Now, I've never been a congressional staff member in DC, but the ones with whom I interacted frequently expressed the sentiment it was hard to get anything "done" there. It should be, especially at this hour when we are only a few away from voting on what is assuredly the most complicated piece of legislation to drop into the mortal hands of, also assuredly in most cases, average intellect. Yet, here they are voting on the final bill without it even being posted on the internet so people can read every word of this "comprehensive" legislative cyclops. Fact is, nobody has read it fully, despite the fact that Nancy Pelosi says on her Web site it has been "discussed" for weeks. Now, the Senate will probably pass the bill without even reading it and without it ever being posted on the most commonly accessible forum ever created. Thank you, Speaker Pelosi. If nothing else comes from this process, I hope someone proposes a law requiring the posting of all bills on the internet in some kind of "sliding scale" complexity--say three months with changes (that would include arcane strategies such as "reconciliation" processes) for one as complex as the health care bill and 7 days for "single page" bills. Recently, in such issues as immigration, taxes and media (remember their talking about bringing back a form of "fairness doctrine" in talk radio?), many congressional members were shocked at the level of intensity and awareness boiling up from their districts. They just didn't get it. They were embarrasingly out of touch. Evolving technology makes it ever increasingly easier to have a co-responsive "conversation" between constituents of all kinds and the people and organizations that are supposed to represent them. (Probably, and fairly soon, yesterday's advocacy organization will diminish to the options offered by the internet and media convergence.) So, as far as I'm concerned, it comes down to this: the more people can see past the obfuscation of their government and institutions, the more they can exert influence and even control over them in a democratic process. Ironically, if such a free flow conversation prevailed, many more people might very well support an ever evolving bills in all areas if they could read them fully and carefully. Like to respond? Write me, Benqq |
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Let's just say the local angle here is that criminal marijuana laws are still on the books in Tennessee but there is an active medical marijuana bill proposed by two Shelby County lawmakers, according to the state legislature Web site. Sponsored by Sen Beverly Marrero (R-Dist. 30, Shelby Cnty) and and Rep Jeanne Richardson (D-Dist. 89, Shelby Cnty), SB0209/HB0368 Medical Marijuana Act of 2009 authorizes the medical use of marijuana for persons with a terminal illness or injury.
| The bill was referred to the Health and Human Resources Committee on Feb. 11 last year, then assigned to the Public Health and Family Assistance Sub-Committee and never voted on. It can be considered again this year. According to Procon.org 14 states have legalized medical marijuana in addition to California: Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Regarding the image to the right, as posted today by TMZ , the White House "disapproved" of using the President's image for commercial purposes, in this case a photoshopped image of the president lighting up a cigar sized gonja on the group's poster celebrating his first year in office. The group claims Obama has stopped DEA actions against marijuana stores selling for medicinal purposes and will hold a "marijuana party" this weekend in Los Angeles. Keeping at least with our celebrity theme thus far (see story below) TMZ posted dozens of pictures at their link above of Hollywood stars allegedly toking it up: Daniel Day Lewis, Kid Rock, Naomi Campbell, Zoe Saldana, Amy Winehouse, Robert Blake, Julia Roberts, Lily Allen, Steve-O, Charlize Theron, Josh Brolin, Guy Ritchie, Paris Hilton, Robert Patterson, Cypriss Hill, Billy Joel, Kevin Spacey, Willie Nelson, Ben Foster, Snoop Dogg, Joss Stone and others. |
We don't get it. That big, fat 4 column screamer on the front page of Sunday's The Commercial Appeal that presented little to a seventeen year old case except celebrity involvement. In fact, it is the only newspaper story I ever read that cites itself as representative of the problem, even referring to itself in the past tense, as if death of a story couldn't come too soon. If actor Johnny Depp did indeed "provoke" CBS "48 Hours Mystery," as the article says, to cover the "West Memphis Three," did he not do the same to the CA, which the story admits in strange disassociation about itself at the end, saying Depp's promotional activities, "in turn, prompted articles such as this one--all while making the rounds to promote his latest movie, 'Alice in Wonderland'." I thought this must be like a drug rehab meeting for journalists covering celebrities where public confession is part of the therapy. If what was buried in the last five paragraphs was its purpose--that media coverage in the "West Memphis Three" are driven by celebrities--you've got to ask why the CA placed a four column, eight inch deep title graphic with the likes of Winona Ryder, her former fiance' actor Johnny Depp and musician Eddie Vedder to cover just about all the front page of yesterday's The Commercial Appeal (our's was the Bartlett edition). Now, we don't think most celebrities are any more or less smarter than average readers when it comes to processing information. They can bring attention to injustice and want, but there can be a problem when they "get behind" a cause: they frequently don't know what they are talking about. (cont'd above)
| Let's remember the Hollywood elite that proclaimed the innocence of cop killer Mumia Abu Jamal, fugitive Roman Polanski (which has created something of a backlash even among themselves in Hollywood) and none other than convicted mob killer John Gotti. And, in the big CA story on the West Memphis Three, we are sorry to report there is little new, except alleged DNA found on one of the victim's bodies and resurfaced claims from previous coverage of incompetent defense. This may or may not be sufficient for a retrial. Depp and his colleagues have every right to make the case. The Commercial Appeal, on the other hand, has a responsibility to keep celebrity involvement in perspective. The story reeks of Hollywood public relations machine origination. While first criticizing celebrityhood in the story, it then, ironically enough, gets suckered into it. And because the case is now a national cause celebre' (of, may we add, Hicksville vs. the self proclaimed cognoscenti?), we think a little more clarity from our local media and being less impressed by star power would be in order. CA, take it from someone who's lived and worked in Hollywood for 25 years: don't let yourself get played for chumps. |
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