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Pro-pot proposal takes a big hit
Rocky Mountain News ^ | 11/07/2006 | David Montero

Posted on 11/08/2006 5:13:54 AM PST by NapkinUser

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To: tpaine
As a die hard conservative, I've always been for the legalization of pot.

Personally I can't stand the smell of the stuff any more than I can stand the smell of cigarrettes, and would never use it simply due to the stench.

That being said, I am pissed that my tax dollars are going down a rat hole to investigate, prosecute and imprison folks who puff pot.

The stuff should be sold in our state booze stores and taxed the same as booze.

Money saved at one end, income to help with our state budget at the other.

Just don't allow anyone to smoke the stuff where I have to smell it.

21 posted on 11/09/2006 9:11:14 AM PST by Mogger (Independence, better fuel economy and performance with American made synthetic oil.)
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To: tpaine

Great moniker!

One of my favorite quotes is from Mr. Paine

"It is the duty of the patriot to protect his country from its government."
- Thomas Paine


22 posted on 11/09/2006 10:00:39 AM PST by ejroth
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To: NapkinUser
I love this article:

"By about a 2 to 1 ratio"

No, unless my math is off a 2 to 1 ratio would be 33.333% voting in favor and 66.666% voting against. Since it was 40% in favor and 60% against, that would make it exactly a 3 to 2 margin against. Why couldn't the reporter use that, when it's exact, instead of completely fudging his numbers to get the '2 to 1'?

Not to mention these people are delusional if they think this is a big enough defeat to stop this from getting on the ballot again. If it does get on the ballot, hopefully the question will be better crafted, Mason Tevert will go away, and the measure will pick up a few more percentage points. It may not win, but more gains in the next election will make the drug warriors sweat. The measure in Nevada in 2002 to legalize pot failed with 40% in favor. The measure in 2006 failed with 44% in favor. I have no idea where the law of diminishing returns kicks in, but they would be crazy not to get it on the ballot again since they gained four percentage points between elections, just like the Colorado people would be crazy not to try it again to see if they can gain any percentage points.

23 posted on 11/09/2006 10:19:43 AM PST by Nate505
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To: Nate505
"Why couldn't the reporter use that, when it's exact, instead of completely fudging his numbers to get the '2 to 1'?"

Could it be that at the time the report was filed the ratio was closer to 2:1 than 3:2?

"If it does get on the ballot, hopefully the question will be better crafted"

You mean better hidden. Like I-100 in Denver. That's the only way the dopers win.

24 posted on 11/09/2006 1:58:29 PM PST by robertpaulsen
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To: Nate505
What does his sign read? "Make Colorado Safer"? Safer how, Nate505? What is the issue -- more law enforcement?
25 posted on 11/09/2006 2:01:12 PM PST by robertpaulsen
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To: robertpaulsen

I believe their strategy was to promite the idea that using weed is safer than using alcohol, not to mention the group's name is 'SAFER' (which I believe stands for 'Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation). I'm not a big fan of the group or Tevert myself, so you won't find me defending them too much.


26 posted on 11/09/2006 10:51:26 PM PST by Nate505
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To: robertpaulsen

Hidden? I voted on that measure in Denver. It was not hidden anywhere. It was on the ballot and discussed by many talk radio stations before the election. The fact that Prop 44 passed with a majority in the city and county of Denver this time around sort of blows that theory out of the water.


27 posted on 11/09/2006 10:57:38 PM PST by Nate505
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To: Beelzebubba
Pot measure went down in NV, though popular with a large minority.

Makes sense because Nevada is a state with lots of risk takers. The numbers to do drugs would be higher there I would think.

28 posted on 11/09/2006 11:00:48 PM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: NapkinUser

What's the difference between a pothead and a drunk?

If a drunk comes to stop sign, he'll run it. If a pothead comes to a stop sign, he'll sit there and wait for it to turn green.


29 posted on 11/09/2006 11:05:20 PM PST by atomic conspiracy (Brought to you by Rovian Department 666: Conspiracies, Cover-ups and Dirty Tricks.)
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To: Nate505
"I believe their strategy was to promite the idea that using weed is safer than using alcohol"

So the message is that Colorado is safer if people switch to marijuana, correct? Is there any evidence, any study, showing that alcohol users would stop using alcohol and switch to marijuana if it was legal? How can the proponents say Colorado will be safer? Actually, I've seen articles about users who end up using both, compounding the effects of each.

