College Republicans Sponsor December IOM

Each month the College Republicans at Roger Williams University sponsor an Issue of the Month(IOM). These IOM's differ month to month and usually cover controversial political topics. This moth the issue is the controversial topic regarding the legalization of marijuana. If you are a student here you are invited to attend.

If you are attending, bring your thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and any questions you have on the topic. We will discuss why or why not this substance should be legal. Should it be completely banned with severe punishments, banned with minor punishments. Should it be conditionally legal where you can;t operate a motor vehicle or be publicly high similar to alcohol? Should marijuana be completely legal where you can smoke it anywhere?

Is marijuana a right the government can take away? Is this really an important right? Is it protected by the Constitution? What effects does this drug have on the human body and second-hand persons? Does this drug positively contribute to society or negatively destroy it and its youth?

There are very good points on both sides of the argument. Some may be more true than others or more or less applicable in certain situations. If the drug was legalized you would have to consider taxes, lawsuits, government regulation, and anything that comes with it. Would legalization change the production process of cannabis? Would this force companies to grow this drug in pure soil. A little known fact is that much of today's marijuana is grown in soil rich in dangerous chemicals and metals such as mercury and cadmium. Take everything into consideration and judge whether or not this is a good thing for the country as a whole rather than an excuse to reward a personal addiction.

Christmas Came Early This Year

Yesterday the Federal Reserve released a large amount of previously "secret" records regarding their practices of lending. Most Americans were amazed to find out that the Federal Reserve has been printing and lending money to not only American banks and organizations, but FOREIGN banks and organizations. May I ask why the Federal Reserve lent hundreds of billions of dollars to private offshore banks? Did this really help stimulate the American economy?

Now the Federal Reserve plans to inject another $600 billion into the U.S. economy becuase they believe we are in an era of deflation. Sorry to break it to big Ben Bernanke, but this isn't going to help. Printing money and buying U.S. treasury bonds from private banks such as Goldman Sachs is not going to stimulate our economy. The Federal Reserve is one of the most secret and corrupt organizations within the United States Government. I take that back, it's not even part of the government, yet it is one of the largest factors in our economic system.

We are only learning this information because congress forced the Fed to give it up. What have they been doing with our money for the past century and can we survive without them? People like Ron Paul think we can, is he right? Should we put our faith in a private and secretive organization to play God with out economy in lieu of thier links with foreign ties? Whether or not the Fed should exist is one argument, but I'm sure a large majority of people can agree that this type of shadow government needs a large scale and full audit.