California Democrats bet on bong war

[kpete]

Source: Politico

By MAGGIE HABERMAN | 10/10/10 5:31 PM EDT

Forget the billion-dollar budget hole and layoff threats — the big debate in California right now is whether a bong war over legalizing pot could help boost Gov. Moonbeam back into office.

Seizing on new independent polling data, proponents of Proposition 19 — the Golden State ballot measure that would make possessing and growing marijuana legal — argue the measure is going to drive younger-voter turnout in such a way that it will benefit the Democrats statewide, from gubernatorial retread Jerry Brown to Sen. Barbara Boxer.

"It literally is the thumb on the scale that has been generally missed by the polling models out there, and it is going to have an impact not only on the initiative but everything else on the ballot including the candidates," said Dan Newman, consultant for the “Yes on 19” campaign.

"The community has been very active and engaged," he added, suggesting there's been "anecdotal and quantifiable evidence" of voters being spurred on by the issue.




Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/43353.html

[monmouth]

1. Typical Politico..."gubernatorial retread." They're disgusting...n/t

[krkaufman]

2. along w/ "Gov. Moonbeam" nt

[Cleita]

3. But last I heard neither Brown nor Boxer are in

favor of this proposition, so how does that help them?

[Qutzupalotl]

4. The issue energizes their base despite their stance to the contrary.

If it gets voters to the polls, that's good for Democrats. In the end, Boxer and Brown's opposition to the proposition is irrelevant, since the voters are the ones who get to make it a law in this case. I doubt either one would try to repeal it, although I suppose anything's possible.

[Taverner]

5. Gov. Moonbeam????

Yeah, they're objective...:eyes: