Drug Policy

Man from Pickens

(1,713 posts) Thu Nov 6, 2014, 10:16 PM Nov 2014

Marijuana activists eye new targets after election wins

Marijuana activists who have longed for decades to end America's drug war pocketed more major victories in the midterm elections Tuesday, with Oregon and the nation's capital approving recreational pot use.

The advocates believed they also had another win, in Alaska, as a legal pot measure held a steady lead.

The only major loss for drug-law reformers came in Florida and even there, a medical marijuana proposal earned 58 percent - just shy of the 60 percent required to pass.

The victories came in a midterm election that saw a low turnout and an electorate that handed Republicans back control of the U.S. Senate for the first time since 2006. The results emboldened marijuana activists as they prepare legalization efforts in California, Massachusetts, Maine and other states in the next presidential election year.

"We're starting work right now for 2016," said Joe Brezny, who's leading a campaign to legalize marijuana in Nevada. "The other side is in trouble if we're doing this well in a Republican midterm year."

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/marijuana-activists-eye-new-targets-after-election-wins/

Oh look, an issue we could have won on.

9 replies

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Marijuana activists eye new targets after election wins (Original Post) Man from Pickens Nov 2014 OP

That and raising the minimum wage... Kalidurga Nov 2014 #1

I doubt it helped that the head of the DNC thinks cancer patients should be arrested for smoking pot Warren DeMontague Nov 2014 #2

I can think of no (non-nefarious) reason why so many Dems should be Jackpine Radical Nov 2014 #3

There's probably some of that... non-nefarious, I think it's really a combination of a few things Warren DeMontague Nov 2014 #4

^^^ Saved me the trouble. nt Eleanors38 Nov 2014 #8

The Democratic Party is underperforming stoners by 15 percent Man from Pickens Nov 2014 #5

Exactly. Jackpine Radical Nov 2014 #6

I agree. And where they aren't... well, well, looky here. Warren DeMontague Nov 2014 #7

All the more remarkable that FL voted 58% when Eleanors38 Nov 2014 #9

Kalidurga

(14,177 posts)

1. That and raising the minimum wage...

Reply to Man from Pickens (Original post)

Thu Nov 6, 2014, 10:22 PM

Nov 2014

we need to get more policies on the ballots, heads we win heads they lose.

Warren DeMontague

(80,708 posts)

2. I doubt it helped that the head of the DNC thinks cancer patients should be arrested for smoking pot

Reply to Man from Pickens (Original post)

Thu Nov 6, 2014, 10:33 PM

Nov 2014

Jackpine Radical

(45,274 posts)

3. I can think of no (non-nefarious) reason why so many Dems should be

Reply to Warren DeMontague (Reply #2)

Thu Nov 6, 2014, 10:41 PM

Nov 2014

on the wrong side of history on this issue. Do they seriously think they're gonna lose Democratic votes for advocating the end of Prohibition? Or are they bought out by the pharma/alcohol/textile/prison/DEA/drug cartel interests that they just can't afford the loss of funding? It would be so easy for them to suck in the young libertarian vote, for example; or, by getting it on the ballot as referenda and initiatives, they ought to be able to massively pump the youth vote (as well as more tokin' elders than they would believe exist)…

Warren DeMontague

(80,708 posts)

4. There's probably some of that... non-nefarious, I think it's really a combination of a few things

Reply to Jackpine Radical (Reply #3)

Thu Nov 6, 2014, 11:07 PM

Nov 2014

one, cowardice- witness the "evolution" of some of our party leaders on LGBT marriage equality, basically waiting until they felt the polls safely gave them permission to do the right thing.

two is simply out of touch, beltway conventional wisdom that is running a good 10 years behind where the country actually is (a similar thing played out with marriage equality, too)... they still think they need to pander to 1996's minivan DARE moms or 2004's "values voters"

They haven't got the memo, yet.

Eleanors38

(18,318 posts)

8. ^^^ Saved me the trouble. nt

Reply to Warren DeMontague (Reply #4)

Sat Nov 8, 2014, 10:49 AM

Nov 2014

Man from Pickens

(1,713 posts)

5. The Democratic Party is underperforming stoners by 15 percent

Reply to Jackpine Radical (Reply #3)

Thu Nov 6, 2014, 11:07 PM

Nov 2014

It would be funny if the consequences were not so very serious.

There is zero excuse for any Democrat not to be stridently for decriminalization (at the very minimum - really, full legalization is where we should push them to be).

If there is any issue that, more than any other, brings those 2/3rds of the electorate that does not normally vote out to the polls, this is it.

Jackpine Radical

(45,274 posts)

6. Exactly.

Reply to Man from Pickens (Reply #5)

Thu Nov 6, 2014, 11:09 PM

Nov 2014

Warren DeMontague

(80,708 posts)

7. I agree. And where they aren't... well, well, looky here.

Reply to Man from Pickens (Reply #5)

Thu Nov 6, 2014, 11:13 PM

Nov 2014

http://blog.norml.org/2014/08/20/democratic-party-of-oregon-endorses-marijuana-legalization-initiative/

And interestingly enough, Democrats did just fine in this state!

Eleanors38

(18,318 posts)

9. All the more remarkable that FL voted 58% when

Reply to Man from Pickens (Original post)

Sat Nov 8, 2014, 11:07 AM

Nov 2014

one considers the Democratic Party there is essentially a dead bureau that on occasion rises up to bite any candidate to the left of Dwight D. Eisenhower; I.e., the campaign was as independent as you get on a party-shunned issue.

Prediction: When FL does finally Legalize fully, the national prohibition house comes tumblin' down.

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