Stung by robberies in California, Colorado, Washington and other states, the cannabis industry is pressing Congress to change federal banking laws so that its retailers no longer have to carry and process large amounts of cash. Yet lacking the lobbying muscle of their adversaries, the industry hasn't gained much traction on Capitol Hill, leaving cannabis business owners and their employees vulnerable to thefts and violent crime. GOP lawmakers from pot-unfriendly states have sidelined legislation in the House and Senate that would allow marijuana businesses to conduct transactions with federally regulated banks. These also include state and community owned banks that are part of the Federal Reserve System. [continues 1138 words]
All too often, California is stereotyped as an epicenter of sin and vice. No doubt, we have our hot spots, sometimes in unexpected places. Scrolling through the Web, I noticed that there is a Southern California Hedonism Meetup Group that gathers regularly in Newport Beach. Who woulda thought? Yet as anyone who has spent time in California knows, this is a diverse and often devout state, with a wide range of views of what kind of personal activities should be tolerated, legalized or prohibited. These differences don't break down along partisan lines. Libertarians and Christian conservatives may end up voting for the same candidate for president in 2012, yet they tend to have completely different stances on legalizing drugs and online poker. [continues 635 words]