cannabisnews.com: Students Shouldn't Have To Pay Twice Students Shouldn't Have To Pay Twice Posted by FoM on May 29, 2001 at 08:25:22 PT Bee Editorial Source: Sacramento Bee There was a good reason why the Clinton administration never seriously enforced a 3-year-old law barring citizens recently convicted of drug offenses from receiving federal financial aid for college: It's a discriminatory and shortsighted policy. Now that the Bush administration is taking a more vigorous approach to enforcement, it's even more important to repeal the law.Approved by Congress in 1998 without much notice, the law renders college aid applicants ineligible if they've been convicted of any drug crime. A single conviction for marijuana possession, for example, disqualifies a student for a year from the date of conviction. Crimes involving heavier drugs or selling drugs merit longer ineligibility. About 9,000 students last year lost aid as a result of drug convictions, and stiffer enforcement could increase the number dramatically.But the policy amounts to a heightened form of double jeopardy. Students who've already paid the criminal penalties for drug convictions -- through drug treatment, probation, community service or time in jail -- are being made to pay again through the loss of college aid. That prevents them from following a productive path that may be the best insurance against recidivism. And the hammer falls unequally on college students, putting up a barrier to higher education for convicted students who are poor and need financial aid that doesn't exist for convicted students who are better off.Then there's this irony: While they demand answers about drug offenses, federal college aid applications show no interest in other, more serious forms of crime. A student can commit arson, burglary, even murder, and still qualify for financial aid.U.S. Rep. Mark Souder of Indiana, who sponsored the original law, now wants to revise it, saying he never meant it to apply to college applicants, only to students who are already in and receiving federal aid. Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts has a better idea: Do away with it altogether. His bill, HR 786, awaits action by the House and deserves to pass.Complete Title: Drugs and College Aid: Students Shouldn't Have To Pay TwiceSource: Sacramento Bee (CA)Published: May 29, 2001Copyright: 2001 The Sacramento BeeContact: opinion sacbee.comWebsite: http://www.sacbee.com/Related Articles:Bush To Enforce Financial Aid Drug Law http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9393.shtmlLawmakers Take Stand Against Denying Financial Aidhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8859.shtml END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #11 posted by Kevin Hebert on May 29, 2001 at 13:41:29 PT: Lehder Great letter; I hope they do read it and address it. One quick question: I noticed you said Portugal had legalized all drugs? I didn't know that, do you have some info I could read about that? Just curious; it just seems like something more people should know about. Thanks, and once again great letter. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by kaptinemo on May 29, 2001 at 13:40:01 PT: Improving the breed. Normally, I would shy away at the idea of eugenics, but sometimes I think that pols must carry a latent gene within them for stupidity. The victim of this latent insanity often has no idea of it's existence. He feels fine. By all outward appearences, unless the victim actually attempts to speak, no one would suspect anything. But it seems that as soon as the victim acquires some degree of social or political standing, the gene comes into full play, and the insanity becomes quickly evident to those who possess the slightest shred of perceptual abilities.The degree of damage which can be done by such individuals is directly proportional to their height within any organization. For example, a 'national leader' (pardon me while I retch) such as W can cause planet-wide devastation.To protect humanity from the influence of this particularly virulent affliction, a global screening program must be implemented to sterilize those individuals before they can propogate and spread this bane to civilization. And to identify those presently afflicted and quarantine them, in case this is actually an infectious disease with unknown vectors.Before they can implement their idiotic plans and cause enormous suffering to the rest of us. As they have for years. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by dddd on May 29, 2001 at 12:05:22 PT no excuse I've thought the same thing Ethan.It seems that lawmakers dont evenneed to be competant.It's very rare for them to be reprimanded by theirpeers.(in the same party that is).....The scary part is,that Souder is not alone in conjuring up absurd laws.......the senate is full of Souderesque idiots....dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on May 29, 2001 at 11:44:31 PT: Poor Excuse I enjoyed the guest appearance of Sen. Dominatrix a great deal. As for another legislator:"U.S. Rep. Mark Souder of Indiana, who sponsored the original law, now wants to revise it, saying he never meant it to apply to college applicants, only to students who are already in and receiving federal aid."This is a pitiful excuse. The guy doesn't proofread his own bill or consider the ramifications of his legislation? He has no business being in that position to punish (twice) without regard to the end result. Far too much legislation is similarly configured. They ought to make a rule: If your law proves to be counter-productive because of your lack of due consideration, you should suffer the same punishment or give up your seat. That might solve the problem. