Elections and Headlines
Today is election day in Colorado, [blooper: as well as many other locations around the US] and for those along the more populous Front Range including the Denver metro area, the big items on the ballot are a measure for taxing marijuana, and a school tax. The school tax has been heavily promoted by the Gates Foundation and a few other organizations, however, taxes are not popular in Colorado, which is already heavily taxed: right up there with California and New York [Note: another item on the ballot would increase State Income tax to provide additional education funding, and in some counties there is a measure on the ballot to secede from the state of Colorado]. The Marijuana tax is more interesting. It’s not clear what will happen if the tax is voted down, as the state is obligated to go forward with retail sales regardless of the outcome. A special tax would fund enforcement and other bureaucratic oversight of the marijuana “industry” as it’s being called. If any tax money is left over after bureaucratic spending, it might make it to educational purposes as mandated by the marijuana law passed last year. The proposed taxes threaten to put the retail price of pot slightly higher than the street price, so economics may come into play in the outcome of the tax. Conspicuously absent are television ads either for or against the tax, so smokers will have to come down far enough to think about their vote on this one.
Here are some news headlines:
As New York City is likely to elect Democrat Bill de Blasio for Mayor, the media are speculating at how he’ll play in the New York market. He’s a noobie to running any kind of large organization, so he is expected to play up the symbolic role of the Mayor, and to promote a liberal agenda.
In New Jersey, Governor Chris Christie’s plans are rumored to be at risk as Democrats and unions have spent more than $35 million to prevent shifts in the Legislature that would give the entrenched governor more power. And then there are his Presidential aspirations as he is viewed as a likely candied date for 2016.
Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi appeared in public for a trial at which he stood defiant, stating to the judge that he is the victim of a coup. However, Egypt’s ruling military seems unlikely to allow the Muslim Brotherhood the opportunity to rule that nation.
As a tepid debate over spying develops on Capitol hill, Surveillance Community Officials lobby for continued, and, in fact, increased bulk collection of data, insisting it is necessary to protect us from terrorism. The NSA’s military leader, General Kieth Alexander doesn’t seem to grasp the inherent conflict of interest he presents in running the organization which seems bent on shredding democracy in favor of a Total Surveillance State.
And that’s Day Page for today, November 5th, 2013. Check all the DayPages at DayPage.net; it’s a production of Radio InfoWeb. Join me next time for another… DayPage.