Sunday, April 12, 2009

Drugs

Our topic in Latin American Politics this week. A bunch of recent developments, basically pointing to increased tolerance and possibly decriminalization of marijuana in the US, but continuing the main thrust of the War on Drugs in Latin America:

Marijuana now essentially legal in CA.
You can even go to school to grow it.
But our policy in Mexico is still more of the same, even under Obama..

Finally, a really detailed description of the whole process as of last summer.

Best line of the whole thing is from the third article: '“By supporting the Calderon administration in their fight with the cartels, we’re keeping it from becoming a fight on U.S. soil,” [Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard] explains. It’s not hard to see why someone like [Mexican journalist Lydia] Cacho would find that rationale unappealing."

China topic, with normal cringe-inducing US behavior

I hope we don't embarrass ourselves again....
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200904u/shanghai-expo-2010

Wednesday, April 8, 2009