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InvisibleveggieM

Registered: 07/25/04
Posts: 17,504
Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA]
    #10821351 - 08/08/09 05:13 AM (14 years, 7 months ago)

Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race
August 8, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle

Legalizing marijuana in California could generate $1.4 billion a year for the cash-starved state treasury, according to the state Board of Equalization. It's supported by 56 percent of the public, according to a Field Poll in April.

But it's not a proposal that any of the five leading candidates for governor is willing to embrace.

"If the whole society starts getting stoned, we're going to be even less competitive," Democratic Attorney General Jerry Brown - who as governor signed a 1975 law reducing possession of small amounts of pot to a $100 misdemeanor - said on a recent radio show.

"Like electing Jerry Brown as governor, the idea of legalizing drugs is one more bad idea from a bygone era," said Jarrod Agen, spokesman for Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Poizner, the state insurance commissioner.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom says the state needs "a new direction in drug policy," but opposes legalizing marijuana -though he welcomes an "open dialogue" on the subject as he seeks the Democratic nomination.

Ammiano's bill

The candidates' views pose one more obstacle for Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, who has acknowledged that his bill to legalize and tax marijuana, AB390, is a long-term project.

Ammiano has yet to enlist any legislative co-sponsors. Winning majority votes appears to be a distant goal, despite Democratic control of both the Assembly and state Senate. Persuading a governor to sign the bill won't be easy, and at the end of the gantlet, federal law still prohibits marijuana possession, cultivation and distribution.

At least people are talking about the subject, said Ammiano spokesman Quintin Mecke. "The deeper the economic hole becomes for California, the further the conversation will progress," he said.

The debate could also shift to the ballot box, as legalization advocates hope to sidestep the Legislature and put an initiative before the voters next year, when they will also be choosing the next governor.

California has been a leader in liberalizing marijuana laws. The state was one of the first to end felony penalties for possession 34 years ago, and became the first, in a 1996 ballot initiative, to legalize the medical use of marijuana.

Legalization for personal use, however, is a much tougher sell.

Police groups strongly oppose it, politicians fear being seen as soft on drug dealers, and federal law, if enforced, could make state legislation an exercise in futility. It's unlikely to be a major issue in the governor's race, but it's a revealing subject for several candidates.

Republican Tom Campbell, for example, has denounced the government's war on drugs in past campaigns, saying the billions of dollars that go to eradication and imprisonment would be better spent on treatment. Opponents, including Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, whom the former South Bay congressman unsuccessfully challenged in 2000, have attacked him as soft on drugs and a would-be legalizer.

Organized crime

Campbell, however, says he opposes legalizing marijuana because it could open the door to organized crime. Law enforcement contacts, he said, have warned him that Mexican marijuana distributors also dominate the methamphetamine trade, and "if you legalize the one, you run the risk of creating a distribution mechanism for the other."

Brown, a still-undeclared candidate for the office he held from 1975 to 1983, uses 1960s lingo to take a top-cop stance.

Asked July 18 on Oakland radio station KKGN about taxing legal pot sales to help balance the state budget, Brown replied, "As far as telling everybody to - what did Timothy Leary say, 'Tune in, turn on, and drop out'? - that will not be the recommendation of the attorney general."

New revenue sources are worth considering, he said, but a stoned society means "more broken families and more angry husbands and wives. ... We need more discipline, we need more focus, and we're going to have to work harder."

Newsom takes a different tone, in keeping with his need to appeal to young voters as he challenges Brown for the Democratic nomination.

The war on drugs is "an abject failure," the mayor says, consuming "precious, limited public safety dollars" by treating nonviolent offenders the same as violent felons. But when pressed on legalizing marijuana, spokesman Nathan Ballard said Newsom doesn't think it's a "responsible way to balance the state's budget."

On the Republican side, Meg Whitman, the former chief executive of eBay, said she opposes legalizing marijuana for any reason. "We have enough challenges in our society without heading down the path of drug legalization," she said in a statement.

Attack on opposition

Poizner turns his opposition to legalization into an attack on Brown and the "bygone era" of the '60s as well as raising taxes on marijuana or anything else.

"Only those who are smoking something think tax increases will lead to economic growth," said Agen, Poizner's spokesman.

One advocate of legalized pot shrugs off the candidates' positions.

"Supporting legalization probably risks losing the support of law enforcement," but "I think opposing it is going to turn off some younger voters," said Dale Gieringer, California coordinator of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

On this issue, he said, "the public's perceptions are always ahead of the politicians."

What gubernatorial candidates have said about pot policy

Meg Whitman: "I am absolutely against legalizing marijuana for any reason. We have enough challenges in our society without heading down the path of drug legalization."

Gavin Newsom, whose campaign spokesman says he opposes legalization: "I welcome an open dialogue in California on the relative merits of legalization of cannabis. ... While marijuana has positive medicinal properties, it also has adverse effects."

Attorney General Jerry Brown: "If the whole society starts getting stoned, we're going to be even less competitive. And we're going to have more broken families and more angry husbands and wives."

Former Rep. Tom Campbell: "The principal (Mexican) distributors of marijuana are also dominant forces in meth. If you legalize the one, you run the risk of creating a distribution mechanism for the other."

Jarrod Agen, spokesman for Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner: "The idea of legalizing drugs is one more bad idea from a bygone era. Nor can California smoke its way out of the structural budget deficit."

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InvisibleGerman Kahuna
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Re: Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA] [Re: veggie]
    #10821367 - 08/08/09 05:33 AM (14 years, 7 months ago)

Quote:

"the idea of legalizing drugs is one more bad idea from a bygone era"




Funny how I was thinking the exact same thing about the "war on drugs" and criminalization of drug users.


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"Vegetarian" [ /ˌvedʒəˈteəriən/] - Ancient slang meaning "village idiot who can't hunt, fish or ride".

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OfflineIllicitAlchemist
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Re: Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA] [Re: German Kahuna]
    #10821383 - 08/08/09 05:48 AM (14 years, 7 months ago)

The idea of making drugs illegal is one more bad idea from a bygone era.


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Offlinemagicgreenbeans
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Re: Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA] [Re: veggie]
    #10821448 - 08/08/09 06:35 AM (14 years, 7 months ago)

Quote:

veggie said:
Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race
August 8, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle

"Only those who are smoking something think tax increases will lead to economic growth," said Agen, Poizner's spokesman.




wow.  spoken like a true open minded person.  and she wants to become governor?

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InvisibleMisterMuscaria
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Re: Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA] [Re: IllicitAlchemist]
    #10821452 - 08/08/09 06:37 AM (14 years, 7 months ago)

Atleast Gavin admits to some positives of it, but it sounds like he is pulling an Obama.

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Offlinepasucks
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Re: Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA] [Re: MisterMuscaria]
    #10821581 - 08/08/09 07:56 AM (14 years, 7 months ago)

Campbell, however, says he opposes legalizing marijuana because it could open the door to organized crime

  Does this asshole actually mean close the door ???  Cause if organized crime isn't running shit who the fuck is ?? I hope this douche bag quits using valuable oxygen.

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Offlinepasucks
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Re: Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA] [Re: pasucks]
    #10821590 - 08/08/09 07:59 AM (14 years, 7 months ago)

but a stoned society means "more broken families and more angry husbands and wives. ...

  The last time I checked, it was the drunks that were angry.....  Broken family's lol that's funny people smoke pot and don't work or take care of their family???

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Offlinesilosighbin
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Re: Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA] [Re: pasucks]
    #10821616 - 08/08/09 08:13 AM (14 years, 7 months ago)

Quote:

Police groups strongly oppose it, politicians fear being seen as soft on drug dealers, and federal law, if enforced, could make state legislation an exercise in futility. It's unlikely to be a major issue in the governor's race, but it's a revealing subject for several candidates.




1) No shit police don't like the idea, they hate everything that's fun and involves freedom

2) Politicians are fucking stupid, it would make things way harder on drug dealers, I know quite a few people that would lose their jobs to this bill :wink:

3) HOW THE FUCK IS THIS NOT A MAJOR ISSUE IF THE MAJORITY OF CALIFORNIANS SUPPORT LEGALIZING MARIJUANA??? fuckin fools.


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Invisibleelementswrath
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Registered: 08/04/09
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Re: Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA] [Re: silosighbin]
    #10821673 - 08/08/09 08:42 AM (14 years, 7 months ago)

how come, almost all the politicians we get are dumb tards?.:grrr:
like what where they reading? reefer madness?

"Campbell, however, says he opposes legalizing marijuana because it could open the door to organized crime. Law enforcement contacts, he said, have warned him that Mexican marijuana distributors also dominate the methamphetamine trade, and "if you legalize the one, you run the risk of creating a distribution mechanism for the other."

ever heard of growing your fucking own?!?!? setup a grow factory so you know what's in the fucking pot.

New revenue sources are worth considering, he said, but a stoned society means "more broken families and more angry husbands and wives. ... We need more discipline, we need more focus, and we're going to have to work harder."

that's funny cause, if i remember correctly. over 50% of people smoke pot in USA and Canada. so does that mean most of them are divorced family's and angry couples?

On the Republican side, Meg Whitman, the former chief executive of eBay, said she opposes legalizing marijuana for any reason. "We have enough challenges in our society without heading down the path of drug legalization," she said in a statement.

what is she on?!?! most of the problems of our society are drug related you stupid fuck, legalizing would save problems and save money, and better yet make money.

