THE INFLUENCE (By Nast)

Grandpa died last week and now he’s buried in the rocks. Everybody still talks about how badly they were shocked. But me, I expected it to happen. I knew he lost control. When he built a fire on mainstreet and shot it full of holes. BDylan

The most Honorable, Jack T. Camp, Georgia State Judge has always been one mean motherfucker. His kind harkens back to men of steel like old Judge (Maximum John) Sirica.

You can find some examples of Judge Camp’s sentencing techniques here along with some of his philosophy: http://www.aolnews.com/crime/article/could-drug-charges-against-federal-judge-jack-camp-affect-his-cases/19661895

Well ole Jack kind of lost it in a sea of senility, I suppose.

A 67-year-old federal judge's wild relationship with a stripper started with a lap dance, prosecutors said, and quickly escalated into escapades of prostitution and gun-toting drug deals for cocaine and prescription pills…

"I don't know whether the allegations are true or whether they infected the decision making, but it's incumbent upon me to raise these issues," said Gerry Weber, a civil rights attorney who is readying an appeal in a case that Camp ruled on in June.

Camp, a Vietnam War veteran who was appointed by Ronald Reagan, built a reputation for handing out stiff sentences, including for drug convictions. He could face years behind bars on drug and gun charges. The judge's attorney has said he intends to plead not guilty.

Camp's relationship with the dancer, who was not identified in court documents, began earlier this year. A day after receiving his first dance, he returned to the Goldrush Showbar for more dances, and added sex and cocaine to his tab, authorities said.

But all of this kind of makes me want to go to Carolina in my mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99RuZPCGQrg

If the Carolina gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley had her way, her state's unemployed would be subjected to mandatory drug testing in order to receive unemployment benefits.

"I'm gonna push to make sure that if someone fails a drug test in this state, that we are not gonna pay benefits," Haley said at a press conference outside the S.C Department of Employment and Workforce. "That's something I'm gonna push for, I think people of this state deserve that. Personal responsibility matters and we're gonna continue to fight that fight."

Haley's proposal builds off a piece of legislation that was brought before the South Carolina Senate last year.

South Carolina's The State reports:

If more than 10 percent of the random sample tested positive for drug use, then 3 percent of all new benefit recipients would have to be drug tested going forward as of Feb. 1, 2011. The legislation, which was withdrawn, would also have required lawmakers to be drug tested.

According to a jobs report, the unemployment rate has recently increased to 11 percent in the Palmetto State, a point and a half above the national 9.5 percent rate. The State reports that South Carolina now was more than 236,000 jobless workers.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/06/nikki-haley-drug-tests_n_752235.html

Like they say, emphasis added. Hahahaha

Now some smart representative in South Carolina threw in the line about lawmakers getting tested. That was the end of that!!!

If our United States Senate had just instituted alcohol testing half a century ago, Everett Dirkson would have found himself in one hell of a mess. Hahahaha

The LUI: Legislating while Under the Influence.

And speaking about legislating under the influence; The People Choose sent me this the other day:

It's beyond astonishing to me that John Boehner has a real chance to be speaker of the House of Representatives....I've always thought of Mr. Boehner as one of the especially sleazy figures in a capital seething with sleaze. I remember writing about that day back in the mid-'90s when this slick, chain-smoking, quintessential influence-peddler decided to play Santa Claus by handing out checks from tobacco lobbyists to fellow Congressional sleazes right on the floor of the House.

It was incredible, even to some Republicans. The House was in session, and here was a congressman actually distributing money on the floor. Other, more serious, representatives were engaged in debates that day on such matters as financing for foreign operations and a proposed amendment to the Constitution to outlaw desecration of the flag. Mr. Boehner was busy desecrating the House itself by doing the bidding of big tobacco.

http://www.thedemocraticstrategist.org/strategist/2010/10/the_boehner_ad.php

There is a judge under the influence.

There is a fear of the unemployed being under the influence.

And there are legislators under the influence of really corrupt individuals and organizations.

The last class of those categorized as politicians under the influence is a lot scarier to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jjdowef1oKE&feature=player_embedded#!

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