The strategy was to obfuscate, as they did in Denver. This time it didn't work.

30 posted on 11/10/2006 4:53:15 AM PST by robertpaulsen
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To: NapkinUser
I just dropped by to see if I can identify Mr Leroy's screen name de jour
31 posted on 11/10/2006 4:54:59 AM PST by Skooz (It's Morning in Pelosistahn)
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To: atomic conspiracy
If a pothead comes to a stop sign, he'll sit there and wait for it to turn green.

That is no joke. When I was a pothead, I actually did that more than a few times. I thought I was the only one.

32 posted on 11/10/2006 4:59:09 AM PST by Skooz (It's Morning in Pelosistahn)
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To: Nate505
"The fact that Prop 44 passed with a majority in the city and county of Denver this time around sort of blows that theory out of the water."

Snowboarding hippie mavens like Denver and Boulder, sure.

Get away from the touristy spots, and Amendment 44 lost big in huge counties like Arapahoe, El Paso (64-36!), Douglas (68-32!) and Adams.

Amendment 44 only won 5 out of 25 counties. Not exactly a resounding state endorsement.

33 posted on 11/10/2006 5:14:33 AM PST by robertpaulsen
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To: A CA Guy
Makes sense because Nevada is a state with lots of risk takers. The numbers to do drugs would be higher there I would think.


Actually, it is more like a state of people who don't get their panties in a wad if someone else is enjoying a vice that doesn't harm themselves (gambling, prostitution, etc.) Think curmudgeonly ranchers, not hippies.
34 posted on 11/10/2006 5:49:34 AM PST by Atlas Sneezed (Your FRiendly FReeper Patent Attorney)
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To: Beelzebubba
"people who don't get their panties in a wad if someone else is enjoying a vice that doesn't harm themselves ..."

...too much. Prostitution is not legal in large cities.

35 posted on 11/10/2006 6:48:15 AM PST by robertpaulsen
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To: Beelzebubba
I agree with you, they do lack a moral compass and are more ethically challenged than some other places.
36 posted on 11/10/2006 8:34:31 AM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: Beelzebubba; A CA Guy
A CA Guy:
Nevada is a state with lots of risk takers.

Actually, it is more like a state of people who don't get their panties in a wad if someone else is enjoying a vice that doesn't harm themselves (gambling, prostitution, etc.) Think curmudgeonly ranchers, not hippies.
Beelzebubba

Guy:
I agree with you [- not -], they do lack a moral compass and are more ethically challenged than some other places.

Nevada is the most constitutionally 'ethical' State in the USA, -- as is evident by their determination to let local governments reasonably regulate the public aspects of 'sinful behaviors'. -- While they do not prohibit the private aspects of enjoying life, liberty or property.

37 posted on 11/10/2006 10:25:50 AM PST by tpaine
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To: tpaine
IMO, that statement reminds us all that hell is an absence of God.

Anarchy and social liberalism isn't my thing, but thanks anyway.
38 posted on 11/10/2006 10:30:01 AM PST by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: robertpaulsen
That was their strategy. It wouldn't have been mine. My strategy would have been to argue the mertis of legalization on its face, that it is unnecessary to keep a fairly benign drug like pot illegal for adults.

And their stategy was not to obfuscate. Everyone knew about this amendment. The Tvert guy from SAFER made all sorts of public apperances all over the state, on every major media outlet here, from Denver to Grand Junction. Sometimes I wonder if you know what you're talking about Paulson.

39 posted on 11/10/2006 11:05:20 AM PST by Nate505
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To: robertpaulsen
Denver is a 'snowboarding hippie maven'? Have you ever been here? Denver is another typical left leaning big city. Guess what, these cities exist all over the country. I have no idea what 'touristy' spots has to do with anything. Last time I checked, tourists can't vote. And of course it got defeated big in the Springs and Douglas county. I totally expected that. Those are very social conservative areas. But your claim was that it passed in Denver because the voters didn't know about the issue, which is obviously false because they passed it this time in Denver as well and they certainly knew about it this time.

Seeing as how I never claimed it was a resounding state endorsement, I have no idea why you said that either. I will completely admit it wasn't. The point is, the backers will try it again and we'll get to see if it made any gains, like the one in Nevada did. I think it will if the leadership is changed (SAFER is a flawed organization), and the amendment is better crafted.

40 posted on 11/10/2006 11:09:42 AM PST by Nate505
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