Every Member of Seattle's Legislative Delegation Goes on the Record in Favor of Legalizing Pot

[Truth2Tell]

http://www.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2011/03/25/every-member-of-seattles-legislative-delegation-wants-to-legalize-pot

by Dominic Holden

Sweet democracy on a stick. As of yesterday evening, every member of Seattle legislative delegation to Olympia—all ten representatives and all five senators from the 34th, 36th, 37th, 43rd, and 46th Districts—had gone on the record to say that they support taxing, regulating, and legalizing marijuana. They join every elected official at City Hall (the mayor, the city attorney, and all nine members of the city council) and King County Executive Dow Constantine.

-snip

Has any other major US city shown such widespread support among its elected leaders for legalizing marijuana? I don't know. I just called an office at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, where a staffer told me that uniform support for legalization "is not the case in San Francisco," adding that his employer, Sean R. Elsbernd, "would have some concerns."

This seems significant, whether we're the first city or not: It appears that the safest position politically these days—the most mainstream position a politician can take in Seattle—is to replace the War on Pot with a government takeover the entire industry. Quashing the politically toxic drug war is a winning platform. A decade ago, before Seattle voters had deprioritized enforcement of pot possession, most local lawmakers wouldn't touch this issue with a ten-foot bong. A poll last year found that most people in Washington support legalizing pot. Now all the lawmakers and the media are on board, too.

Not to get too speculative, but... is this what it looks like approximately 18 months before the first state in the US legalizes marijuana?

http://www.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2011/03/25/every-member-of-seattles-legislative-delegation-wants-to-legalize-pot

[Vincardog]

1. Good luck. There is too much money in having drugs be illegal. Too much for the crooked cops. Too

much for the crooked politicians. Too much for the privatized prison industry. Too much for the CIA.

besides that what are you going to do if all these drug users VOTED?

[aSpeckofDust]

2. I imagine Cartels will pour billions into keeping the war on drugs alive. Helps keep their ..

..price high.

[hifiguy]

8. The prison industrial complex needs fuel

and the pot smokers are the easiest targets.

[Truth2Tell]

3. and the right-wing Frank Blethen owned Seattle Times

has now editorialized in favor of legalization not once but twice, the latest this last Sunday...

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorials/2014270472_edit20legal.html
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorials/2014538342_edit19cannabis.html

[MrCoffee]

4. The medical dispensary issue is helping force the question

The cities are going to make Olympia act...I love it.

[Truth2Tell]

5. And the budget situation is changing the landscape... nt

[KT2000]

6. the ex- police chief

Stamper, of Seattle, is for legalizing marijuana.

[Left coast liberal]

7. I sure hope this happens...

...we are suffering vicious budget cuts in WA state do to lack of revenue. Anytime any one brings up Income Tax everyone has a instant fear attacks that it never gets traction.

So, suffering a horrible budget situation, a new revenue source sure would be nice!

Fingers crossed just outside Seattle!

:-)

[dkofos]

9. Just do it.

[reggie the dog]

10. if they legalize, tourists will come in masses

fuck going to amsterdam at that point, seattle, olympic national park, lots of nice places for tourists, the sunny interior valleys.....