California pot initiative could help propel Barbara Boxer to re-election

[Amerigo Vespucci]

California pot initiative could help propel Barbara Boxer to re-election

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/09/california-pot-initiative-propel-barbara-boxer-reelection/

By Sahil Kapur
Thursday, September 23rd, 2010 -- 8:29 am

A ballot initiative to legalize marijuana in California could help propel endangered incumbent Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) to re-election in November, according to a respected polling expert.

The presence of the pot legalization measure, Proposition 19, on the ballot is likely to entice many young Californians to vote in November when they otherwise would not have, declared Nate Silver of the New York Times on Wednesday evening. And young voters strongly lean Democratic, making them likely to pull the lever for Boxer.

Boxer, a three-term senator, is locked in a tight battle against former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, the Republican nominee. While the race has been virtually tied for weeks, Boxer has lately ticked up in the polls.

Silver explained the logic in his Times blog FiveThirtyEight (emphasis ours):

In California, there have been four polls released since last week’s forecast, all of which show material gains by the Democratic incumbent, Barbara Boxer. Ms. Boxer is now a 78 percent favorite to prevail in California, up from 58 percent last week. Although some of the California polls, like the one from Public Policy Polling, shows a voter sample that seems quite favorable to Democrats, younger voters may be more inspired to vote in California than elsewhere in the country because of the presence of a ballot initiative, Proposition 19, which would legalize possession of marijuana for personal use. The ballot initiative is favored to pass by most polls.

A survey by Public Policy Polling, a Democratic Party-affiliated firm, found Wednesday that 47 percent of Californians support the measure; 38 percent oppose it.

The same polling outfit revealed that Boxer has this week opened up a 50 to 42 point lead over Fiorina among likely California voters. It has a 3.9 percent margin of error.

Most lawmakers of both parties remain hesitant to endorse marijuana legalization -- including, ironically, Boxer herself, who told Talking Points Memo in April that it "could lead to an increase in crime, vehicle accidents and higher costs for local law enforcement agencies."

Progressive activists, however, have mobilized in favor of Prop 19, arguing that it could contain drug violence and generate tax revenues. Leading the charge in favor of the proposition is the "Just Say Now" campaign, a project of the liberal Web site Firedoglake.

[no limit]

1. I said this many months ago. Hope it turns out to be the case.

Republicans did the same thing with gay marriage.

[mitchtv]

2. "Endangered" Boxer?????????????

already the post is bull. Seeing that Brown decriminalized it years ago. It may help him more

[glitch]

11. Boxer is polling well ahead of Fiorina. Agreed it will help Brown more.

At least I hope so, this state is doomed otherwise.

[Warren DeMontague]

3. As much as I support (finally!) legalizing pot--- I'm convinced Boxer would win anyway.

The bottom line is, Fiorina is a hard-core anti-choicer. And a hard-core anti-choicer is going to have a HELL of a time winning a statewide office in California. Look at Dan Lungren.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

4. She's a hard-core anti-choicer who sent thousands of jobs overseas...

...then carped about how it was no longer our "God-given right" to a job, and proceeded to help herself to a fat-assed golden parachute.

As a Californian, I've got to say that if California chooses Fiorina, California deserves whatever happens after that.

[Adsos Letter]

6. I agree, and I think those two issues are beginning to demonstrate themselves in the polling...

As a fellow Californian I don't see Fiorina doing well outside of Orange County or some of the conservative rural districts, like portions of the Central Valley, or the Sierra foothills.

[Warren DeMontague]

7. I also have faith in BB to fight hard and hit Fiorina on all of the above.

We have some mealy-mouthed Democrats who are afraid to fight, but Barbara Boxer's not one of 'em. :patriot:

[Adsos Letter]

8. You got that right! She is a valuable resource for California!

:patriot:

[Amerigo Vespucci]

9. I think Orange County would have been a stretch for Boxer no matter who the opponent was

I'm not a "voting scholar" by any stretch of the imagination, but my gut tells me people in Orange County don;t line up to vote for Democrats, unless an "epic fail" Republican is running (which, luckily for us, is the exact situation we're in during the 2010 elections).

:patriot:

[Adsos Letter]

5. "could lead to an increase in crime, vehicle accidents and higher costs for local law enforcement"

I understand the potential for increased vehicle accidents, but not sure I understand the other effects she alluded to, unless she means increased muggings in the vicinity of pot stores (related to going after the customers' money or purchases). Still, I fail to see how it can even begin to approach the social and material costs of the current war on drugs, as it encompasses pot.

Place the same restrictions on pot as on alcohol, including the potential for loss of license, and it might lower the potential for accidents. In my experience, pot seems to make a driver more cautious, rather than the loss of inhibition/judgment associated with drunk driving.
Still, intoxication of any sort isn't good while driving, and some safeguards need to be in place.

I will definitely vote FOR Prop. 19!

[musiclawyer]

10. Lots of young people are voting just to vote for 19

My evidence is only anectodal but there is definately something going on in the street that the media is clueless to. The young want their Bud and they don't want to stress anymore about cops. There is a critical mass. Boxer and Brown will be beneficiaries.

[Bluenorthwest]

12. Give the people what they want

and they turn out every time.