The DC Pot Law

The Mayor of the City of Washington, DC signed a piece of legislation on Monday that will decriminalize marijuana possession in a resident's home to a fine of $25. This fine will be applicable to smoking it in one's home but smoking pot in public will remain a criminal offense with jail time applied.

But wait! Unlike other states and cities across the country, DC is unique in that it MUST get the Congress to sign off on any law or ordinance the city enacts.

I have provided the article which appeared in THE HILL Monday afternoon.

I have an issue with this process. Unlike a city like New York or Boston, I think it is unfair that every law that the city enacts must be scrutinized by the Congress. In addition, the Congress has sixty days to decide if it will approve and sign off on the law or ordinance. Perhaps this may have made sense in the 18th and 19th Centuries, but I cannot find a valid reason this is still the case. 

Imagine if New York or Philadelphia were still the Capital of the United States. This activity would create chaos and upheaval in either city. And, by the way, DC is not some one horse town like it was 200 years ago. It has a population of almost 650,000, larger than either Boston or Baltimore, as of 2012.

Washington, D.C. (Photo credit: Dougtone)

So, essentially it is a city unique in the United States. It is a city-state. After all, it provides electors to the electoral college, like any state, based on the terms defined in the Twenty Third Amendment to the Constitution.

Therefore, since it acts as a state, its laws should not have to be reviewed by the Congress.

As you know, I have since the 1970s been a proponent of Medical Marijuana and since the 1990s have been in favor of legalized marijuana for recreational use, as well. While I choose not to smoke or otherwise use pot, I think the federal government is losing out on opportunities available to it if pot were legalized as alcohol is. It would be controlled by the ATF, like tobacco and alcohol.

If you go to my blogsite,  you will find many commentaries on marijuana espousing my reasons to legalize it nationwide for medical and recreational purposes.

You know what? It really is time to grow up, America. Prohibition didn't work for alcohol and the modern-day prohibition of pot isn't going too well, either.

Who doesn't see that?

A Congressman's Complaint? Uh, really??

Rep Jim Moran  (D-VA) is proving himself to be one of the biggest morons in the House of Representatives. Presently, he and his colleagues make a mere $174,000 a year plus benefits, including free health care, unlimited free access to the Capitol gym, a lifetime pension equal to his salary and so much more.

Yet he claims he is underpaid.

Washington DC allegedly has the highest average income of any major metro area in the United States at $84,000, and he makes twice that.  The average of the remainder of all the rest of us is $50,000. Per year. 

Is he really kidding or is he serious?

In a recent MSNBC.com piece, he was complaining extensively how tough it is for him. Really? Hey, Congressman, how about living like the rest of us, you know, paycheck to paycheck, just struggling to get by?

U.S. Congressman Jim Moran (D-Virginia, 1991-present). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

At least you are doing the right thing, Congressman. You have announced you are retiring at the end of the year. Could you do the rest of us a favor? Maybe take some of your complaining colleagues with you? Thanks for that.

Trust me, sir. You are getting no sympathy from the rest of us. One thing you can do before you go. Please stand up like a man and admit you did not earn your salary because you allowed President Obama to essentially shred the Constitution in the middle of the day, of every day for over five years, and you or many of your colleagues didn't raise your hand or voice to stop him. 

Then, as you take your pension check for the same amount as your salary, which does not happen for any other person in America, you can look yourself in the mirror and say that you finally did something to earn your keep. 

Otherwise, just know instead that you owe us all an apology for your incapable, lazy work ethic. Your primary responsibility is to uphold the ENTIRE Constitution and you failed. 

Just be quiet, say not another word and go away. Forever. 

The Late Night Wars

Late night television changed forever on October 1, 1962 when the late, great Johnny Carson replaced Jack Parr on the Tonight Show. Johnny was the King of Late Night TV until May, 1992, when he retired for good from television or any other entertainment.

Over the years, other networks put up competition but Johnny was just too good and beat all comers. During his reign, Merv and Joey, Alan Thicke and Pat Sajak, and so many others gave valiant efforts, but could not overcome the difficult odds Johnny put up.

During the late 70, through the 80s and early 90s, many auditioned as Johnny's replacement, people like Joey Bishop, Bob Newhart, McLean Stevenson, David

Cover of Johnny Carson

Letterman and David Brenner. He also had permanent Guest Hosts, Gary Shandling, Joan Rivers and his ultimate replacement, Jay Leno.

