US Ballot initiatives

[bananasplity 315]

So 2 states legalized same sex mariage by popular vote, guess the days of

personal choice are victors here. doesn't bother me. Your thoughts?

 

2 states also legalized pot by popular vote. Naturally this will be contested by a whole host of idiologs/Prison industrial complex and many others. Times are changeing, but when do you think policy will reflect what the popular vote wants in this case rather than the status quo?

 

When will Canada start to put ballot initiatives on are to do list, enough of the parties deceiding whats best, let the popular vote deceide when there is an ellection, thoughts?

 

OMG, i think there might be some essays on these topics, bring it, i need some reading material from real people, cheers!!

[Kathryn Bardot 99339]

Yes, but unfortunately Prop 35 and Measure B both passed.

[baileydog 9367]

now approx. 39% of the US population lives in states that have decriminalized pot ... time for Canada to join in

 

 

2 states also legalized pot by popular vote. Naturally this will be contested by a whole host of idiologs/Prison industrial complex and many others. Times are changeing, but when do you think policy will reflect what the popular vote wants in this case rather than the status quo?

/QUOTE]

[Phaedrus 209521]

now approx. 39% of the US population lives in states that have decriminalized pot ... time for Canada to join in

 

Alas, what matters here is not any individual state, but the Federal Government.

 

If we legalize pot, then there's a good chance that the prohibitionist nuts in Congress will insist that the border be slammed shut... if not completely, it will at least be made far more inconvenient to cross it. That'd be a pain in the ass for many of us, and a very serious problem for Canadian businesses that do a lot of trade with our southern neighbors.

 

Prohibition is a miserable failure. Reality will intervene, eventually. Things are moving in the right direction. But I really don't think it'd be practically sensible for things to be completely legalized here until the argument has been conclusively won south of the border. It's a shame, but life's like that.

[Kubrickfan 12836]

U.S Federal statutory law still prohibits the possession or use of marijuana. US states can individually decriminalize the possession/use or marijuana as a violation of state law, but the federal statute still controls.

[Boomer 33202]

 

When will Canada start to put ballot initiatives on are to do list, enough of the parties deceiding whats best, let the popular vote deceide when there is an ellection, thoughts?

 

 

I truly hope not, these initiatives can be good and bad. We elect our politicians to act on our behalf, and if we aren't satisfied then hold them accountable.

 

The trouble with initiatives is you also get the one's that aren't in the best interest of society as a whole, such as the right to life ones, the right to have guns, and assisted suicide , etc. The problem is that the true believers come out of the woodwork and work and finance the campaigns and the opposition doesn't generally have the same interest. I would maintain that we are far better off letting the supreme court decide the issues around prostitution than letting it go to a referendum.

 

As far as same sex marriage and pot, I think in time these issues will be settled in a good way, as Canada is a fairly tolerant country.

[Phaedrus 209521]

U.S Federal statutory law still prohibits the possession or use of marijuana. US states can individually decriminalize the possession/use or marijuana as a violation of state law, but the federal statute still controls.

 

True. But as I understand it, there are two big issues that come into play now that a state (OK, two) have legalized it.

 

First, the practicalities of enforcement; AFAIK most of the policing in any state or city is done by that state or city's own police dept, and if they aren't worrying about week the guys who work for the federal government won't have the resources to do so sensibly. Prosecutions would now also have to go through federal rather than local courts, which also limits how many they can have.

 

Secondly, from both a legal and a political perspective, the whole issue of federalism suddenly comes into play. Prosecutions will not only meet opposition from the left; they'll also be opposed by those who are in favor of states' rights, rather than everyone being stomped all over by the folks inside the beltway.

 

Anyway... I'll be watching this one with great interest!

[Guest Ou**or**n]

Prosecutions will not only meet opposition from the left; they'll also be opposed by those who are in favor of states' rights, rather than everyone being stomped all over by the folks inside the beltway.

 

Anyway... I'll be watching this one with great interest!

 

Excellent observations, it will be interesting to see if the US feds pay any respect to the expressed wishes of the majority within a state. However the federal administration (despite being led by a Democrat) has been extremely hostile to the medical marijuana sites in California and Obama has deported more illegal immigrants than any other president in history.

[baileydog 9367]

... nice ... it might not have been the same if the other guy had won

 

AP ... Published: Friday, 14 Dec 2012 | 9:17 AM ET

 

President Barack Obama says he won't go after Washington state and Colorado for legalizing marijuana.

 

In a Barbara Walters interview airing Friday on ABC, Obama is asked whether he supports making pot legal. "I wouldn't go that far," he replied.

 

But the president said he won't pursue the issue in the states where voters legalized the use of marijuana in the November elections. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law.

 

"It does not make sense from a prioritization point of view" to focus on drug use in states where it is now legal, he said.

 

Marijuana officially became legal in Washington state last week; it becomes legal in Colorado next month.