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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCalifornia Democrats Back Marijuana Legalization In Party Platform
California Democrats have approved a party platform including a plank calling for marijuana legalization, marking a major shift for the state party.
As the San Francisco Chronicle reports, state party delegates moved Sunday to adopt a platform that includes support for "the legalization, regulation and taxation of pot in a manner similar to that of tobacco or alcohol." The platform was adopted by a near-unanimous voice vote.
California Lt. Gov Gavin Newsom, formerly the mayor of San Francisco, made the case for the position change during the Democrats' 3-day convention in Los Angeles.
"It's time for all of us to step up and step in and lead once again in California, just as we did in 1996. We did just that with medical marijuana," Newsom said during his Saturday address to the convention. "But for almost 20 years now, we've sat back admiring our accomplishment while the world, the nation, and states like Colorado and Washington have passed us by. ... It's time to legalize, it's time to tax, it's time to regulate marijuana for adults in California."
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/09/california-democrats-marijuana_n_4931114.html
There are at least 2 initiatives that are currently gathering signatures for legalization. This time I'm almost sure it will pass.
Segami
(14,923 posts)Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)If we can get it on the ballot I think it will help the turnout for 2014 as well.
Segami
(14,923 posts)You in politics and want to win an election? Just go green, baby!
A recent poll conducted by George Washington University shows that smoking the vote is indeed a viable strategy. Four out of every 10 poll respondents said that if marijuana reform is on a ballot, then they would (against their normal policy) go out and make their voice heard.
Better yet, another 30% of respondents said that pro-pot initiative could sway them to leave their couch and hit the polls. The other 30%? Well, they probably prefer booze over buds and hate the term chill.
Predictably, this news comes to the chagrin of Republicansas it mostly centers around increasing Democrat turnouts (which are traditionally lower):
The GWU survey underscored the enthusiasm gap going into 2014 elections: 64% of Republicans say they are extremely likely to vote this year, compared with 57% of Democrats. Among young voters, who are a pillar of the Democratic base, 36% said they are extremely likely to vote.
Which is why you can imagine were very excited about our marijuana numbers in this poll, not only for personal consumption to get through this election, but in terms of turnout, Lake quipped.
You pop pot on a ballot, and suddenly it becomes cool to vote. Because weed makes everything cooler.
Support for legalizing medical marijuana use has grown steadily with 73% in favor, while a majority, 53%, also back decriminalizing marijuana possession, according to the survey.
Whats really interesting and, I think, a totally unwritten story is that everyone talks about marriage equality hitting a tipping point (of acceptance). Marijuana is hitting the tipping point. Its really astounding about how fast its moved, Lake said. [USA Today]
And the hits keep coming.
http://www.marijuana.com/news/2014/03/marijuana-motivates-40-of-voters-to-hit-the-polls/
"Which is why you can imagine we're very excited about our marijuana numbers in this poll, not only for personal consumption to get through this election, but in terms of turnout," Lake quipped.
Support for legalizing medical marijuana use has grown steadily with 73% in favor, while a majority, 53%, also back decriminalizing marijuana possession, according to the survey.
"What's really interesting and, I think, a totally unwritten story is that everyone talks about marriage equality hitting a tipping point (of acceptance). Marijuana is hitting the tipping point. It's really astounding about how fast it's moved," Lake said.
The issue is also motivating beyond traditional political lines. For example, in the successful push for a 2012 Colorado ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana use, supporters mobilized libertarian-leaning Republicans by running ads on country-music radio stations that reached the state's rural areas.
Lake says the data show that the most ardent opponents to legalizing medicinal marijuana use are seniors, while suburban moms are reluctant to support the decriminalization of possession. Both groups historically turn out in midterm elections in higher frequency than young adults.
So far this year, only two states have approved marijuana ballot initiatives. In Alaska, voters will decide whether to follow Colorado and Washington and regulate and tax marijuana like alcohol, which in effect would legalize recreational usage. The measure appears on the Aug. 19 primary ballot because the state does not allow initiatives on the general election ballot. That ballot will also settle a hotly contested GOP primary for the U.S. Senate.
Florida voters in November will decide whether to allow for medicinal marijuana use, which would require a supermajority of voters, 60%, to enact. November's Florida gubernatorial election is likely to be among the most competitive races in the nation this year.
In Oregon, the state Legislature declined to put the issue on the November ballot but activists are considering a petition effort to circumvent that decision and get a vote on a legalization measure similar to Colorado's on the ballot this fall.
More than a dozen other state legislatures are mulling marijuana laws.
The Marijuana Policy Project plans to support a number of ballot initiatives to regulate marijuana like alcohol in Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Maine, Montana and Nevada, but those initiatives won't be ready until 2016.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/03/25/marijuana-poll-turnout/6867389/
SpankMe
(2,957 posts)We're pretty solidly blue here at this time. It would be nice to have a big Dem turnout so we can re-establish super-majorities in our state houses. But, where Dems really need the turnout is in other states so we can hold the US Senate and possibly pick up a few more seats in the US House.
