Suddenly, pursuing a war against our own people when over 20% admit using marijuana regularly, does not seem to be a popular way to spend people’s money during these tough economic times. The drug war has fed the prison industry, the law enforcement industry, and wasted trillions of dollars, thanks in large part to Richard Nixon’s paranoia about blacks, Jews, and hippies.  And we the taxpayer, are paying for it.

The DEA budget for 2009 is $2 billion, and the Federal prison system?  Oh, that’s another $5.5 billion.  On a side note ladies – The Justice Department slashed the Office of Justice Programs, COPS, Office on Violence Against Women budget by 65%, or 1.5 BILLION in 2009).

80% of the DEA’s budget is spent prosecuting the war on marijuana, quite possibly the most useful plant in the history of, well, the world.  All for hemp, a plant that can supply fuel, clothing, food, fabric, as well as cures for countless ailments, including lung cancer.

Prohibition didn’t work for alcohol.  It isn’t working now.

I know that it’s a bit long, but watch the video.  Even if you don’t smoke pot, and according to statistics, most of us don’t, watch just to see how your hard earned tax dollars are being spent, while everything else seems going to hell in a hand basket.

Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World

Only because quoting the back of the book saves me an hour or so of rewriting it…

“Doctor, Harvard professor, renowned infectious-disease specialist, anthropologist, the recipient of a MacArthur “genius” grant, world-class Robin Hood, Farmer was brought up in a bus and on a boat, and in medical school found his life’s calling: to diagnose and cure infectious diseases and to bring the lifesaving tools of modern medicine to those who need them most.”

Paul Farmer is genuinely inspiring, as you can see in this YouTube video talking about his foundation Partners in Health. PIH offers help to places of the world that nobody else is. Here are some ways that you can help.

“A friend wrote this week with this unhappy news:

On Sunday night, my former foster child Josh was beaten up with a baseball bat (after being held up at gunpoint and telling the marauders he had no money) on his way home from a SuperBowl party, and refused admission to the first hospital his sister tried to take him to. He was finally taken to John C. Lincoln Hospital, which has a Level 1 Trauma Center.”

Thus starts the retelling of a disturbing story, unfortunately one that is becoming all too familiar for all of us. There is a lot more over here at gooznews. This is a great read.