Paul Stanford on Oregon cannabis initiatives, 8-30-13

Paul Stanford, author and chief proponent of 2012’s cannabis legalization initiative for Oregon, Measure 80, talks about his own new-and-improved 2014 cannabis legalization statute initiative, and his willingness to withdraw that initiative should the State Legislature put a similar measure on the November, 2014, ballot.  He also briefly discusses the status of New Approach Oregon’s proposed cannabis legalization initiative and offers a warning about Attorney General Holder’s new director on cannabis enforcement.  Recorded from Portland, Oregon, on August 30, 2013.

 

Henry Waxman calls for an end to Republican "fishing expeditions" designed to derail the Affordable Care Act (ACA)

Henry Waxman is doing all he can to help the Affordable Care Act work.  He's sent a letter to the Republican chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce asking him to call off time-consuming and expensive investigations at a time when the institutions to be investigated need to meet ACA deadlines.  Waxman considers these "investigations" to be predatory efforts to derail the implementation of the Act.  Read his letter here:  http://democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Upton-ACA-Navigator-Grantee-Information-Request-2013-8-30.pdf

Some text relevant to fossil fuel divestment

These words from a solar energy crowdfunding entrepreneur resonate strongly with the arguments made by Divest Harvard in support of Harvard University's divestiture of its fossil fuel-based investments:

From Why Is Solar Energy A Good Investment? By Billy Parish

http://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2013/08/solar-energy-good-investment/

Second, our investments hedge against the increasingly systemic risks facing fossil fuels. Energy is the world’s largest industry, and so it should come as no surprise that energy investments make up a large chunk of the portfolios of institutional and individual investors alike. Global energy markets have experienced major swings for fossil fuel prices in recent years — oil, for instance, running up two historic price peaks with a crash in between, or gas plummeting in cost, and now rapidly rising — and it’s only going to get worse. In particular, we think it’s important for investors to understand that fossil fuel companies are betting against action on climate change. HSBC recently warned that the top 200 fossil fuel companies could see a 40-60% decline in their equity value if governments take action to curb climate change. Mosaic investments represent a way to start moving away from fossil fuels before the bubble bursts.

Doug Fine talks about “Too High to Fail”

Doug Fine, author of “Too High to Fail,” talks about the book, comments on Attorney General Holder’s decision today to allow cannabis legalization to proceed in Washington State and Colorado, describes what the “Drug Peace” will look like, and makes the case for sustainable, outdoor cannabis cultivation, recorded from the Funky Butte Ranch, New Mexico, on August 29, 2013.