Plus, even though I'm generally in favor of MJ legalization, I'd still like more time to see how it pans out in Colorado and Washington state. It's my sense that the jury is still out on the effects of legal green. I don't use the stuff, myself. But, I'm interested in eliminating the dollar costs associated with all of the enforcement and drug war crap surrounding MJ. I want to see if the tradeoffs of lower law enforcement costs vs. increased "getting high" costs are worth it.
bigwillq
(72,790 posts)Brother Buzz
(36,420 posts)California Democrats unanimously approved a platform that calls for the legalization of marijuana and an immediate ban on the oil-and-gas industry practice known as fracking.
http://www.latimes.com/local/political/la-me-pc-california-democrats-marijuana-fracking-20140309,0,682637.story#ixzz2xH2mWXrA
Two win-win issues.
Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)Just goes to show how far behind this state and their own party, Brown and Feinstein are. I'd love to get ban on fracking on the ballot as well. I would think even the (usually conservative) farmers would get behind that one.
ban on fracking!!!
shanti
(21,675 posts)it infuriates me that JB is on the other side of both of these!
Brother Buzz
(36,420 posts)reddread
(6,896 posts)he definitely wont do that.
Brother Buzz
(36,420 posts)CALL CONGRESS RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!1!
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)The big money folks want to wait for 2016. They've pulled their initiative, which they only filed in case one of the other initiatives they didn't like as much looked like it could get on the ballot.
The Jack Hererites have filed initiatives every election year for a couple of decades now, but never manage to get enough signatures because they don't have money to pay for it.
The San Jose folks (Dave Hodges et al.) only have a few signatures and no money to get enough to qualify. They just asked Richard Branson to bankroll them, but somehow I doubt it.
And that's it for active legalization initiative campaigns in California this year.
This year, look for Alaska (on the ballot already, vote is in August), Oregon (one initiative well into signature gathering, another, well-funded one, set to begin), and Washington, DC (initiative approved for signature gathering, which is about to begin).
Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)Because I recently heard (radio? online tv connection?) that there were two initiatives that are currently gathering signatures for the California ballot for 2014.
I remember. It was from one of the local Fresno stations. Seems the Fresno City Council and the Fresno County Board of Supervisors (both filled with reich-wing anti-pot fanatics) have a new ordinance that, as of February 1, you can now be busted for growing pot ANYWHERE on your property (inside or outdoors) and be fined $1,000 per plant. The problem is that there are two conflicting resolutions, not to mention whether or not it's even legal, given Prop. 215. Within the story, it mentioned something about signature gathering for 2 initiatives.
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)The two initiatives are the perennial Jack Herer hempster legalization initiative, which never gets on the ballot, and the initiative from the San Jose dispensary operators (Dave Hodges et al.), which doesn't have the money to gather enough signatures.
The Hererites ran out of time to gather signatures last month, and just refiled to try again. They won't get them this time, either.
The big players in California (CANORML, the California Cannabis Reform Coalition, the Drug Policy Alliance, the Peter Lewis money) all want to wait for 2016 because they think a) they need time to collectively craft a great initiative and b) the chances of winning are greater in a high-turnout presidential election year.
The legislature could do something before 2016, but I doubt it.
Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)I think they're dead wrong. We have a chance to take back at least 2 Congressional seats from the Republicans this year if we could just get the turnout and legalization would do it.
Unfortunately, even if the legislature passed legalization, I'm sure Brown would veto it given his (very recent) anti-pot stance.
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)That's a bit low to make initiative funders comfortable. They generally want 60% at the get-go because they figure they will lose some votes to a "no" campaign.
Still, the PPIC poll is a low-side outrider for California in recent years.
Comrade Grumpy
(13,184 posts)And another guy $30,000. A grand a plant. It's outrageous.
Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)They're still open, of course, it's all just returned back underground . . . again. And people are still growing just as much as they used to around here except now the cartels are back in business.
Some day the stranglehold of white right-wing oppression will be loosened and we'll FINALLY get the representation that we deserve. The problem is, people who need to vote don't, despite mighty GOTV attempts. Our voter turnout, even in presidential election years, is abysmal. which is why the Republicans keep winning. Even our "Democrats" are Blue Dogs. The good news is that CA-21 is in play this year.
B Calm
(28,762 posts)we would be unstoppable!
GiveMeMorePIE
(54 posts)CA two steps ahead as usual.
beerandjesus
(1,301 posts)...at least, that's what some on here are going to be saying shortly!
'I'm Going To Prison For Working At A Pot Shop That Was Legal In My State'
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/03/robert-duncan-marijuana_n_4877072.html
Steve Martines
(22 posts)Times have changed. This is not a taboo issue anymore. Marihuana needs to be legalized.
polichick
(37,152 posts)TeamPooka
(24,223 posts)Iliyah
(25,111 posts)It was brought up for a vote some years ago and failed. Gov. Brown is not for it. Hopefully, it will come up again and this time it will pass.
aquart
(69,014 posts)It took me a while to come around to it, but I'm there.