Bets Off On Pot Vote

[Captain Obvious]

BETS OFF ON POT VOTE

by Wes Woods II, (Source:Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)

 

 

 

 

10 Apr 2010

 

 

California

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Ballot Initiative's Chances Hard to Figure

 

Local political pundits say the chances of success for a ballot initiative to legalize the possession and sale of marijuana appear to be - at best - hard to gauge.

 

Few gave the medical marijuana initiative much chance, says one observer, but it passed. Now, few give this initiative much chance, but California voters can be surprising.

 

There are still seven months of campaigning ahead, and experts say they find it difficult to believe the initiative could succeed in November's midterm elections.

 

"I think most of the analysis on the medical marijuana initiative was it would not stand a chance, (but) this is going to be very hard to

predict," said Doug Johnson, a research fellow with Claremont McKenna

College's Rose Institute of State and Local Government.

 

Johnson said state voters' approval of Proposition 215 legalizing medical marijuana in 1996 "definitely surprised me. Few people gave it much of a chance. It surprised a lot of people. And I think as a result of that past surprise, a lot more attention is being paid to this."

 

Johnson said he expects "there will be lots of international and national attention as the initiative gets close ( to November )."

 

Jack Pitney, political science professor at Claremont McKenna College, said some polls show the marijuana initiative has some support.

 

"But I wouldn't bet the rent that it's going to pass," Pitney said. "Law enforcement will come out against it very strongly. We'll see a lot of messages tying marijuana use to the use of harder drugs. And even though ... it limits it to people over 21, the opponents will point out it will be very easy for younger people to get their hands on it."

 

In fact, Pitney thinks the anti-pot vote will be substantial. He cited the fact that in midterm elections, the majority of voters are older and more conservative.

 

"A lot of gray hairs are going to be entering the voting booth in November," he said.

 

For Johnson, the vote on the marijuana measure will have an intriguing aspect with state Attorney General Jerry Brown on the ballot running for governor.

 

Brown, when he was governor, signed legislation lessening the penalty for marijuana possession and has said he opposes this year's measure.

 

"It will be very interesting to have this on the ballot with Jerry Brown," Johnson said.

 

"And, actually, that may add support to Brown as marijuana supporters come out. But he will be put in a bad spot. History may lead him to take one position, but as the state attorney general, I'm interested to see what he does."

 

Pitney said he didn't think that baby boomers, who grew up with the 1960s music festival Woodstock and its celebration of drug culture, would vote for the initiative.

 

"I'm one of them," Pitney said. "However, I think a lot of us have come to have very different attitudes having families. There's nothing like having children to turn you into an anti-drug crusader."

 

Pitney said he did not know how much of an effect money would have.

 

"It's hard to know in advance. Probably not as much as you'd get in other initiative campaigns. The person behind it, Richard Lee, I don't know how much money he has to spend," he said.

 

Pitney said fundraising will be a problem given the stigma tied to such contributions.

 

"But if it's a close vote, it might go down," he said, "because people with the greatest interest will be too stoned to vote."

 

http://www.mapinc.org/newsnorml/v10/n265/a03.html

[Guest jburnsrubr]

alot of the people i talk to in cali do not want this to pass. most people out there want to continue making under the table money.

[Moss]

I think it is going to pass. Call me optimistic I really think it will. Where it runs into problems is that it's a midterm so numbers will be lower, but that could also help if those in favor get organized and show up in numbers. I have faith that the pro reform lobby will spend and spend wisely getting their message out there. The message should be..."let's not kid ourselves the medical law is being abused, people who want to use it are using it, let's end the charade and be collecting the massive taxes this state needs."

[greenbuddha]

I think it will pass. Cali is the trend setter, and Meds have been legal for 14 years. When you walk into a LA Comp Club and the guy that owns it is from the Middle East. Bling bling on the neck and hands.........Mercedes or Bentley parked in back. Yeah, it doesn't take much to realize it is more than just for the cause. My .02 Good Times IJ

 

Aint nothin' like the real thing, Baby.

 

I think it's going to happen.

 

And I'm having a good time thinkin' about it in the mean time... and NOBODY can take that away from me.

[TheFlyingBuddha]

Aint nothin' like the real thing, Baby.

 

I think it's going to happen.

 

And I'm having a good time thinkin' about it the mean time... and NOBODY can take that away from me.

 

Amen =)

[imiubu]

 

Amen =)

 

AMEN again.

 

What peeves me is the comment that those this most

concerns will be too "stoned" to vote... WTH?

When has that stopped any of us from doing....???

Ggrrr

peace all