Imagine this Texas street poet-singer-songwriter-raconteur-rogue making it to the governor's mansion.

First thing he'd do is make Willie Nelson head of the Texas Rangers. Now, before you go off on me, it's largely a symbolic position. Willie would not patrol the highways in a 10-gallon hat with a side-arm strapped to his leg.

The Kinkster said he'd legalize marijuana; be more lenient on the one-time, 30-day stay of execution at the disposal of the Texas governor; appoint new state-level board members; and hire more cops.

I don't know a state that doesn't need more cops. Make that good cops. As far as state-level board members? Again, every state could use fresh blood by tossing out the codgers and cadgers who have been around far too long. And, they kill far too many people in the Texas correctional system.

Legalizing marijuana?

Why not?

There are lots more dangerous drugs out there like tobacco and alcohol. There are also a lot of other equally dangerous substances out there like chocolate, which can make you very obese and cause heart attacks and other illnesses, to overdosing on high-fat foods that will clog your arteries and explode your heart.

More than 20 percent of the states in this country have approved the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes — a very compassionate move for those with serious illness or chronic disease. But, it's time we delved deeper and lifted this prohibition that, in reality, was instigated by William Randolph Hearst when he pushed to have hemp of all kinds banned. Seems it would have put a serious dent in one of his many businesses so he put the pinch on the government to outlaw the production of hemp in any form. Then, cultural and religious pressures came to bear to uphold it.

Sen. John McCain thinks it's a good idea. So do a number of others in the Congress. So do I.

So, go, Kinky, go.