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Invisibleelementswrath
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Re: Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA] [Re: elementswrath]
    #10821684 - 08/08/09 08:48 AM (14 years, 7 months ago)

Gavin Newsom, whose campaign spokesman says he opposes legalization: "I welcome an open dialogue in California on the relative merits of legalization of cannabis. ... While marijuana has positive medicinal properties, it also has adverse effects."

so does, cigarettes, alcohol, Tylenol, lots of prescriptive medications. and on and on and on.

Jarrod Agen, spokesman for Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner: "The idea of legalizing drugs is one more bad idea from a bygone era. Nor can California smoke its way out of the structural budget deficit."

having you as Insurance commissioner is more a bad idea than the bygone era.

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OfflineCosmicLion
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Re: Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA] [Re: veggie]
    #10821925 - 08/08/09 10:20 AM (14 years, 7 months ago)

Quote:

veggie said:
Former Rep. Tom Campbell: "The principal (Mexican) distributors of marijuana are also dominant forces in meth. If you legalize the one, you run the risk of creating a distribution mechanism for the other."





:lol:

Reminds me of Reefer Madness...

If you smoke marihuana.... YOU WILL DIE OF METH!!!!


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OfflineEdgeChaos
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Re: Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA] [Re: CosmicLion]
    #10822467 - 08/08/09 12:20 PM (14 years, 7 months ago)

"If the whole society starts getting stoned, we're going to be even less competitive,"

One of the top 5 reasons why drugs are still illegal. Chinese opium dens? Anyone?

I think politicians are afraid of people not going to work.

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OfflinePoopSoap
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Re: Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA] [Re: CosmicLion]
    #10822468 - 08/08/09 12:20 PM (14 years, 7 months ago)

Some of these people are so pathetic. We have made a good bit of progress, but it feels like we've progressed down a road and hit a dead end sometimes.

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OfflinePsilocybinMike
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Re: Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA] [Re: veggie]
    #10822524 - 08/08/09 12:31 PM (14 years, 7 months ago)

What a fucking terrible article. It will break up more angry families? You mean like alcohol has done and continues to do everyday you fucking ignorant hypocritical pieces of garbage?


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Invisiblesmokintheherb
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Re: Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA] [Re: PsilocybinMike]
    #10822580 - 08/08/09 12:41 PM (14 years, 7 months ago)

Quote:

"If the whole society starts getting stoned, we're going to be even less competitive," Democratic Attorney General Jerry Brown



Who would the United States be if we weren't better than everyone else??
Legalized pot is for countries that can't turn their populace into well behaved productive entities.


Quote:

"Like electing Jerry Brown as governor, the idea of legalizing drugs is one more bad idea from a bygone era," said Jarrod Agen, spokesman for Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Poizner, the state insurance commissioner.



Just... l.o.l.

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InvisibleGreen_T
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Re: Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA] [Re: smokintheherb]
    #10822752 - 08/08/09 01:17 PM (14 years, 7 months ago)

If it were legalized, sure, a few more people would smoke and become "less productive" and thus join the 50% of their Californian peers who already smoke. However, far fewer people would be going to jail and getting job-denying charges on their records.

So what harms productivity more? Getting a few more people who smoke pot on their free time, or having thousands who are denied employment because they are sitting in a jail cell, denied government scholarships, or have marijuana-related charges on their records?

Logic people, logic....


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"I have sworn upon the altar of god eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man" - Thomas Jefferson

Legalize Meth | Drug War Victims

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InvisibleSuperD
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Re: Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA] [Re: veggie]
    #10822768 - 08/08/09 01:21 PM (14 years, 7 months ago)

I LOVE the logic of the whole "pot causes loss of productivity" argument.  Of course it causes loss of productivity.

Instead of John Smith lighting up to relax after a long day of work, he gets put in jail, loses his job, goes through the system and all that fun mess.  NO SHIT there's loss of productivity when you take normal citizens and put them in a cage for smoking a plant.  That's a direct cause of our prohibition laws.


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Manoa said:
I need to stop spending all my money on plants and take up a cheaper hobby, like heroin. :lol:

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OfflineJackofSpades
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Re: Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA] [Re: SuperD]
    #10822966 - 08/08/09 02:02 PM (14 years, 7 months ago)

oh no the people are starting to speak their minds...be afraid....be afraid...politicians are starting loose control.....entropy....exciting times


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If you're frightened of dying and  you're holding on, you'll see devils tearing your life away. But if you've made your peace, then the devils are really angels, freeing you from the earth.

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Invisibleelementswrath
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Re: Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA] [Re: JackofSpades]
    #10824486 - 08/08/09 07:53 PM (14 years, 7 months ago)

like i said earlier, :pottymouth:

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Invisiblesmokintheherb
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Re: Legalized pot a tough sell in governor's race [CA] [Re: SuperD]
    #10836893 - 08/10/09 11:46 PM (14 years, 7 months ago)

Quote:

like i said earlier, :pottymouth:




Preach, son, the choir is listening.

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