UP IN SMOKE?

To the editor:

In this crisis, a brilliant new plan was hatched: Legalize marijuana
and tax it. Wow! Has the California Legislature spent so much,
incurred so much debt that this is now a good idea?

What about the War on Drugs? A better joke I do not know. Yes, tons
of money could be made on a marijuana tax, but then the legislature
would just spend more ­ tax and spend, tax and spend. And then it
would run into another problem and legalize something else?
Prostitution, gay marriage? Tsk, tsk, not gay marriage.

People used to live within their means, so why not the State of
California? With government jobs on the rise as private sector jobs
decline, is this the way to go? Tax ourselves out of everything? Now
I must say to all those out there, I don't care if you smoke pot. If
it were only a legal thing, I'm right there with you. But for
government to once again prey on people's vices, or on the sick, so
it can generate revenue is abhorrent. By legalizing marijuana, the
government would do the right thing for the wrong reason. Let this
not be the gateway to other taxes. Soda, candy, air? Where would
there be an end?

We need to make the government officials accountable, not allow them
to just give lip service to the throngs of voters. Let's kick 'em out
now, recall the Legislature, both Republicans and Democrats alike.
Oppression is easy. Freedom is hard.

Tom Griffiths

Sonora