A presidential voice for victims of trafficking who have none

Did you see this speech given by President Obama last week at the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative?

Most likely not. If I didn't work for a humanitarian organization, I wouldn't have seen it, either. The media barely touched it because it isn't related to the campaign (even though it absolutely should be), and it doesn't fit the mold for a traditionally captivating headline — like, you know, a police chase that results in the suspect committing suicide on live television.

If you haven't seen the speech, I strongly encourage you to watch it. For one thing, it's a refreshing departure from the ugly politics that will typify this final month before the presidential election. But much more importantly, it provides insight into a critical humanitarian issue that most Americans know nothing about, even though it affects everyone, because it's a travesty that erodes the very fabric of a civilized world.

Romney's "47 percent" gaffe: A collision of personal ambition, ideological reality

The other day, following the release of the secretly-recorded video that probably had Romney campaign advisers prematurely reaching for the bottle of cheap whiskey, I posted these thoughts regarding the incident:

That, I believe, neatly sums up the motivation behind remarks that are, by any standard, unbecoming — and, in my opinion, a disqualifier — for a man who aspires to the highest public office in the land.

Electoral update

Here's a snapshot of where we're at as of Saturday, courtesy of electoral-vote.com. Many of the polls reflected on this map were taken after Romney's "47 percent" remarks (more on that in a later post), but I'm not at all convinced that the fallout from his secretly-taped comments is complete.

There's a reason the Republican candidate chose Friday to release his 2011 tax returns. (Where are the rest?) He's desperately trying to change the subject, even if it means shifting the discussion to a topic that will bring him under scrutiny in other ways.

Time to legalize and regulate weed at the state and federal levels

Washington is one of several states that will vote this fall on a ballot measure that would legalize and regulate recreational marijuana purchase, possession, and use for adults over age 21.

If polls are correct, Washington's Initiative 502 appears to be headed for passage by a decisive margin. And while I don't have much personal interest in this issue — the only bowl I relax with before work contains cereal — I'll vote "yes" on it.

Washington voters first legalized medical marijuana back in 1998. In the time since, voters in both Seattle and Tacoma have passed measures directing municipal police to make pot possession the lowest enforcement priority. So there's significant evidence that an all-out legalization initiative could be successful here in the Evergreen State.

If it is, adults would be able to purchase weed from a state-operated vendor, who will have acquired it from a licensed and regulated producer. Sales would be subject to a 25-percent excise tax, which would help fund public services like health care and drug-abuse treatment.

And a new threshold — an active blood-THC level of 5 nanograms per milliliter — would be created to identify and prosecute motorists driving under the influence of marijuana.

The 9/11 anniversary, life, and why I go hiking

Me and my bad-ass hat taking a dip in the frigid water at Rachel Lake, Washington, on September 11, 2011.

Last year, on the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, I left town with a buddy of mine and went hiking up at some crystal mountain lakes in the Cascades. It seemed the healthiest way to commemorate such a grim milestone.

As is the case on almost any worthwhile hike I do, it was miserable for a stretch. To reach the lakes, we had to climb a couple thousand feet up a steep grade to get to the basin where they were located. It was a sunny, pleasantly warm late-summer day — the way I remember September 11, 2001, to have been — but with the degree to which we were exerting ourselves, it was downright hot, and I was spent by the time we reached the first lake, where the icy glacial water felt heavenly to my overheated feet.

Between that and the jaw-dropping scenery, the torment of the preceding climb eventually became trivial.

Barack Obama and the politics of the possible

I see that the pundits are giving mediocre marks to Obama's nomination speech on Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention.

So, what did they expect? That he'd levitate on stage or something?

Granted, the speech wasn't by any means the best of his career — this isn't 2008, after all — but in no way did it outright disappoint.

Then, of course, came Friday morning's lackluster job report, which Republicans were waiting to tear apart like wolves on fresh kill. Now, their indignation is entirely pure and righteous, with all the sincere efforts they've made to get our economy back on track, right?

Oh, wait.

I'm sorry — never mind.