BOOK REVIEW
By James P. Gray
The Forum Press
When your average marijuana activist speaks—well, you run the risk of preaching to the choir or being marginalized and pushed to the fringe by the usual Drug Warrior pundits. That’s not the case with James P. Gray, a retired trial judge for the Orange County Superior Court whose latest book, A Voter’s Handbook, is a clear-eyed, issue-driven analysis of what’s wrong with this country—and how to fix it. There’s no diatribe or vitriol here as the Libertarian-steeped Gray runs down the list of culprits and offers solutions and suggestions in plainspeak: requiring government agencies to essentially justify their existence every six years to reduce bureaucracy, buttressing the role of third parties so we can have more Ross Perots and implementing a flat income tax. On cannabis, Gray promotes repealing prohibition, supports legalization and tosses in his Jack Herer hat by promoting the hemp industry. A back-to-basics, laser-sharp discussion of issues that continue to unfold. (Matt Tapia)