Pot, Weed & Green: My Presidential Campaign

Pot, Weed & Green: My Presidential Campaign
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.

With the 2012 Presidential race only 19 months away, I'm already thinking of some creative campaign season segments and games.

But then it came to me, "Tim, you have such great ideas, maybe YOU should run".

"Who me?" I thought.

Well, I meet all the requirements except the age. And, to keep things classy, lets just say I'll be ready to run in the 2024 election.

Now, by 2024 there will be flying cars, teleporting and robots but my campaign promises are, as of now, timeless.

I've put together Tim Mihalsky's Three-Ring Campaign

Ring #1: Fix the potholes
I live in the Los Angeles area (San Fernando Valley adjacent) so this issue is a little more sensitive to me. However, drive down any main road in a town with a population greater than 100,000. Chances are, you'll likely have a bumpy ride and maybe a tire blow out.

According to my insurance agent, the average cost per blow out? About $250 (not counting the 28% interest paid for nine months paying it off).

My plan: I would give all 276 cities who's population is over 100,000 $100,000 for every 100,000 residents. Where did I get this figure? Assuming fixing 2-5 pot hole per block costs around $10,000 (I literally made that figure up but accounted for machinery, labor and materials) a city with only 100,000 residents would have enough money to fix 10 blocks.

Ring #2: Legalize marijuana

Yes, I said it. Again, living in San Fernando Valley adjacent I see Medical Marijuana dispensaries by the dozen in a short drive down Ventura Blvd. I've interviewed so many medical marijuana card holders who got the card solely for enjoyment, not a medical condition.

According to the Wikipedia on Tetrahydrocannabinol aka THC, the main substance found in the cannabis plant, there has never been a documented human fatality from overdose.

Sure, it ruins your lungs but so does cigarettes. And let us not forget the little cry one can hear from their liver the morning after a long night of drinking.

What are the side effects to marijuana? According to Marijuana Addition nothing more than increased appetite to lung cancer.

According to Drugs.com the sides effects to anxiety medicines like Xanax or depression medicine like Zoloft? Horrific. Black or bloody stools; confusion; decreased bladder control; decreased concentration; decreased urination; menstrual changes and memory problems.

In California alone, there are $14 billion in marijuana sales a year. Imagine if the other states only had $1 billion per year in sales.

It would end all violent drug cartels across our border who generate 60% of their revenue from illegal US sales.

Talk about outsourcing.

Lets bring this cash cow home. Imagine the industries of growing marijuana, marijuana paraphernalia and the business I will be starting, a marijuana tasting house. You know, like wine tasting.

My plan: I'd legalize it for those over 21. If one were pulled over, authorities would use the same tactics and tests as they do for alcohol. If one is caught driving while high, same as a DUI. This will put police's focus back on violent crime and off busting 20-somethings, like Chace Crawford , who want to enjoy a little Mary Jane on a Friday night.

Ring #3 Stricter Air Pollution Rules
Driving around Southern California, I see all sorts of power plants that are letting off excessive fumes. It's disgusting. Driving through City Of Industry is like an Industrial Revolution museum, with the same smog emissions as 1879.

Compliance with two Clean Air Act (CAA) rules will create jobs. According to a Ceres report the power sector will invest nearly $200 billion in capital improvements, almost $94 million on pollution controls and over $100 billion on about 68,000 megawatts of new generation capacity.

How many jobs will this investment create? About 1.46 million or 290,000 per year. Although they do believe the job creation will only span over five years.

This means skilled construction and professionals workers will be employed. Even if they are employed until 2015, maybe this will take some strain off the rest of corporate America. Since, you know, they aren't hiring as their bank accounts grow.

The Plan:
Yes, I know this act will likely be finalized by 2024. But, just go with it. The CAA is known for it's economic benefits. Enacted in 1970, and amended in 1990, the CAA provides $4 to $8 in benefits for every $1 spent on compliance, according to the report. With a statistic like this, getting this Act finalized would be a first week of office issue.

Not only will this regulation create jobs but it will make the air we breath cleaner. And if you're against that, well then I'm assuming you watch Glenn Beck religiously.

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot