== Smoke This Recession = By Mark Morford

[madokie]

It's simple: First we tax the booze. Then we legalize the pot. Done.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2009/02/20/notes022009.DTL&nl=fix

It is a time of strange bedfellows and bizarre contortions and extraordinary responses to extreme situations, all overslathered with gobs of panic and dread and oh my God, I might have to sell the Range Rover.

In other words, it is a time -- like you don't already know -- of plentiful alarmist rhetoric, resulting in weird outbursts of ingenuity and wanton ethics-loosening, all in a desperate effort to suck up some much-needed cash.

Translation: Money's tight, baby. City's in trouble. State's deep in the hole. Nation's broke.

Solution? Upend the system. Think differently. Get creative. Demolish Ye Olde Ways. And maybe get a really nice buzz on while you're at it. ...

[WorseBeforeBetter]

1. Ecstasy, eh? Ambitious!

Thanks for posting... I haven't been keeping up with Morford.

[Lance_Boyle]

2. I'm not getting my hopes up

although it *is* nice to encounter so much pro-legalization press these days. If it's not the solution to our money woes, it's at least a nice way to relax at the end of the day's wage slavery and be content with a tv movie and a bag of cheetos instead of racking up more debt buying shots for your fellow misery-wallowers at the local bar.

[madokie]

4. Yes it would be great if we could get at least decriminalization

[ensho]

3. if we keep up the noise and pressure we might get maryjane decrimbed

and tokers out of jail. (and the banning of private jails)


as to taxing drink - probably too many alcoholics in Congress to OK a tax. (oh the panic)