This can't be true..

[sithjedi171]

Agreed.



Only thing is, how can it be taxed effectively? There will still be a black market of sorts, since anyone can make this stuff in their home.



lol, I don't think you'll need to if marijuana is legal. I don't know the percentage of prisoners who are incarcerated for drug-related crimes, whether it's possession, dealing, etc. But I imagine it must be huge.

It can be taxed effectively the same way tobacco and Alcohol and ammunition is taxed. Black Market ? Perhaps. I'm sure some people would start growing their own pot to save money. But it's the same way that people can make their own beer. Make their own wine, Moonshine. Etc... Unless its a hobby, its a pain in the ***. Even though you can brew your own alcohol and save money on the tax, most people go to the store to buy it because its easier. Some people roll their own cigarettes. Most don't. Some people make their own bullets. Most don't. See where I'm going with this ?

 

[hoodonit00]

LOL. This thread is a laugher. Gary Null, huh? That guy's a hoot.

No clue who he is but the first thing that popped in my head was that he was probably an Alex Jones type.

 

[sithjedi171]

If you Make weed legal and tax it it will still be more expensive then the illegal weeds old today so guess what dealers will still deal. There is to much money to be lost for them.

I don't agree with that. I may be wrong, but if it becomes legal, widespread, it will be mass produced. I would expect a huge price drop lb. for lb. even after taxes because of supply and demand.

 

[hoodonit00]

I don't agree with that. I may be wrong, but if it becomes legal, widespread, it will be mass produced. I would expect a huge price drop lb. for lb. even after taxes because of supply and demand.

You mean how the cost of cigarettes has dropped?

 

[Jen]

I really don't know why we can't implement a welfare program where you are only on it for x amount of time...and to get benefits you must do some type of work training. Provide job opportunities and if people feel the jobs are beneath them....tough ****. After your x amount of time is up...no more benefits for you.

People with kids is a different issue though....unless the state wants to provide some kind of daycare so their parents can work. Blah...it's a mess. I have an aunt who is a social worker who went in to her profession really hoping she could make a difference and is disgusted by the number of clients she has that don't want to work...when she tries to get them training or job prospects they just yell at her and tell her to give them their damn check. I say if they are not willing to work, cut them all off....though I do feel something should be done for the kids who are unfortunate victims in this messed up cycle.

 

[sithjedi171]

You mean how the cost of cigarettes has dropped?

The price of tobacco has not gone up. But the taxes on it has. And cigarette tax is based on state law and it varies. I smoke cigarettes and their about $5.25 a pack here in Tennessee. About $2.25 of that is tobacco tax. $1.00 for the Feds, $1.25 for Tennessee. Approximately...

 

[Jen]

The price of tobacco has not gone up. But the taxes on it has. And cigarette tax is based on state law and it varies. I smoke cigarettes and their about $5.25 a pack here in Tennessee. About $2.25 of that is tobacco tax. $1.00 for the Feds, $1.25 for Tennessee. Approximately...

Cigarettes are over $10 a pack in Seattle. Well...there are some cheap brands that are little under $8.

 

[ProgMatinee]

The children of people on welfare, particularly innercity see their parents on welfare and growup to be just like them. 16 year old babymammas whose kids grow up to be 16 year old babymammas. The boys aren't so lucky, they only grow up to be gangmembers and deadbeat fathers of bastards.

 

[mfoga]

I don't agree with that. I may be wrong, but if it becomes legal, widespread, it will be mass produced. I would expect a huge price drop lb. for lb. even after taxes because of supply and demand.

Wait so something that's controlled and taxed will be cheaper then something already mass produced illegally? And you think the drug cartels will just say oh well it's legal guess we need to find a new way to make money?

 

[hoodonit00]

I really don't know why we can't implement a welfare program where you are only on it for x amount of time...and to get benefits you must do some type of work training. Provide job opportunities and if people feel the jobs are beneath them....tough ****. After your x amount of time is up...no more benefits for you.

People with kids is a different issue though....unless the state wants to provide some kind of daycare so their parents can work. Blah...it's a mess. I have an aunt who is a social worker who went in to her profession really hoping she could make a difference and is disgusted by the number of clients she has that don't want to work...when she tries to get them training or job prospects they just yell at her and tell her to give them their damn check. I say if they are not willing to work, cut them all off....though I do feel something should be done for the kids who are unfortunate victims in this messed up cycle.

Agree with everything you said. The way I would handle welfare is that the person must get a job. I don't care if it's picking fruit or cutting grass, the jobs that people say Americans don't want that the immigrants do. If the job you're doing doesn't pay what your welfare was then the welfare will make up the difference. Everytime you get a raise the difference goes down. Same thing with food stamps. You get no frills food delivered to your house. One, that cuts down on food stamp fraud. Two, it would be a job for someone who is on welfare.

 

[Jen]

The children of people on welfare, particularly innercity see their parents on welfare and growup to be just like them. 16 year old babymammas whose kids grow up to be 16 year old babymammas.

It is a never ending cycle....one I am not sure can be fixed....without taking drastic steps that would probably result in riots and the like.

 

[Jen]

Agree with everything you said. The way I would handle welfare is that the person must get a job. I don't care if it's picking fruit or cutting grass, the jobs that people say Americans don't want that the immigrants do. If the job you're doing doesn't pay what your welfare was then the welfare will make up the difference. Everytime you get a raise the difference goes down. Same thing with food stamps. You get no frills food delivered to your house. One, that cuts down on food stamp fraud. Two, it would be a job for someone who is on welfare.

