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View Full Version : CA, NV, MA, ME, AZ, MO to have Marijuana Ballot Initiatives in 2016




presence
11-05-2014, 07:16 AM
http://qz.com/291091/however-the-us-votes-on-marijuana-today-its-2016-that-really-matters/


At least five US states—Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada—will hold ballot initiatives in 2016. And the diverse political makeup of those states, from the conservative battleground of Arizona to the liberal hotbed of Massachusetts, means that success at the ballot box would show that legalization spans the political and ideological spectrum


http://www.pitch.com/FastPitch/archives/2014/11/03/missouri-may-get-to-vote-on-marijuana-legalization-in-2016


Missouri voters in 2016 will have a hand in picking a new president, a successor to Jay Nixon and possibly legalizing marijuana in the Show-Me State.

CaptUSA
11-05-2014, 07:30 AM
All of these ballot initiatives are intended to drive turnout for the Democrats. This could backfire on them in an incredible way if Rand Paul can win the nomination.

presence
11-05-2014, 07:38 AM
All of these ballot initiatives are intended to drive turnout for the Democrats. This could backfire on them in an incredible way if Rand Paul can win the nomination.

I hear what you're saying but I think you underestimate the initiatives core supporters; MJ legalization is an apolitical issue that only loosely correlates to party affiliation... its a freedom issue with strong support on both sides that transcends blue and red politics.

https://fusiondotnet.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/fusion_legalization_pg811.png?w=550&h=413


Thats

87% Democrats showing support for some type of legalization

87% Independent

while

75% of Republicans showing the same

http://fusion.net/story/20638/fusion-poll-young-democrats-more-likely-to-spark-a-spliff-than-republicans/

CaptUSA
11-05-2014, 07:52 AM
I think what you're missing in your analysis is the turnout. While you are correct that these initiatives have broad-based appeal, they tend to drive up the turnout of democrat-likely voters. These are people who otherwise might not show up to the polls. Adding these ballot initiatives usually helps them up-ballot.

invisible
11-07-2014, 01:13 AM
Expect OK to also make another attempt in 2016, and actually get it onto the ballot this time. This year's attempt fell short of the signature requirement (one of the highest in the country) by only several thousand votes. Since the signature requirement is tied to the number of votes for Governor, and the votes cast for that race was the lowest in something like 36 years, the threshold has been lowered (by around 25000 signatures, IIRC) and will easily be met this time around.

puppetmaster
11-07-2014, 02:35 AM
I think what you're missing in your analysis is the turnout. While you are correct that these initiatives have broad-based appeal, they tend to drive up the turnout of democrat-likely voters. These are people who otherwise might not show up to the polls. Adding these ballot initiatives usually helps them up-ballot.

This something that will have to be a serious cosideration. The GOP will be portrayed as anti pot. The dems may offer a young hip candidate also.

Spikender
11-07-2014, 04:12 AM
Where you at, VA?

Christian Liberty
11-07-2014, 07:40 AM
Where you at, VA?

Yeah, good question. I'd love to be able to vote for legalized pot in Virginia in 2016. Would be far better than most other things one could do in a voting booth.

Spikender
11-07-2014, 07:45 AM
Yeah, good question. I'd love to be able to vote for legalized pot in Virginia in 2016. Would be far better than most other things one could do in a voting booth.

It'd be better than about every ballot initiative we've had in a long while. Anything to relieve people of the police state and incurring fines and offenses just for a plant or the substance from a plant.

I had a friend get locked up not too long ago for weed... it's sad. No one ever got hurt, no crime was committed, he wasn't forcing anyone to take weed, yet he got arrested for it.

Bullshit.

Christian Liberty
11-07-2014, 07:55 AM
It'd be better than about every ballot initiative we've had in a long while. Anything to relieve people of the police state and incurring fines and offenses just for a plant or the substance from a plant.

I had a friend get locked up not too long ago for weed... it's sad. No one ever got hurt, no crime was committed, he wasn't forcing anyone to take weed, yet he got arrested for it.

Bullshit.

:rolleyes: government kidnappers.

Spikender
11-07-2014, 08:18 AM
:rolleyes: government kidnappers.

Oh, you own a plant that God created and enjoy the fruits from its stem?

Cage. Fines. Another cog in the murder machine, as My Chemical Romance might say.

Keith and stuff
11-07-2014, 01:24 PM
It has a great chance of passing in MA. Maybe NV too? I'm not sure about a state like MO or OK. Well, maybe several years in the future. I see marijuana being legalized in every state :)

heavenlyboy34
11-07-2014, 02:25 PM
Out of curiosity, why do so many constitutionalists support these sort of ballot initiatives? It's a form of direct democracy, which Constitutionalists traditionally claim to oppose.

dannno
11-07-2014, 02:27 PM
Out of curiosity, why do so many constitutionalists support these sort of ballot initiatives? It's a form of direct democracy, which Constitutionalists traditionally claim to oppose.

Because kidnapping innocent people is wrong and goes against the spirit of the Constitution. They are using it to fight tyrannical government because it is the only feasible way to do it at the moment.

heavenlyboy34
11-07-2014, 02:29 PM
Because kidnapping innocent people is wrong and goes against the spirit of the Constitution. They are using it to fight tyrannical government because it is the only feasible way to do it at the moment.

That was a thoughtful answer, thanks. :) ~hugs~

invisible
11-07-2014, 05:14 PM
It has a great chance of passing in MA. Maybe NV too? I'm not sure about a state like MO or OK. Well, maybe several years in the future. I see marijuana being legalized in every state :)

Here in OK, it's a very tough battle. Ron Paul supporters have allied with liberals on the issue. One problem faced in the State Legislature is even though some legislators are sympathetic to the issue, they don't want the backlash in their districts, and want to honor how the voters in their district feel. The few democrats in the State Legislature have been willing to bring it up, but various legislative attempts have all been killed off in committee. Another problem is even if you can get the signatures for a ballot initiative through, you still have to get all those people to actually vote. The blue dog democrat who just lost the Governor election by about 10% was sympathetic to the issue (and has been as a State Rep), but didn't campaign in it.

I personally feel that OK will be one of the last states to see MJ legal in any sort of way, and that it won't happen here until at least one other southern conservative state does it. As the dominoes slowly start to fall, eventually people will wake up to the fact that it's "easy tax revenue" and an economic boon to the state. As it creates an economic boom in neighboring states, eventually people here will want to get in on it too. The winning arguments for it here in OK are a pro-business economic argument, and a religious compassion argument for medicinal use.