Living in the state of Ohio and supporting marijuana legalization, especially for medical purposes (but also recreational), I voted no on 2 and yes on 3 yesterday to accomplish this. While I wasn't too terribly surprised issue 3 (to legalize marijuana) didn't pass, I was slightly disappointed. I think I was mainly disappointed because I know many fellow progressives voted against the measure due to not wanting marijuana monopolized in the state, and if they had all voted like I did, I think the measure would have had a shot at passing.
I can understand perfectly well why so many progressives voted against issue 3. For the very same reason, I struggled with making my final decision on the matter. However, when thinking things through, while I wasn't thrilled with the writing of the law and the monopoly, I felt there were many more potential benefits than hindrances contained within it, and no matter how small it might have been, it was a step in the right direction (also, let's keep in mind Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted was the one who placed the word monopoly in the writing, to both confuse voters and turn them away).
This was how I initially felt with the Affordable Care Act (AKA Obamacare). Many other progressives and myself weren't overly thrilled with the final outline of the bill. It wasn't what our ideal vision had been, so we left disappointed, some even decrying the bill altogether. However, no matter how slight it may have seemed, it was a step in the right direction.
The fact of the matter is the drug war has proven quite costly to both the country and many of its citizens serving time in prison due to our drug laws. Legalizing marijuana would have decreased the odds of nonviolent drug offenders being imprisoned, which would have decreased the chances of overpopulation within our prisons (leaving us more prone to releasing violent criminals early), and made drug dealers less appealing. Not only that, but Colorado earned approximately $66 million in tax revenue due to marijuana legalization, a large portion of that going to the schools. While it's not 100% certain where the money would go, wouldn't it be better to take the money out of drug dealers' hands and quite possibly use it to improve our schools and roads? The bill would also have provided jobs. Lastly, perhaps I'm biased here since I've long battled epilepsy, but wouldn't it be a good thing for doctors to be provided another option medically for their patients?
I know the proposal wasn't ideal in most progressives' minds, mine included, however, like the Affordable Care Act, it'd be a start, and as the saying goes, the first step is always the hardest. While many of us may want to see our ideal vision of a bill proposed right away, drastic progress is highly unlikely in a short period of time in the world of politics, so for as difficult as it can be at times, we have to continue to fight yet be patient as well. I guess, in the end, I find it kind of ironic that so many progressives voted against this measure, because they bypassed on some progress because it wasn't progressive enough, and yet now, we're left with no progress at all.
https://www.toledoblade.com/news/State/2015/08/25/Husted-inserts-monopoly-in-title-of-Issue-3-on-marijuana-legalization.html
I can understand perfectly well why so many progressives voted against issue 3. For the very same reason, I struggled with making my final decision on the matter. However, when thinking things through, while I wasn't thrilled with the writing of the law and the monopoly, I felt there were many more potential benefits than hindrances contained within it, and no matter how small it might have been, it was a step in the right direction (also, let's keep in mind Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted was the one who placed the word monopoly in the writing, to both confuse voters and turn them away).
This was how I initially felt with the Affordable Care Act (AKA Obamacare). Many other progressives and myself weren't overly thrilled with the final outline of the bill. It wasn't what our ideal vision had been, so we left disappointed, some even decrying the bill altogether. However, no matter how slight it may have seemed, it was a step in the right direction.
The fact of the matter is the drug war has proven quite costly to both the country and many of its citizens serving time in prison due to our drug laws. Legalizing marijuana would have decreased the odds of nonviolent drug offenders being imprisoned, which would have decreased the chances of overpopulation within our prisons (leaving us more prone to releasing violent criminals early), and made drug dealers less appealing. Not only that, but Colorado earned approximately $66 million in tax revenue due to marijuana legalization, a large portion of that going to the schools. While it's not 100% certain where the money would go, wouldn't it be better to take the money out of drug dealers' hands and quite possibly use it to improve our schools and roads? The bill would also have provided jobs. Lastly, perhaps I'm biased here since I've long battled epilepsy, but wouldn't it be a good thing for doctors to be provided another option medically for their patients?
I know the proposal wasn't ideal in most progressives' minds, mine included, however, like the Affordable Care Act, it'd be a start, and as the saying goes, the first step is always the hardest. While many of us may want to see our ideal vision of a bill proposed right away, drastic progress is highly unlikely in a short period of time in the world of politics, so for as difficult as it can be at times, we have to continue to fight yet be patient as well. I guess, in the end, I find it kind of ironic that so many progressives voted against this measure, because they bypassed on some progress because it wasn't progressive enough, and yet now, we're left with no progress at all.
https://www.toledoblade.com/news/State/2015/08/25/Husted-inserts-monopoly-in-title-of-Issue-3-on-marijuana-legalization.html
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