Are Republicans Smoking Too Much Pot?

I was born in Denver, Colorado, and when I was about 10, moved to the Bitterroot Valley, Montana. I grew up hunting, fly-fishing and skiing. In elementary school, I worked at a tree nursery. I swept floors before school at the local clothing store, joined the union, worked in a grocery store after school and was a ski patrolman at the local ski area.

I attended Lewis & Clark College, where I also worked. I was a courier in downtown Portland and have worked for a theater company as well as a phone company.

I went to New York City on a study program and did the same thing in Sevilla, Spain. I returned a year later, got my B.A. and moved to NYC, where I studied acting and acted while working as a temp and permanent for, among other companies, Goldman Sachs; Mudge, Rose, Guthrie, Ferdon & Mitchell (formerly President Nixons' law firm); and J.P. Morgan. Six years later, I moved to Hollywood and continued to pursue acting in theater and the screen.

While working at the State Bar of California, I met my future wife, Dina, who was born and raised in Highland Park. We were married in 1994 and lived in Pacific Palisades until she became pregnant in 2001. There was a year in Mexico City acting. We moved to Eagle Rock in 2001—we were lucky because we got in before the economy and housing sector went south. I have two kids attending Eagle Rock Elementary. I'm a big proponent of public schools and Dina and I have been involved in the PTA and EREEF (Eagle Rock Elementary Educational Foundation) since our kids started Kindergarten.

I've been a commercial print broker on and off since 1995. In 2001 I started my own company, R&D Print and Packaging. In 2004 I began focusing on green printing and renamed our company "Plan It Green Printing." I print on compostable plant-based stocks and other not-so-typical papers and label sticker stocks for companies ranging from Museums to Parks to the Food and Beverage Industry, to artists and many non-profits. Here is the link to our company

Politically, I am i ncredibly frustrated. I feel our political system isn't serving the majority of people. I'm a liberal with a belief in fiscal conservatism.

I believe in a New Capitalism for America: Capitalism is good and must be encouraged. I support government regulation: I recognize humans are corruptible. We believe humans are intrinsically good but power and money occasionally sway humans away from honesty and integrity toward deception and fraudulence. Therefore, for the Greater Good, we must limit the possibility for this to occur.

Greed is a by-product of capitalism and must be controlled. Hard work, playing by the rules and success must be nurtured. Cheating, rigging the System, generational inheritance and getting ahead through no effort of the individual will not be tolerated in the New Capitalism.

I support regulation of financial instruments and markets: Financial markets must be regulated because they have shown they are incapable of regulating
themselves.

I support eliminating money in politics: Running for political office must be completely financed by government. Winning an election must be with merit and ideas but not by money.

Politicians should get a modest salary based on the median average of the worker. No gifts, no favors, no jobs in or related to lobbying should be accepted by politicians after their term in office is completed.

I am against war, but I believe our country must be strong: Our military is important and the men and women who fight must be valued by all. The Military Complex must be contained and controlled, perhaps by an independent non-partisan body without ties to parties or political dogma.

Planet Earth is our greatest treasure: The value and beauty and future of the human race lies in all of its flora, fauna. It must be preserved for all mankind and for our children’s children. Money in the short term is not valid for wrecking the environment.

I believe in Personal Freedom: Humans have the right to pursue their own personal freedom to be, to love, to exist and behave in any manner, mode or style desired unless this freedom impinges on another human, causing physical or emotional harm.

I believe Education is the right of all people in this civilized society. Education is the key to a stable, prosperous society. Education is not a privilege for the few.

I believe that Science must be free from the whims of politics and religion. It must be nurtured and encouraged.

I believe we, as Americans, need something to bond us together. Perhaps upon graduation from high school everyone must devote one year to a "Good Works Program." This program would be like a Peace Corps, but solely based in America and focused on doing good projects in America.