Sadly you speak the truth. WTF can us lowly citizens do about it?
First, EXPOSE this evil crime against our country for what it is- and hold all those involved accountable for their acts and initiate action to take the money back.
This means passing the word to EVERYONE you know; cannabis friendly or not, Republican, Democrat, independent and politically disinterested alike.
Second, telling those same people that this is their country being hijacked for the enrichment of a very few at the expense of America's very future for EVERYONE. Therefore, citizenship demands they take action; write letters to their elected representatives at the state and federal level, the news media... and of course, all THEIR friends.
Freedom is not free; complacency is rewarded with tyranny- and the very few need to be held accountable for the destruction they've already caused.
Next, sever the links between money, power and force; hold police and military accountable for political action. This has already begun with the federal investigation of institutionalized racism in the Ferguson, MO police department... but needs radical expansion. The military must not be allowed to be dragged into this political conflict. The prison industrial complex must be dismantled; the very idea that private corporations can profit from imprisoning citizens needs to be held up in the light of day and repudiated for the scourge it is on our social fabric.
OUTLAW by Constitutional Amendment the idea that money and free speech are in any way related. A citizen's vote may NOT be influenced by dollars, under penalty of treason. The current system of privately held companies, public corporations (yes, even labor unions), wealthy individuals and even foreign governments being free to shovel money into influencing our political process must end- and the penalties must have nasty teeth for all those complicit in such acts.
Finally, taxation of the many for the benefit of the few must be stopped; never again can the rich be taxed at rates less than the least economically advantaged. We the People must stand with our poorest and most vulnerable citizens and disallow- by shame and legal action- the powerful from separating and segregating themselves from the rest of the country. We stand together as one people, or we all fall like dominoes.
The rich need to be made to understand that action against any part of our citizenry for the purpose of concentrating power or money is totally unacceptable, unethical and against the principles of our nation. This needs to be written into law to prevent it from ever happening again.
The words of Dwight D. Eisenhower were prophetic; either We the People rule this country- or the oligarchs will sell us to the highest bidder.
That should do for a start.
