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09.01.08
at 15:28
at 15:28
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Much to my surprise, Chris Huhne has in fact commented on the story I linked to earlier today about Brown and Smith preparing to over-rule any recommendation from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs if they do not recommend castrating and hanging cannabis users on the spot
.
Of course it doesn't actually say a great deal - not even reiterate our own very good policy on the issue - but it's a welcome intervention. I do take issue with this bit though:
"The advisory council must take on board the increasing reports of the mental health effects of high strength cannabis, but ministers must be guided by the science and the evidence as assessed by the council."
If there is an actual causal link, which nothing has proven so far as I am aware yet (repeating it often enough does not make it true), and "high strength" (which is also not well defined, nor how much of the market is such high strength ccannabis) then legalisation is still probably the best way to counter that. Further prohibition will inevitably lead to people facing tougher penalties producing and using stronger stuff and more adulterated stuff to maximize their profit and minimize their risks.
Think prohibition and the nasty alcohol and illegally ddistilled overproof hooch that resulted from it.
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07.07.06
at 00:10
at 00:10
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...as an enduring political hot potato. From Hezza, to Mandy, to Prezza, it has been, if nothing else, the best investment in screwing politicians of the millennium so far!
Nonetheless, it was *our* investment. And should never have been passed on to rent seekers for nothing. Whoever made that decision and survived deserves hanging from its fancy roof structure.
Technorati Tags: politics, sleaze, scandals
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09.05.08
at 23:56
at 23:56
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In the shadow of Crewe and Nantwich but much closer to home we have an Oxford City Council by-election. And we have the apparently imminent prospect of a by-election for Boris's Westminster seat of Henley. The Henley headquarters is now open for business in Thame and, in a departure for me (!), I have been to offer my help. I'm not doing that phone thing - I'm sorry, canvassing is traumatic enough for me when I can see the colour of the front door before I knock! But there is lots of delivery to do (or was when I was there mid-afternoon on Friday) and I've got a bundle to do in Benson over the weekend.
So if anyone in Oxford without transport wants to help before things get into full swing for the city council by-election, let me know and I can pick up more, drop you off at the HQ, take a (small!) gang out delivering or something.
15.01.08
at 21:53
at 21:53
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Via the Environmental Economics blog comes a story about, well, bansturbators banning, yup, balls, bollocks, genitalia from the back of vehicles:
Today, a Chesapeake lawmaker plans to introduce a bill that will ban "truck nuts" from your truck or SUV.
The nutty idea is the brainchild of Delegate Lionell Spruill. We're talking about the fake testicles people hang on the backs of their vehicles. Spruill's bill would ban anything on a car or truck that looked like human genitalia.
Those nutty Americans, eh!
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01.08.08
at 07:25
at 07:25
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On 1st August 1908 the Old Age Pensions Act completed its parliamentary stages, the first step in the development of the modern benefits and welfare system by Asquith's Liberal government and the culmination of several decades of debate and lobbying for some provision to be made for the "deserving" poor in their old age. An alternative to the Poor Laws. On 1st January 1909 half a million or so people over 70 years old became entitled to a 5 shillings a week non-contributory payment administered via the Post Office.
It was not universal; only 5% of people lived beyond 70 in any case - and most were women. It was kept deliberately quite low in order to encourage as many as possible to make their own savings arrangements to top it up.
The BBC has a useful little comparison of then and now pensions arrangements, and you can read the whole act here.
According to an article I dug up last year Lord Roseberry described the Act as the most important piece of legislation since the Great Reform Act of 1832.
I'll refrain from a rant about how it's been a hundred years of mostly Tory and Labour government since and we still have 20% of pensioners living in poverty and dependent on additional means tested benefits and how we can solve this by continuing the legacy of liberal economic reforms those pioneers started. Let's just enjoy the birthday shall we?
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