http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2159095/Is-Barack-Obama-going-legalise-marijuana-Magazine-claims-secret-weapon-2012-presidential-election.html
By: James Nye
Date: 2012-06-14
While it is up for debate whether that issue helped President George W. Bush win re-election nationwide as turnout was high, it was proven to drive more conservatives to the polls in the key state of Ohio and helped Mr Bush win by two percentage points there, or about 118,000 votes.
It is that kind of electrified partisan support that the Democrats would like to harness for the tough campaign that is expected in 2012.
A Gallup poll from 2011 found that 57 percent of Democrats think marijuana should be legal and 62 percent of adults under 30 supported an overhaul of legislation.
In fact, the same poll found that 50 percent of the entire nation was supportive of changing federal law.
In an October 2009 Gallup poll, 54 percent of American's believed that cannabis should remain illegal and a year later in 2010 that gap had shrunk to 50 percent who wanted to preserve the status-quo.
In the last poll of 2011 those against had fallen to 46 percent which is an eight point national swing away from opposition and which seems to support the Rasmussen Reports findings from this year.
Speaking at the time of the failed Proposition 19 vote, philanthropist Peter Lewis, chairman of Progressive Insurance Cos saw a wind change.
'(Maraijuana law is) emerging as one of the leading national issues in the coming years,' said Lewis.
'Change is inevitable and my priority is to make that change positive.'
Surveys during 2010 in California by the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling saw figures that pointed to voters under 30 being driven to the ballot solely by support for pot legalisation.
They showed strong evidence that Proposition 19 and not the candidate who personally supported it as the main motivation to vote.
While no state in the U.S. currently allows recreational marijuana use, public opinion has become divided over the continued crack down on medical cannabis dispensaries and 'stop and frisk' searches that lead to the arrest of 850,000 American citizens each year.
In fact, a study released on Friday by the Centers for Disease Control found that in 2011, for the first time ever, more American teens smoked pot than cigarettes.
The Annual Youth Risk Behviour Survey from the CDC took 15,000 surveys in 43 states and found that 23 percent of students said they had used marijuana in the last month, whereas only 18 percent said they had smoked cigarettes.
While any move to legalising cannabis would be incredibly risky for professed former drug user President Obama, a political argument to change the law would offer clear traction for the pro-marijuana lobby.
By: James Nye
Date: 2012-06-14
Magazine claims it could be his 'secret weapon' in 2012 presidential election
Riding high: Obama, who was known for creating
marijuana inhaling techniques while at high school, drove with his
friends in the Choomwagon, a VW microbus like that pictured
While it is up for debate whether that issue helped President George W. Bush win re-election nationwide as turnout was high, it was proven to drive more conservatives to the polls in the key state of Ohio and helped Mr Bush win by two percentage points there, or about 118,000 votes.
It is that kind of electrified partisan support that the Democrats would like to harness for the tough campaign that is expected in 2012.
A Gallup poll from 2011 found that 57 percent of Democrats think marijuana should be legal and 62 percent of adults under 30 supported an overhaul of legislation.
In fact, the same poll found that 50 percent of the entire nation was supportive of changing federal law.
President Obama used marijuana at school. This
photograph is from his yearbook and thanks his friends in the Choom Gang
- slang for smoking pot - and Ray, his drug dealer
Another reason why Democrats might be interested in utilising a 'pot ballot' is the changing shape of opposition year on year.In an October 2009 Gallup poll, 54 percent of American's believed that cannabis should remain illegal and a year later in 2010 that gap had shrunk to 50 percent who wanted to preserve the status-quo.
In the last poll of 2011 those against had fallen to 46 percent which is an eight point national swing away from opposition and which seems to support the Rasmussen Reports findings from this year.
Speaking at the time of the failed Proposition 19 vote, philanthropist Peter Lewis, chairman of Progressive Insurance Cos saw a wind change.
President Barack Obama speaks at a fundraising reception in Baltimore, Tuesday, June 12, 2012
'(Maraijuana law is) emerging as one of the leading national issues in the coming years,' said Lewis.
'Change is inevitable and my priority is to make that change positive.'
Surveys during 2010 in California by the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling saw figures that pointed to voters under 30 being driven to the ballot solely by support for pot legalisation.
They showed strong evidence that Proposition 19 and not the candidate who personally supported it as the main motivation to vote.
While no state in the U.S. currently allows recreational marijuana use, public opinion has become divided over the continued crack down on medical cannabis dispensaries and 'stop and frisk' searches that lead to the arrest of 850,000 American citizens each year.
In fact, a study released on Friday by the Centers for Disease Control found that in 2011, for the first time ever, more American teens smoked pot than cigarettes.
The Annual Youth Risk Behviour Survey from the CDC took 15,000 surveys in 43 states and found that 23 percent of students said they had used marijuana in the last month, whereas only 18 percent said they had smoked cigarettes.
While any move to legalising cannabis would be incredibly risky for professed former drug user President Obama, a political argument to change the law would offer clear traction for the pro-marijuana lobby.
The article is reproduced in accordance with Section 107 of title 17 of the Copyright Law of the United States relating to fair-use and is for the purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.
wow, i am so appalled by this..this groveling pandering to not so special interests that i scarcely know what to say. THIS is the rotten carrot to be used? this craven and uppity uncle tom character wants to essentially BUY support by legalising what should be left alone? is he that insecure with his constituency and his illegal position that he wants to throw the "young'uns" a crumb?
ReplyDeleteListen, people this usurper LIES. every single syllable out of its mouth is a LIE. remember when he "promised" to close down gitmo? hasn't happened...so why would you suppose that this latest drivel is anything but a lie? remember when he spent two million dollars of OUR tax money to close down any and all investigations into his real origin...gee, why would he do that?
remember when he INVADED Libya without approval?
oh, and best of all, he is using several different social security numbers!
these are all individually impeachable offenses and all of them would put you or i behind prison bars for awhile
so, before you go vote for this obamanation because he's gonna get you your stash....he is a LIAR. he doesn't care if you smoke pot or not, he wants to look good, and he wants to use you to elevate himself.
why is that ok with you? why are you helping him put the rope around your neck?