Daily Archives: February 9, 2013

Bluegrass State libertarians Sen. Rand Paul and Rep. Thomas Massie want to legalize industrial hemp.

Has Capitol Hill suddenly gone green?

Just a day after Democratic Rep. Jared Polis of Colorado introduced legislation todecriminalize marijuana, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky introduced another bill Thursday in support of industrial hemp, currently illegal in the U.S. because it comes from the same plant as marijuana.

And now, Sen. Rand Paul's office tells Whispers it could introduce companion legislation in the Senate "as soon as next week."

In late January, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said he'd throw his support behind industrial hemp, a surprise endorsement from thelong-time opponent of marijuana. McConnell cited conversations he'd had with Paul, and theHuffington Post'sRyan Grim points outthe change came after the Kentucky senator hired Jesse Benton to run his 2014 re-election campaign. Benton is the former campaign manager of Paul's father, former Texas congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul.

[READ:Marijuana Decriminalization Bill Hits House]

Ron Paul is seen as the father of industrial hemp on Capitol Hill, havingfirst sponsored a billin the House in the 2005, and then introducing a similar bill every two years for the rest of his tenure. The first bill Paul introduced got 11 cosponsors, and each year the number climbed higher. Hislast bill, in 2011, had 37 cosponsors.

Vote Hemp, the main group lobbying in Washington for industrial hemp, credits Ron Paul for the sea change on Capitol Hill as well.

"Paul set everything in motion. He was the one who came up the Industrial Hemp Farming Act. It is his three-pronged approach," national outreach coordinator for Vote Hemp Tom Murphy tells Whispers.

Follow this link:
Industrial Hemp Legislation First Pushed By Ron Paul Could Drop in Senate Next Week

What was Rep. Ron Paul thinking? As a combat veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan, I read the news coverage surrounding Paul's callous and inane comments about the death of a decorated Navy SEAL at the hands of another veteran with utter and complete disbelief.

I knew Chris Kyle. He was a friend and brother of mine.

What was Paul thinking? Chris, a Navy veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan who received no less than seven heroism awards by serving as a sniper in combat, saving hundreds of American, Coalition and Iraqi lives, is murdered at a gun range in Texas, and Paul says this via Tweet on Tuesday: "Chris Kyle's death seems to confirm that 'he who lives by the sword dies by the sword.' Treating PTSD at a firing range doesn't make sense."

Implicit in this statement it seems is the point that it's literally OK now to murder our nation's vets. It would be deserved, just desserts for American combat veterans.

I suppose this logic would apply to law enforcement officers as well since they take on a similar role within our shores of trying to defend and protect our citizens. With the recent spate of gun violence, Paul can certainly now be accused of inspiring other mentally unstable people to attack war heroes.

Chris is a modern American war hero. He is credited with more than 150 kills as a sniper in combat serving watch for American and Coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan since Sept. 11.

He enlisted and served in the Navy SEALS from 1999 to 2009. Two Silver Star Medals, five Bronze Star Medals with a "V" for valor and heroism later, he gave up war and returned home to be with his wife and two small children in Texas and open a new chapter in his life.

The lives Chris took ensured many other American, European and other allied servicemen and -women were able to return home to their families and loved ones. Chris was deeply feared by our enemies. He shot enemy snipers poised to kill our troops; he ambushed enemy militants lying in wait to ambush our forces; basically, he took 160 enemy lives and saved multiples on that number in terms of Americans who live today because of his skill and bravery.

Chris certainly didn't deserve to die this way, and we can only wonder what demons this other man who shot him was battling. But let's at the very least wait until the police finish investigating and the facts come out, as they unquestionably will, before jumping to ridiculous conclusions and commenting on what we don't know, can't yet understand, and should leave to the authorities to sort out first. Right?

Regardless, Paul's Tweet was insane and further demonstrates to the rest of the country what seems now obvious: Washington is the problem. Ron Paul is the problem. People going off half-cocked and treating veterans with contempt are the problem.

Go here to read the rest:
Dakota Meyer: Has Ron Paul lost his mind?