Squandering lives with no regret

One of the things that those of us alive long enough to remember is the blatant squandering of U.S. military lives the leftist democrats have engaged in every time they are in charge since WWII.

An open letter from the mother of the first Navy Seal killed in Iraq to General Martin Dempsey

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey responded to reports that Ramadi, Iraq is on the verge of an Islamic State today by describing Ramadi as “not symbolic in any way.” In an open letter, Debbie Lee, whose son Marc was the first Navy SEAL casualty in Ramadi, responded to his remarks today. 

I am shaking and tears are flowing down my cheeks as I watch the news and listen to the insensitive, pain inflicting comments made by you in regards to the fall of Ramadi.
“The city itself is not symbolic in any way”? Oh, really? Are you willing to meet with me and with the families who have lost a son, daughter, husband, wife, father, mother, aunt, uncle, grandson, or teammate? 

My son Marc Lee was the first Navy SEAL who sacrificed his life in Ramadi Iraq Aug 2, 2006. His blood is still in that soil and forever will be. Remember that was when so many of our loved ones were taken from us. You said that “it’s not been declared part of the caliphate on one hand or central to the future of Iraq.” My son and many others gave their future in Ramadi. Ramadi mattered to them. Many military analysts say that as goes Ramadi so goes Iraq.~snip~

Probably the most infuriating book I've ever read is In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam that details the way the Vietnam war was mishandled by democrat Lyndon Johnson and his administration.
I hope someday someone will be brave enough to write a book on the way Obama has mishandled the middle east.

The Marijuana Gap

Here's an interesting turn.
A couple of states are suing Colorado because pot is legal there.

(emphasis added)
Nebraska and Oklahoma Sue Colorado Over Marijuana Law

DENVER — Two heartland states filed the first major court challenge to marijuana legalization on Thursday, saying that Colorado’s growing array of state-regulated recreational marijuana shops was piping marijuana into neighboring states and should be shut down.
The lawsuit was brought by attorneys general in Nebraska and Oklahoma, and asks the United States Supreme Court to strike down key parts of a 2012 voter-approved measure that legalized marijuana in Colorado for adult use and created a new system of stores, taxes and regulations surrounding retail marijuana.
While marijuana remains illegal under federal law, officials have largely allowed Colorado and other states to move ahead with state-run programs allowing medical and recreational marijuana. But the lawsuit from Nebraska and Oklahoma, where marijuana is still outlawed, argues that Colorado has “created a dangerous gap” in the federal drug-control system.
“Marijuana flows from this gap into neighboring states,” the suit says, undermining their marijuana bans, “draining their treasuries, and placing stress on their criminal justice systems.”~snip~

I have a hard time believing the “draining their treasuries" claim seeing as how asset forfeiture is a big thing with states. Along with criminal penalties asset forfeiture, like taxes, assures an income stream. As far as stressing their criminal justice system there's an easy remedy for that.
There's another option besides making it legal and taxing the crap out of it or making it illegal and seizing property and levying fines.
Decriminalize the use or possession of pot in small amounts. Say around a pound and allow the private sale or bartering between individuals and place a limit on the number of plants that can be cultivated on ones private property.

I'm against out and out legalization on the grounds that it simply creates another revenue stream for greedy local and state governments to squander away.... like they do all taxes.
Legalizing it, as the article says, just creates a new system of taxes and regulations along with inefficient, unionized and incompetent government workers along with it.

Law enforcement should be using their resources to go after murderers,rapists,robbers and others who commit dangerous crimes against society.
Not wasting their time going after recreational pot users cause that really is a strain on the criminal justice system.

Hanoi Jane Faces her Mortality

There's one thing that's even more certain than taxes in this world.
Nobody gets out alive.

'I have so little time left!' Jane Fonda, 76, reveals she can't stop crying as she comes to terms with her own mortality

She may not look anywhere near her 76 years but Jane Fonda says she is well aware of her age.
The Hollywood legend – who has made her career in an industry which isn't exactly kind to aging actresses - admits she has been brought to tears on more than one occasion recently as she comes to terms with her own mortality.
In a thoughtful blog post entitled 'Crying', which has since been removed, Jane wrote: '[I've been thinking], how come my tears are so close to the surface? And I’ve come to feel it has to do with age. I have become so wonderfully, terribly aware of time, of how little of it I have left; how much of it is behind me, and everything becomes so precious (sic).'~snip~

Regrets are something we all have through life and as I'm getting older they've pretty well piled up but like most everyone else in the world I'm aware of my own mortality and realize the inevitability of my future.
We had a choice in life to live it well or to squander the time we've been given. When my time comes I don't plan to quietly go in the night but I also don't plan on blubbering about opportunities lost.
Life is a crap shoot and I have nothing to be ashamed of when I stand to be accountable, only those who have no explanations for their behavior have anything to fear.