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Lehder on May 29, 2001 at 11:16:07 PT thanks for your comments, all senator dominatrix, your answers are all permutable - any answer could be applied to almost any question and i cnnot tell which questions your answers apply to from your answers alone! i guess the answer to all questions, including 'what is the effect on climate of the melting ice cap? ' is always the same - more prison! thanks!anyway, i'm glad to be out of ink. it gives me a chance to make a few improvements - like why should i tell 'em i'm a registered Libertarian - i'll take that out and let 'em think i might vote dem or rep. i'll post my revised letter when and if i get some replies. gonna send one to james trafficant, congressman from youngstown whom the g wants to incarcerate for 48 yrs, too. interesting guy - quote: "the internal rectal service is one big enema." wonder what they got against him? thanks for the encouragement, and please write to your congresscruppers. use anything you like. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Rambler on May 29, 2001 at 10:36:20 PT Senator_Dominatrix That was dazzling.....nicely done [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Mr. Givemeabreak on May 29, 2001 at 10:35:45 PT: oops I accidentally wrote the letter to senator but I npw realize it is sentator and looks like a satire on the previous letter. If it is not a satire..well..that is horrible [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Mr. Givemeabreak on May 29, 2001 at 10:30:01 PT: You are right in being wrong Dear Senator,Why is it that you have to hide behind children to disguise the obvious. Children eventually grow up and see what kind of hipocrasy we are dealing with. I know. I went through all those dare programs in my school; and while they teach what drugs do to someone physically and mentally, they only scare the individual into doing them. I say this because it is HUMAN NATURE to look for other realities CURIOUSITY). When someone is not sober they do not have to deal with STRESS. Now if you would like to get rid of STRESS and CURIOUSITY, drop me a line. If not get a clue. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Sen_Dominatrix on May 29, 2001 at 10:05:32 PT Thank You For Your Letter Dear CITIZEN,Thank you for writing, and telling of your concerns.1. If Carl Sagan or anyone is addicted to, or abusing dangerous drugs, then that person needs help. I have introduced SR. 666-666 which saves children by "helping" such depraved addicts, with the appropriate government intervention. Government is here to help, and needs to do more, I say.2. We must do more to save the children drom drugs. Look at all the problems we have with alcohol now. We can't allow another scourge like that upon the children of America. To further this end, I have legislation pending to save children by doubling, no, trebling penalties for child abusers who abuse children by abusing drugs within 250 miles of any child.3. There are many important government funded studies showing that marijuana abuse is killing our children. I refer you to the fine peer-reviewed research of dedicated, objective scientists like Dr Harold Voth and Dr Gabriel Nahas, two independent, fair-minded, neutral, non-partisan, bi-partisan researchers on the terrible scourge of marihuana addiction and psychosis.4. Because of the epidemic of crime, cartels, child molesters, murderers, pot smokers, cannibals, kidnappers, and rapists, we have to do more to prevent such malefactors from raping our daughters and murdering our sons! We need to do more, and that includes treatment, as well as that place that I can't mention the name of (my advisors say), but let's just say when you go there, you'll notice lots of bars, and speaking of bars, don't drop the soap, if you know what I mean. We must do more to protect our children. To do this I have introduced legislation that saves the children by using, er, preventative detention, on all potential child molesters, and drug abusers. we need to start to get tough on abuse, and that's why I was elected.5. Fischer disobeyed our government's dictates and must be made an example of, for the children. His insolence shall not go unpunished. Children need to learn that actions have consequences, and that with freedom comes responsibility.6. I too am concerned about Americans who are addicted to dangerous drugs. I fully believe that the government should do more, to help such addicts and abusers of mind-altering drugs. People who abuse drugs need our help, and this is why I believe in treatment in addition to incarceration. (My advisors said I could say "treatment and incarceration". Just not that other thing.)7. I'm glad you asked. Our government needs to do more to help addicts and abusers of drugs. Such treatment facilities that you mention need to be ... strengthened and increased. This is to save the children from the effects of drugs. 8. The US government must do more to fight the scourge of drugs in the nations you mention and other countries. Drugs kill our children! We must do more to save out children from the scourge of the drug epidemic ravaging America. This is why I support Plan Colombia that will strike at the heart of the drug scourge and, with more goernment and police power, will finally put an end to this plague for once and for all.9. Due to misguided regulations intruduced by left-leaning legislators in the permissive 70s, the commie pinkos made this big fuss about sending troops elsewhere, sendign troops to save the children. The pinkos want our children strung out on drugs, so they passed restrictions on our brave fighting men in and out of uniform. Police and our fighting men and women, who are only here to save our children from the scourge of addictive drugs of abuse, need our support! Accordingly, I have introduced a new bill that will permit our brave fighting men and women, in and out of uniform, and working for both government and business, to waive the bill of rights and constitution and all other laws that hinder them in their fight against this scourge attacking our children! Cartels, dealers, kingpins and drug users must feel the heat of our resolve to fight this scourge.10. I welcome a full debate on the issue, and plan to have Dr Voth and Dr Nahas debate over the exact nature of the psychological