Where do you stand on Californias buget crises are with the legislature or the Governer.

Me:The Governer because he doesn't want to raise taxes like the legislature.

Although I live in oklahoma and don't give two shits about California, I'll go ahead and say that taxes should probably be raised, if they aren't already at a reasonable height.

Quote from Stephen95

Where do you stand on Californias buget crises are with the legislature or the Governer.

Me:The Governer because he doesn't want to raise taxes like the legislature.

The Governor is the one who raised sales tax to 8.25% (7.25% before).

It is most definitely the Legislators fault because they sat around for months trying to decide on a budget in a partisan conflict where the Dems didn't want to cut spending and the Repubs didn't want to raise taxes when both sides need to realize that WE HAVE NO MONEY. Arnold was the only one who realized that we need action right now and so he did what was in his power: fired a bunch of state workers, cut money for programs (like education), cut salaries, and raised (some) taxes.

they should really think about legalizing cannabis

Quote from Cosmonaut

they should really think about legalizing cannabis

That's just working around the real problems. Yes, marijuana legalization will bring money to California, but what will that do to help what caused the economic crisis? Will it make the housing market rebound? Will it create a significant amount of jobs? I doubt it.

And besides, what kind of message does that send to the people? When a family is out of money and needs to get food, and they start selling pot to do that, we arrest them. But suddenly, when the government is out of money it's ok to sell marijuana? If we legalize pot, it can't be for economic reasons. We have to wait for this to pass.

Quote from Dragon⁰⁷⁷

And besides, what kind of message does that send to the people? When a family is out of money and needs to get food, and they start selling pot to do that, we arrest them. But suddenly, when the government is out of money it's ok to sell marijuana?

Uhh, you do remember prohibition right? Sure different circumstances. State needing money =/= mass killings from gangs but the government doesn't seem all that worried about switching their ideals on the flip of a coin.

Quote from MiniMan

Uhh, you do remember prohibition right? Sure different circumstances. State needing money =/= mass killings from gangs but the government doesn't seem all that worried about switching their ideals on the flip of a coin.

I don't really understand what you are saying? Are you saying that we should legalize marijuana in order to help stop gang-related violence? I don't think one state would make too much of a difference, and even then I think it would take a few years of legalization before the effects would really break up these gangs.

And to be very clear, I think that if we legalize marijuana it should be for one reason only: Health. If it is proven that marijuana is not unhealthy, then I think legalization is the way to go. However, marijuana has been banned from government trials for decades and most research that has been done is sketchy at best. It's going to take time and I don't think this is something that should be rushed.

I was addressing the point that the government wouldn't be cool with changing laws just because it needs money by saying they would.

Quote from MiniMan

I was addressing the point that the government wouldn't be cool with changing laws just because it needs money by saying they would.

I'm saying what I would do. If the Gov decides to change the law, then I think it is a mistake.

Quote from Dragon⁰⁷⁷

I don't really understand what you are saying? Are you saying that we should legalize marijuana in order to help stop gang-related violence? I don't think one state would make too much of a difference, and even then I think it would take a few years of legalization before the effects would really break up these gangs.

And to be very clear, I think that if we legalize marijuana it should be for one reason only: Health. If it is proven that marijuana is not unhealthy, then I think legalization is the way to go. However, marijuana has been banned from government trials for decades and most research that has been done is sketchy at best. It's going to take time and I don't think this is something that should be rushed.

Reduce is what he was going for, but I think you already knew that. I don't think legalizing marijuana would do anything for gang violence, if anything it would give them a reason to step up their game and sell even more illegal drugs. Gangs won't just give up because a drug they are selling is legal, they just move on to the next thing.

As for the second bold area, I kind of disagree on this one. There are a lot of things you can buy in which are not healthy for you that will never be outlawed because it makes too much money (cigarettes being one). Legalizing marijuana would actually be excellent for the economy, since people are already doing it under the table.. you know they would tax the holy living **** out of it.

Who cares if it's healthy? I won't be doing it, but the people that are already doing certainly aren't going to stop because it's illigal. Might as well have the government profit.

Quote from Fr0zEnPh0eNiX

Reduce is what he was going for, but I think you already knew that. I don't think legalizing marijuana would do anything for gang violence, if anything it would give them a reason to step up their game and sell even more illegal drugs. Gangs won't just give up because a drug they are selling is legal, they just move on to the next thing.

This is not what happened after we repealed prohibition.

Quote from Dinomut

This is not what happened after we repealed prohibition.

True, but the gangs we have these days are a little different than the alcohol basement brewers from back in the day.

Sure some every day, non-gang people will probably stop, but that hardly should or would have an effect on gang violence.

You might be right though. I'm no gang expert. I have no statistics currently at my disposal to back up my point.

Quote from Dragon⁰⁷⁷

That's just working around the real problems. Yes, marijuana legalization will bring money to California, but what will that do to help what caused the economic crisis? Will it make the housing market rebound? Will it create a significant amount of jobs? I doubt it.

Uh, yes. It would.

Cosmonaut is right, though. California is very, very close to completely legalizing, taxing it and regulating it like alcohol is taxed and regulated.
Taken from NORML. Last time it was updated was June 17th
This year, so far, we have spent $4,984,179,500
to prohibit cannabis.
We could have made $14,484,186,757
if it was taxed like alcohol.





Legalization of marijuana would rapidly stimulate our failing economy, Dragon. You cannot deny that, it's a fact. At it's current rate of production, [medical] legal marijuana generates 35.8 billion dollars annually. Profits from marijuana exceed that of corn and wheat combined. And that's just the legal margins. Revenue from illegal domestic marijuana is speculated at around 60 billion dollars per year. That's a total of 95.8 billion dollars per year excluding imports. Marijuana is the number 1 cash crop in 12 states including Hawaii, California, and Alaska. In Washington, marijuana is the second cash crop right after apples. In 30 other states, the sweet herb is among the top three on the list of cash crops.

Where the hell do you get those numbers? I'd just like to know, somehow know of every illegal transaction of weed in America, then get a price that I guess would be used if it WAS legal and then after all of that they take a state and counties, see how much they'd make since taxes vary and then total that all up?