situation: it's designed to force the members of the Senate to find judicial candidates who they can all agree on, and to make it difficult to give lifetime appointments to radical zealots. It's a crucial part of the system of checks and balances that makes our country work.
In their plan to change the rules of the Senate and lock out Democrats, Republicans are banking on the idea that Americans won't care about the process for picking judges. But that's simply not true—Americans know that fair and independent judges are a critical part of our democracy. It's up to us to help sound the alarm.
Thanks in part to work of MoveOn members and our allies, three moderate Republicans have already come out against the judicial takeover plan. If we can get three more, we win. This ad, and your support, could get us there.
Can you join with thousands of other MoveOn members and help put this ad on the air today? You can give quickly and securely, by credit card or check, at:
https://www.moveonpac.org/donate/gavel.html?id=5387-3854704-IsMd1sg0ZlNMyafMNCvxzQ&t=2
An America where the courts are stacked against progressives is a pretty scary prospect. But we only need to win over three more Republicans to win this critical fight, and the American people are on our side. Together, we can win one for the Constitution.
Thanks for everything,
–Eli, James, Marika, Joan and the MoveOn PAC Team
Wednesday, April 20th, 2005
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"Penalties against the possession of a drug
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