I like that plan....now if only we could get it implemented.

 

[ProgMatinee]

Why would the democrats ever support that? Can you imagine the loss of voters they would have if they forced a large portion of their dedicated voters to actually pull their weight?

 

[Jen]

Hey now...I'm a Democrat and I'm all for it. I think as the situation continues to get worse and our economy continues to go down, people who do work are going to want to see some changes - regardless of what political party they back. I think a lot of folks have had it with the govt. providing handouts to people who have no desire to work or set a positive example for their kids.

 

[DPrime]

It can be taxed effectively the same way tobacco and Alcohol and ammunition is taxed. Black Market ? Perhaps. I'm sure some people would start growing their own pot to save money. But it's the same way that people can make their own beer. Make their own wine, Moonshine. Etc... Unless its a hobby, its a pain in the ***. Even though you can brew your own alcohol and save money on the tax, most people go to the store to buy it because its easier. Some people roll their own cigarettes. Most don't. Some people make their own bullets. Most don't. See where I'm going with this ?

Yeah, I think it'd be more widespread than either alcohol or cigarettes. People might roll their own cigarettes but you can't just grow the tobacco yourself (unless you're a farmer). Making beer and wine is relatively easy, I suppose; hard liquor, not so much.

But pretty much anyone can get a pot plant and smoke its leaves.

Anyway, yeah, for the most part, it'll be taxed, or sold to friends under the table when people want to make a little for themselves and others. Not really a big deal unless the government is draconian about it and prosecutes people who sell it on their own.

 

[hairlesswookiee]

I really don't know why we can't implement a welfare program where you are only on it for x amount of time...and to get benefits you must do some type of work training. Provide job opportunities and if people feel the jobs are beneath them....tough ****. After your x amount of time is up...no more benefits for you.

People with kids is a different issue though....unless the state wants to provide some kind of daycare so their parents can work. Blah...it's a mess. I have an aunt who is a social worker who went in to her profession really hoping she could make a difference and is disgusted by the number of clients she has that don't want to work...when she tries to get them training or job prospects they just yell at her and tell her to give them their damn check. I say if they are not willing to work, cut them all off....though I do feel something should be done for the kids who are unfortunate victims in this messed up cycle.

I've been dealing with this since I finished college in 2009. I went to school for social work so I could help people, but nobody wants to help themselves. I just get yelled at "that's what your job is" or something not too far from that.

 

[karamazov80]

IMO, it's a cop out to blame drug abuse on poverty. If you can't afford the drugs to begin with, then why are you taking them? Also, you're not going to improve your situation by taking drugs. So if you live in poverty and take drugs, that's on you.

Also, alot of people are poor, but they don't steal or commit crimes. Once again, it's a cop out. And most people who are on welfare can get free education and free health care, at least in my state. There's alot of freebies out there. It's the working poor that don't catch the break.

Well look at the statistics. A much higher percentage of the poor have negative outcomes than anyone else. Health, education, drug use, child mortality, single parent homes, etc. etc. There are poor who don't have these problems, just as there are folks born with silver spoons in their mouths who do have them (though they are the extreme minority). But a greater proportion of them do than other socio-economic groups. Why do you think this is? Because the poor are stupider and lazier than everyone else, at a genetic level? That's a simplistic and self-serving argument. It is because of macro-level social and economic issues. In general, do the poor fail to take advantage of opportunities that more well off people do? Yes. Do the poor lack important motivations such as a strong work ethic and an understanding of deferred gratification? Yes. But it isn't because these people are naturally inclined to be this way. It is because they are put in that situation. They go to crappy schools, they don't have support at home, they don't get proper diets and exercise, and they live in cultures that frown on many of the things needed for success. Unfortunately, it is a hard cycle to escape because the system is set against this group. Not only from the outside, but internally, where there are norms against supporting traditional means of authority, becoming engaged in schools, thinking long-term, etc., and in favor of negative behavior (criminality, drug use, reckless sexual behavior).

 

[ProgMatinee]

Hey now...I'm a Democrat and I'm all for it. I think as the situation continues to get worse and our economy continues to go down, people who do work are going to want to see some changes - regardless of what political party they back. I think a lot of folks have had it with the govt. providing handouts to people who have no desire to work or set a positive example for their kids.

I don't mean fellow voters wouldn't support it. I mean democrat politicians particularly in states with high urban populations. They rely on votes from people who receive hand outs. I don't think they support handouts because they think charity is great. They have a political motive.

 

[Jen]

We do need a better education program - that's a big part of the problem - though there will still be those who won't want to learn and will prefer a life of goofing off, drugs, etc... That documentary, Waiting for Superman, was so heartbreaking...seeing the number of low income kids who really wanted a good education but have to be part of a lottery to hopefully get picked to go to a good school. It's a shame we can't provide a good education to all the children who want one.

 

[Jen]

I don't mean fellow voters wouldn't support it. I mean democrat politicians particularly in states with high urban populations. They rely on votes from people who receive hand outs. I don't think they support handouts because they think charity is great. They have a political motive.

It's too bad that it is even an issue that can be voted on. The welfare system should just be changed - and that's that. Obviously it's not working well. Then it won't be an issue for politicians to platform on. But that will probably never happen.