In February, after 24 years and one Conan O'Brien interlude later Jay Leno finally retired, handing the reigns over to Jimmy Fallon who has proven to be up to the task. In his own way, Fallon brings his easy upstate New York charm to the Tonight Show, much like Carson showed us his Nebraska innocence.

Suddenly, probably as one of the best kept secrets, David Letterman announced on his show, as reported in the LA Times and elsewhere on Thursday evening, that he will retire when his contract is up in 2015. That announcement stunned many except Les Moonves, CBS Chief Executive, who revealed that Letterman and he had conversations previously over the last year or so.

So now, the two men who competed for Johnny Carson's job when he announced his eventual retirement will both soon be out of the limelight. New blood will be filling late night TV with the next generation. We knew who was the line successor to Leno. Who does CBS have waiting in the wings? Craig Ferguson? I don't think he will have the same drawing power as Letterman.

Stay tuned....

Trust In Advertizing

Several years ago, the great Laura Ingraham wrote a book called "Shut Up and Sing". Essentially, she was letting celebrities like Barbra Streisand, Beyoncé, George Clooney and so many others know that we  love them as entertainers, but would  prefer if they kept their political opinions to themselves. As someone who believes in a "fairness and moderation always" philosophy, I am asking my Republican and Libertarian  celebrity friends like Fred Thompson, Kevin Sorbo and others to maintain that same self-control.

The reason I am writing this is the following: People who have no time to do the research for a product for themselves or who don't really understand it, rely on the credibility of the spokesperson.

When Fred Thompson or Henry Winkler speaks about a reverse mortgage, the audience to which it is directed is generally much older than the minimum age allowed (62) to buy such a product. When Rachael Ray addresses the young audience to purchase Obamacare, she has as much a responsibility to make certain that audience understands she is selling a product as much as Fred Thompson.

Both these entertainers are congenial and decent people as much as anyone else. But that is what they are. Entertainers. They are reading a script that someone else wrote for them. In all probability, they know as much as their audience does, maybe even less.

How about Samuel L Jackson? He is a great actor, very believable in his roles. Does he know about credit cards? No more, probably, than most people. Even I, as a

Cover of Samuel L. Jackson

retired banker, would make certain I read the fine print before signing onto a credit application of any sort.

During the last ninety days, the Obama Administration spent $52 million to advertise a product that over 60% of the American people don't approve. Much of that money went to Hollywood friends of the President to be spokespeople for a product which netted less than 1 million newly enrolled insured people.

The Administration is spiking the football  because they reached the "magic number" of 7 million new subscribers. But, honestly, many of those people were existing Medicaid customers, 6 million lost their plans and had to get something, and at least 20% have not yet paid for their first month's insurance premium. Just because it is in the cart, doesn't mean it was bought. Ask Amazon or FTD.

I implore you to not take the spokesperson as an authority for the product he or she is hawking. He is reading a script for a paycheck. Heck, she may not even believe in the product, but she needs to feed her family as much as you or me.

Finally, to the producers of these ads, it is really your responsibility to make certain that the viewer or listener understands that the spokesperson is getting paid and is not an expert in the product. "I am a paid, non-attorney spokesperson" is said clearly and concisely at the end of all ads for lawyers or law issues, like bankruptcy, mesothelioma or divorce ads. The same should be required in all ads, by the person who just spoke for the product.

This is why credibility in the spokesperson is so important. As I said, people don't have the time to do the research because we are so busy in our own lives. We have to rely on someone we can trust to be honest with us, and actually understand and believe in the product.

If they don't, they should have no business selling a business, as products really are. And then, as Laura Ingraham has said, they should just "Shut Up and Sing".

A Rant About One Who Rants

Let me first say that I am a believer that a dad of a newborn, whether is the first or fifth child, has an obligation to be with the mom at the point of the birth of their child and the days following that birth. Yes, the mom and the baby will generally be in the hospital for two or three days, but the way it is done now where the baby spends the day in the room, the dad will certainly be a big help. I can assure you that hospitals were moving the post-natal process to “rooming in” back in the 1980s.

Once mom and baby come home, having dad there to help out, even for a few days is a big help for mom. Major League Baseball has recognized this concept for many years. That is why I was surprised to learn in Wednesday's late online edition of the New York Post that the Great Windbag, Mike Francesca was having a rant about the New York Mets' Daniel Murphy taking the first three days of the season off due to the birth of his and his wife's first child.

First of all, Mike, the Mets has no problem with Murphy missing the opener on Monday and Wednesday evening's game. I am sure that as a good employee, he gave them plenty of notice, I am sure before Spring Training began. Second, it is a part of the CBA that MLB has with the Players' Association. So, Mike, just shut up already.

For those of you who do not know who Francesca is, he is a host on New York sports radio station WFAN radio and the new FOX Sports channels 1 and 2. For years, he was simulcast on “The FAN” and YES cable TV channel, Monday to Friday.

Lucky us. Now he is national.

Why should this concern him? I am sure when his children were born, he took time off to be with his wife and children. Why does it matter to Francesca if Murphy took a few days off?

Daniel Murphy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Apparently, he still needs to cause controversy to draw a midday audience. He just started his simulcast with FOX, so what better way to draw an audience to a new gig than by acting and sounding like a huge jerk. Yeah, that's the ticket!

For those of us who have lived in New York and the surrounding broadcast area, for the last 23-plus years, we have had to listen to Francesca shoot his mouth off about nonsense.  When his program was simulcast on YES, it was regional, probably more than NY, Connecticut and New Jersey, but not at all like FOX Sports is. Now, I can say that, unlike its parent, FOX Sports will be "annoying and unbalanced". What was Roger Ailes thinking here?

I had been a listener of The FAN and Francesca for years. I had to stop listening because I grew tired of his boring self-aggrandizing and pontificating, like the know-it-all he really is. The Murphy rant was just the latest in a series of stupid commentaries on his part. As a former listener, I am sure he went on and on and on and on for at least the better part of an hour, more so, because he loves the sound of his voice, much like another famous American who thinks he is at a pulpit rather than a podium.  As I had said before, generally the blowhard has a lot to say about nonsense. The proof is in the Nielsen ratings which were abysmal last week. It is time to give it up, Mike, and allow somebody else entertain the listeners, because you no longer do.

You need to realize, Mike, no one cares what you say anymore; you are not the center of everyone's attention. When NASCAR, (NASCAR, for heavens’ sake!) beats you in radio ratings, that says you are horrible. Why not hang it up and let someone else have a try. You, sir, have become irrelevant.

It really is time to go.

The Passion of a Mets Fan

As many of you know, I am a long-suffering, devoted New York Mets fan. I have been a fan since before the first game was played on April 11, 1962. For years, my mantra has been "Orange and Blue Since 62."

I am proud of it.

The history of my Amazing Mets is rich, probably more so than that of the team which plays across the Whitestone Bridge in another part of the City. Yeah, their fans can brag about all their pennants and the 27 World Series wins they possess. But other than 2009, they all occurred in the last Century, in another Millennium.

What makes our history rich is this: The Mets were born of a combined franchise, as attested by the colors of the team. After 1957, when the Giants and Dodgers left for the Coast, the National League had no representative in the "Greatest City In The World". The colors are Giant Orange and Dodger Blue, in tribute to those great franchises. No other team can make that claim.

The first seven years were losers for our heroes, but we loved them anyway. Right from the start, the cheer, the rant "Lets Go Mets" could be heard loud and clear in the canyons of the old Polo Grounds, the home of the Giants for years and for our guys for two. Then in 1964, Shea Stadium opened, which for the time was considered a modern day wonder. It was baptized with the waters from both the Harlem River and the Gowanus Canal, which were the bodies of water next to the Dodgers and  Giants homes. After it was closed after the 2008 season, it was the third oldest non-updated ballpark in the US, after Wrigley and Fenway. Oh, and the rant went with them.

To this day, that rant can be heard loudly in Queens County, in Cirifield on game day, whether the boys are winning or not.

In 1969, the totally unexpected happened. The Mets, the perennial basement dwellers, our beloved losers, won it all. The Miracle Mets consumed the City the entire summer, like nothing ever did before. Namath guaranteed a win and delivered. Men walked on the moon. The greatest music festival ever was held near Woodstock, NY. Nothing at all compared to what the Mets did.

We have won just one more World Series since then, in 1986. We won pennants in 1973, 1988, 2000, a dramatic Wild Card playoff in 1999 and the Eastern Division Championship in 2006.When you can name them all, just know they each are treasured. Especially when you have witnessed them all.

In 1970, we finally won our first Opening Day game and since then we have won 34 of the next 44 openers. Yes, we lost on Monday, but I feel it’s a glitch in a season that will be filled mostly with happiness and excitement.

Tom Seaver (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We have retired just three numbers in our 53 year history, two managers and a pitcher, Stengel, Hodges and The Franchise, Tom Seaver.  With all the great players who have passed through our portals, I can think of several others deserving of their numbers affixed permanently on the Left Field wall: 7 - Kranepool, who played his entire career here, 8 - Carter and 17 - Hernandez, both of whom lead the great teams of the 84-89 era, 15 - Grote and 31 - Piazza, two of the three greatest catchers, along with Carter, in the team's history, and 45 - McGraw/Franco, our greatest relievers. I am sure there are others, but this would be a good start. In 10 years or so, 5 just might be retired after David Wright hangs up the spikes.
Yes, these great players are recognized in the Met Hall of Fame, but greatness in our history should be displayed while we are sitting in the stands, too. With the unveiling of the Ralph Kiner Memorial, this could be the start of a new tradition. Leave Ralph there at the end of the season. Then, next year, add a memorial for Bob Murphy and retire the players I listed above. That would be great!

As I said, the Mets have a rich history and I have but scratched the surface. When you really look deeply, there is so much more that exists, which a true Met fan could bring out for many more commentaries.

I love my team, always have, always will, win or lose. Deep within my heart, the Mets will always reign supreme. So, as we begin a new season, yell with all your might, until your voice is shot, letting those around you know where your baseball passion is. Join me as we all cheer:

"LETS GO METS!!!!!"

The Loss of Credibility

What is credibility? We have seen over the years what happens when we, in our private lives, do things which give other people pause to trust in us and to believe in us when we act or say something to cause doubt in our honesty.

We are human, after all. We strive for perfection, whether real or perceived and each day we are forced to look into the mirror and admit our failings at least to ourselves. It takes a big person to admit his/her mistakes.

We have learned since January 20, 2009 that the man elected President the previous November is not the man he had us believe he was. In the beginning, we gave him the benefit of the doubt because we felt he deserved the same honeymoon period we have always given our new Presidents. It would be unfair of us if we did less with this President. After all, he inherited a mess with the economy and two wars from the Bush Administration.

As Americans, we pride ourselves on fairness and a forgiving nature if Presidents are honest with us.

In my lifetime, I remember the disaster of the Bay of Pigs, when President Kennedy allowed CIA-trained Cuban guerrillas to land on the beaches without air power and a strong support/back-up rear guard. When the attack was done, and the guerrillas were captured or killed, rather than try to lay blame on the CIA, the Eisenhower Administration who developed the plan or at the feet of the guerrillas for poor execution, instead, JFK sucked it up, went out to face the press and said, "Victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan." 

Cover via Amazon

He didn't blame others, he didn't prevaricate and he didn't try to cover it up. The American people, rather than curse him, supported him because he was HONEST, TRUSTWORTHY AND WILLING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for his actions. 

Can anyone say the same for President Obama and believe they are being honest with themselves? 

Last week, the President had a ninety minute meeting with the leader of over one billion Catholics, Pope Francis. When it was done, they came out of the meeting and spoke to the media; it seems, based on the comments each man made, that they must have been at two separate meetings. 

I ask you, which is the correct discourse that reviewed that meeting? Was it the one spoken by a man that many feel is infallible on subjects besides those concerning faith and morals? Or, was it the one spoken by the man who promised, PROMISED Americans "if you like your plan you can keep your plan, period"?

 This, then, is the basis of credibility. If your actions and deeds constantly reveal you as honest and trustworthy, as with Pope Francis, you will be believed. If you blame the deaths of four Americans on the actions of a non-existent video and Americans finally realize they were lied to for political expediency, well, you have no credibility. 

President Obama, as of this writing, has two years, nine months and twenty days before his term ends but he is already a lame duck, at least until this coming Election Day. If the Democrats lose the Senate and the Republicans keep the House that will reveal to America and the world that this man has no credibility. In essence, he will be an impeached "dead duck" should he try anything, say anything, do anything contrary to what the American people want for the rest of his term. 

He has lost all credibility with the American people. When the media finally catches up, and stops fawning over this liar, then he will finally be held in check. 

Nixon, Carter and even Clinton learned the lesson the hard way. Credibility is necessary to be able to govern. If you lose it, you are powerless; if you get out of line, you will be run out of town like Nixon and Clinton, well almost Clinton. 

Will Obama learn the lesson of credibility? I doubt it.