>>>>>>>>>>California first - Rode Island & Nevada next....
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/03/25/calif-pot-vote-isnt-just-hippies-versus-cops/
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>It will be interesting when it passes to see if federal authorities sue to keep the measure from becoming law.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>I think the biggest opponents of legalizing it are not cops but drug dealers. They have more to lose then anybody else.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Well - you might have a point there...however I suspect that there will be more cops voting that drug dealers.
>>>>>>>>Anyway it will be interesting to see how the vote goes. I'd really like to see it pass - and based on all the polls I'd seen the people of California seem to be for it. Once they police organizations, bible-tumpers, and pharmaceutical companies start hiring lobbyists and blow a few zillion dollars on a scare-campaign hopefully it will still pass.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>One possible problem with legalizing pot is that once you get the government's dirty and corrupted hands into it and they start raising taxes, fees, fines, etc, pot will no longer be affordable. Not that I smoke it.. before noon <g>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>The California initiative includes legalization of growing. Who needs dealers? stores? taxes?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Grow your own! It's a freaking' weed! ;)
>>>>>
>>>>>Ya but tomatoes can be grown for free & you don't see everyone growing their own - they still goto the store to buy them.
>>>>>Of course tomatoes don't cost $450 an ounce either....
>>>>
>>>>;)
>>>
>>>Since you live in California - what do you think? Do you consider this a good idea or a bad one?
>>
>>My personal feeling is that it never should've been illegal. I have issues with State imposed behavior control you know. ;)
>>
>>More importantly, however, I approve of the process that those in favor of legalization have taken in their approach. Over a period of time they have made their case to the citizens of California and appear to have won the hearts and minds of the majority of voters. Lately our State has been subject to various regulatory agency restrictions and laws imposed by judicial fiat. It's nice to see the system work properly. As such, once enacted I believe legalization will stand for a long time.
>
>You mean like gay marriage? That was quite a month or two, wasn't it? One thing about people who are against this, that, and the other is they don't give up. Ever.

I'm vastly more pissed off regarding the regulatory rulings of entities like the California Coastal Commission, clean air/water boards. No election, no vote, just regulations piled upon regulations by unelected commissars acting for the so-called "greater good". It will take decades to unravel the Orwellian nightmare they've created in this state. That is, of course, if this state ever decides to return to some sense of individual liberty. Not a prospect I'm seeing as very likely anytime soon.

As to gay marriage, the advocates have really screwed the pooch out here. Think about it. This is loony, lefty California and they managed to piss off enough voters with their tactics that they voted for a constitutional ban. This state has no statewide elected Republican. It went 61% for Obama during the same election cycle as prop 8 and they lost convincingly. Nice work. Win the hearts and minds and your reform will last, impose your will by fiat and the people will resent you.