dimensions of drug abuse and addicts, as well as debate over whether the punishents for drug users should be very harsh on the one hand, versus draconian, on the other. There is some dispute over this.11. it is obvious that amotivated pothead dopers who are also activists are abusers of drugs of abuse and just want to be able to smoke their pot without fear of ... er, that place I like to euphemize. Accordingly, I have introduced SR 666-66-66-6 that will punish all those who speak out in favor of changing drug laws, if they propose making the drug laws less harsh.I thank you for your interest on this matter, and have passed your name to the DEA and local police for further investigation.Sincerely,Stentor Peter Dominatrix [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by dddd on May 29, 2001 at 09:51:38 PT Lehder Wow...that's quite an excellent letter,,,,it is also somewhat intense,which is a good thing......I think it may be a bit too involved for themto give you a reply......the way I imagine it working when the office ofa politician receives a letter,,is that first,it is read by one of the "staff".Of course the staffs job is to decide what to do with such letters,(it'spossible that some of these politicians actually read their own mail sometimes),,,,anyway,,,so the staffer,,who could be anyone from a square neo-liberal college student,,to Bertha Stedenko,,,the senators 68 year old sister in law,,whose husband,the now retired Seargent Stedenko,got her a part time job reading the Senators mail,and screening out all theakward ones for form letter style replies...............I know all this has my usual negative overtone....dont let it slow you down though.Your letter has some real impact to it,and if nothing else,if these senators read it,,,it will make them uncomfortable,,,but probably not that guilty or ashamed,,I thinkthat by the time a person becomes a senator,they have developed a cold,hardened mindset,that allows them to shrug off and ignore the eminent guilt and shame that goes withbeing fake enough to do the job......I'm sure there are a few real,and honest peopleof integrity up there too.........Keep on keepin on......Your letter is inspirational Lehder...............dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Lehder on May 29, 2001 at 08:35:50 PT my letter to the four senators of NM and OH will be sent by post as soon as i can get some black ink for this printer. if i get any answers, i'll copy them onto the internet, as promised.Dear Senator Domenici:I am a registered Libertarian and a single-issue voter opposed to the incarceration of America. I would like to ask you some questions. You may select one or two of them for detailed answers if you like, but I ask that you be thoughtful and specifically responsive. Your reply will be reproduced on the Internet for public review.1. Do you believe that the United States would be better off today had the astronomer Carl Sagan been arrested and imprisoned, or "rehabilitated" under the threat of prison, for smoking cannabis? 2. Do you believe that putting adults into prisons for possession of cannabis prevents children from using illegal drugs? Do you believe that putting adults into prisons for possession of alcohol would prevent children from drinking?3. Can you display peer-reviewed scientific evidence that cannabis is properly categorized as a Schedule I addictive narcotic with no acceptable use?4. Can you justify, in the name of the "war on drugs", that the U.S. should have the world's largest prison population both by number and by percentage?5. Do you believe that former World Chess Champion Bobby Fischer should be imprisoned for ten years for playing chess in Yugoslavia in 1992? Do you believe that any government officials should be imprisoned for bombing the infrastructure of Yugoslavia in 1999?6. About eighty million Americans have smoked cannabis. How many of them should be arrested? Fifty-four percent of high school seniors have smoked cannabis. How many of them should be arrested? How many should be expelled? How many should be denied a college loan?7. The federal government is presently on a building binge of new prisons. How many more new federal prisons do you think should be built?8.Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands have decriminalized cannabis and replaced prohibition by government with regulation by adults. Portugal has legalized all drugs. The Canadian Parliament is presently studying the decriminalization of cannabis, and PRD lagislator Gregorio Urias German of Mexico calls for the legalization of drugs, saying in a text titled "An Informed Vision to Confront Drug Trafficking," that the United States anti-drug policy has been converted into an instrument of espionage, subordination and interference that harms the sovereignty of nations. How do you propose that the U.S. respond to these countries and the hemisphere-wide wave of common sense and decency?9.Please explain the purpose of section H.23 of the $600 million contract awarded to Dyncorp in response to solicitation No. S-OPRAQ-96-R-0545 by the U.S. State Department for the eradication of coca fields in Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and undesignated areas as quoted below: "H.23. IDENTIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES The employees of the Contractor shall at all times be identified as officials, employees or agents of the Contractor or subcontractors and shall not be considered as officials, employees, or agents of the host country government or the Government of the United States of America."10. Do you believe that the United States is helped by your refusal to provide specific answers to these questions? Do you believe the United States is helped by the federal government's refusal to hold televised debates, including Ralph Nader and Harry Browne, on the "war on drugs"? 11. Do you believe that people who oppose the War on Drugs are addicted to drugs or involved with profiteering in drugs? [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: