Headed out to vote

[Thumper]

Looks like we've got a VERY close Governor's race going on here and they're predicting a possible recount if it doesn't spread out more during the day. Sheeesh, we have a Republican Governor now and the jack-ass running as a Democrat, was our REPUBLICAN Governor from '07 -'11. Then he decided to run for the Senate, but flipped parties and ran as an Independent. He lost and then flipped AGAIN and became a Democrat and endorsed Obama during the 2012 re-election campaign. What a frigging flip-flopping ass-kisser. WHY THE "F" is this a close race? He was our Republican Governor before, left office to become an Independent, now he's running to be our Democratic Governor. WTF?

Here's who'll be getting my vote today! I'll catch youse dufes later.



3887

[BarryBobPosthole]

I remember from when I lived there that Florida has about as much mudslinging in their elections as Oklahoma does. I look forward to voting but I damn sure don't look forward to elections. Its gotten way past ridiculous. No wonder less than 50% turn out.

BKB

[LJ3]

I don't think there's any state worse than another with the mudslinging these days. Virginia has been nothing short of silly. I'm not sure I've heard more than 10% positive message and 90% trashing their opponent and fear mongering.

[Bwana]

A small bit of mudslinging here for area elections but our big deal this election is the 8 statewide measures.

[Buckrub]

Leaving in a few minutes.

When you vote, don't forget the differences!! :usa :fishhooked

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk131/Buck7088/Funny/demovsrepub_zps96089408.jpg (http://s279.photobucket.com/user/Buck7088/media/Funny/demovsrepub_zps96089408.jpg.html)

[Thumper]

Ha! I was about to head out the door when my BIL in Texas called to "remind" me to vote Republican today! ;)

I told him after much study, it looks like I will be voting pretty much a straight party ticket. BUT ... I'm voting FOR an amendment allowing the use of medical marijuana in the State of Florida. That bill is backed by the Democrats and opposed by the Republicans. He laughed and said he'd allow that one little exception. (he's was a stoner back in the day) Ya' know ... I'm having chronic back pain and it suddenly seems to be getting worse! :D

[BarryBobPosthole]

I just got back from the polls myself. Don't worry Jim, we cancelled each other out pretty much. And our medical marijuana petition didn't get enough signatures to get on the ballot. I'm sure after the revenue numbers from Colorado's first complete year after legalization come in there'll be a lot more states looking at it closer. That's a LOT of money and states are hurting for revenue almost everywhere.

and judging by the number of signatures in the book, it looks like a piss poor turnout at least at my polling place. Kind of pisses me off to be honest. There sure is a lot of bitching going on for that much of a giveashit turnout.

BKB

[Thumper]

Just got back myownfineself. NO line at all ... walked in, voted, walked out. Not sure if that's a good thing (no wait), or a bad thing (no voters).

[BarryBobPosthole]

The part of the ballot that always gives me trouble are the district judge races. they don't really campaign here, there's really not a lot of information about them available, and its always tough. I guess that's why once you get elected as a district judge its easy as hell to keep that job for life because from then on you just have to vote to retain them. Or not.

BKB

[Thumper]

Same here, in fact, just last night, I was reading up on each of them on the internet. I couldn't find any negatives at all and every one of them had a very high approval rating, so I voted to keep 'em. No clue who they are though.

[Sunshine]

voted

[Thumper]

If it passes, we will loose lots of gun rights and gov can take your guns with no warrant.

Where does all of that come from? 594 is simply requiring background checks for gun sales, isn't it? (with exclusions for transfer to family members or sale of antique weapons)

[Thumper]

Well, I looked it up. Looks pretty straight forward, but not so different than many other states. I see the good and bad in it. I still don't know where your statement above came from ... unless you're talking about criminals getting busted with guns they aren't supposed to have.

http://www.kcba.org/judicial/legislative/pdf/gunsafety/594faq.pdf

[Niner]

Voting???? Took care of that little chore last Wednesday morning.

[Thumper]

Done deal!

3889

[Thumper]

Voting???? Took care of that little chore last Wednesday morning.

Yeah, I put off the early voting because there were a couple of things I wanted to study a bit closer, but never got around to it until last night. I'm a professional procrastinator! :(

[Bwana]

Me too Niner, dropped my ballot off late last week.

[DeputyDog]

Speaking of the election.....I heard a news story where they quoted a Presidential spokesman answering if the President thought that a big gain by the republicans and the possible loss of the Senate were a referendum on his policies, the answer was "It's their names on the ballot, and their record that is getting voted on."

I seem to remember when Bush was President and the democrats had a big gain that it was all about the President's policies. Just goes to show that he takes no responsibility for anything and it's always someone else's fault.

[Thumper]

Well, I guess you could say I had a good day. I stayed up late Monday night studying a few issues and candidates a bit closer before voting yesterday. I pretty much knew the major players, but wanted to study the lesser known ... such as the three District Court of Appeal Judges, that sort of thing. There were also three constitutional amendments and a referendum I wanted to study a bit closer.

Danged if the results didn't go "almost" 100% of the way I voted. Out of nine candidates I voted FOR .... all nine were successful. I guess the people have spoken this time around as I actually ended up voting a straight party ticket (Republican). ALL Republicans on the ticket won yesterday! As for the four issues I voted on, three went my way. The only one that did not, was also the only one I expected to fail ... the marijuana initiative. It makes sense I suppose ... the election went to Republicans 100% and they were against the marijuana amendment. (I really expected it to fail) What really surprised me though, is the support it DID draw! The voting went 58% for and 42% against. Problem is, to become a Constitutional Amendment, it has to pass by 60%. I think 58% was a pretty strong showing for the first time around. Sumpin' tells me this thing will be pushed through in the not-so-distant future. In the meantime, I guess we'll continue to swallow man-made chemicals for our ailments. :(

[Captain]

All I know is Kay Hagan lost here in NC and that one fact alone is enough to assure me that I'm gonna have a good day.
The campaign between her and Tom Tillis (R) was the most expensive senate campaign in US history. Well over 100 million dollars. She was in lock step with OBummer and cast the deciding vote for OBummer-care.... I am SO happy she is gone!

[Captain]

Hate your weed law didn't come to pass. The image of you sitting around with a dew-rag on your head, hovered over a gonga pipe like a monkey screwing a football and talking like a Jamaican is a bit disturbing...dde01

[Thumper]

Ha ha! All I can say is, I've spent tons of time around drunks and a ton of time around stoners ... I'll take a stoner over a drunk anydamnday! 'Course, we're talkin' 'bout medical Mary Jane and not recreational pot as far as the amendment is concerned. I expect it to pass sooner or later.

[DeputyDog]

With my experience with the people that use "medical" marijuana in Michigan, there isn't any difference. Ask any stoners in the area and they can all name a doctor that will give out a prescription for "medical" marijuana to anyone who walks through the door.

[BarryBobPosthole]

3897

[Thumper]

With my experience with the people that use "medical" marijuana in Michigan, there isn't any difference. Ask any stoners in the area and they can all name a doctor that will give out a prescription for "medical" marijuana to anyone who walks through the door.

Yeah, right now we have a huge problem with "pill mills" ... same difference. Heck, we may as well collect some taxes on the stuff ... it's available anyway.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I'm sure there are very legitimate medical uses for weed but when states legalize it for medical use its very rarely based on them wanting to make it available for that purpose. the real reason they legalize medical weed is to get the dispensary and supply process in place so when they do legalize it most of the work will already be done within the guidelines that they want to regulate it. At least that was Colorado and Washington's approach.

As for its medical uses, I'd much rather have a next door neighbor using prescription pot as using prescription oxy or vicodin or whatever. There's very few suicides by cop done by potheads and many many of them done by pill heads.

BKB

[Buckrub]

I can't imagine why recreational marijuana isn't legal.

The "War on Drugs" is costing me a mint, and is a lost war.

[Thumper]

Well, I'm talkin' generalities here of course, as there are exceptions to every rule, but .... I've spent TONS of time around drunks and I've spent TONS of time around stoners. Give me a stoner any day of the week. Drunks get belligerent, talk shit, start fights, fall down and eventually end up puking all over the place ... then wake up with a splitting headache and feeling sick/hung over. A stoner will sit quietly in the corner with a smile on his face and talk about the joys of life, get some sleep and wake up ready to go to work the next day.

[Buckrub]

Well, that's a ridiculous and solely anecdotal reason.......but it's valid for you.

The real reason has nothing to do with how folks act or don't act. Bad actions should have bad consequences, regardless of what you ingested. The real reason it should be legal is Freedom.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Well Thumper, I can't disagree but do we base our freedoms on what is obnoxious to us and what isn't?

We have a horrible prescription drug problem here in Oklahoma and our legislature seemingly can't do anything about fixing it because of the various lobbying that goes on at the state house. Honestly though, I'm not sure the answer to it is even locking up more folks or threatening to do so. I mean, shit, at some point we just have to admit that there's some weak ass people in this society. Let Darwin do his work in peace.

BKB

[Thumper]

Gots to agree P-hole. We have a huge problem with "pill mills" down here and all the news coverage refers to them as an "epidemic". I know a guy personally with Crohn's Disease who is so addicted to pain pills, he eats them like candy. He could easily go on disability, but he works full-time and has a very good paying job. He takes so many pills, his prescription runs out WAY early and he has to buy them "on the street". He has NO problem at all getting a different "doctor" to give him an additional Rx to fill his "need".

Some of the biggest contributors to the fight AGAINST medical marijuana down here were pharmaceutical companies! Another major contributor is the alcohol and beer companies. I wonder why?

[DeputyDog]

Same thing here with the pill mills. I guess my thoughts on legal weed is, say it is currently costing you $X per ounce from your illegal dealer, does anyone honestly think that legal outlets will be able to sell it cheaper after the government gets their tax cut out of it? If that's the case, why would I buy it from a legal dealer when I've been buying illegally for years and can continue to do so cheaper?

The one of the biggest problems we have is with the synthetic shit that was legal. It really messes people up. They definitely aren't sitting in the corner all nice and calm with a smile. They are paranoid and usually hallucinating, and a real handful to deal with.

[BarryBobPosthole]

the synthetic shit shouldn't be legal.

and what you are saying about legalizing pot is the same thing they said during prohibition. That didn't work either.
BKB

[Buckrub]

Inevitable as gay marriage:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/voters-ok-legal-marijuana-in-oregon-alaska-and-washington-dc/ar-BBd6rCX

[Thumper]

Yep Deppity ... illegal is illegal. I don't know much about the synthetic stuff you're talking about ... bath salts maybe? You're comparing apples and oranges.

Alcohol is legal and taxed to the hilt. That doesn't mean I can't buy from a bootlegger. Rx pills are legal, with a Rx ... that doesn't mean I can't buy 'em on the street. How many felons have guns?

A law abiding citizen would pay the price ... a crook is a crook. I'd like to see the law expand a bit. You can make beer/wine for personal consumption ... I'd like to have a pot plant for personal consumption. If you have a 55 gal drum of homemade booze, you go to jail. If you have a 50 acre field of pot growing, or 100 kilo's in your "personal" stash box, you go to jail. Drive drunk, go to jail. Drive stoned, go to jail.

[LJ3]

Jimmy there's a legal type of weed that is NOT like real weed. It's legal in some states, anyway. People that smoke it seem like they're doing much harder drugs than regular weed.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Thumper, there's some synthetic pot that kids here started using a few years ago. There's been some OD's and such and for a time I think it was even sold in some convenience stores. I thought they'd closed the legal loopholes on that stuff here in Oklahoma because it was dangerous. I don't really equate any synthetic pot issues with legal weed though. There are some real issues that Colorado is facing, edible products for one, that I think have to be worked through. Its no different than somebody drinking 180 proof alcohol though.

BKB

[Thumper]

Yeah, I think it was around here also ... I thought that was bath salts or incense or some silly thing like that. I'm not up on this stuff.

[LJ3]

I think bath salts make you want to eat peoples faces and what not.

[Buckrub]

I pick Marie Osmond.

[Thumper]

I guess to set the record straight ... I'm ONLY referring to natural, off a frigging bush, cannabis here. This post is morphing into designer drugs and synthetic crap which has nothing to do with the legalizing weed movement. People can eat Draino on their Cheerios for all I care ... it has nothing to do with the issue at hand.

[Thumper]

I think bath salts make you want to eat peoples faces and what not.

Eeeewww! So if I were around that nerd Donnie Johnson whom I called a puss-face in the 4th grade ... that means I'd want to .... naaaaa!

[LJ3]

So, are you requesting we get back on topic? Did you have bath salts for lunch?

[DeputyDog]

That's the stuff I was talking about. It's called spice or K2. It's not legal here any longer, but it easy very hard to get it that way since if a certain chemical compound was listed, the makers just changed the ingredients to get around the law. The bath salts are a whole other topic. I'm referring to the synthetic marijuana.

I'm not sure that Prohibition is a valid comparison since booze was legal, then it wasn't but people kept drinking. Weed's never been legal. I don't see a bunch of "law abiding" people starting to smoke weed just because it's now legal.

Saying just because we can't stop people from doing it isn't a good reason for making it legal. Everybody speeds so let's do away with speed limits, then we can eliminate a lot of the highway patrols since their main job is traffic enforcement and they are very expensive to pay and equip.

[Buckrub]

Here's the truth. I sadly admit it.

I don't even know what bath salts ARE.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Its what's left in the bathtub after you pee in your bath water and then let it all evaporate.

Isn't it?

BKB

[BarryBobPosthole]

And Deppity, weed was legal and it was legal for a long time after prohibition. there's no reason on God's green earth that weed should be classified as the same kind of drug as heroine.

And this isn't like speeding either. This is exactly like prohibition. It's basically making a law against something just because some people don't like it. We have a lot of folks in prison for pot. and it ain't right.

BKB

[Thumper]

I'm not sure that Prohibition is a valid comparison since booze was legal, then it wasn't but people kept drinking. Weed's never been legal. I don't see a bunch of "law abiding" people starting to smoke weed just because it's now legal.

Well, to be honest, I'm not up on the history, but yes, it WAS legal ... up into the 1900's in fact. I think it was sometime around the Depression years when the U.S. Gov't actually taxed the stuff ... then it was later banned. Heck, even Coca-cola had cocaine in the formula until sometime in the 1900's. (I don't know that whole history either, but I think I'm close)

[BarryBobPosthole]

1937.

BKB

[Buckrub]

COCA
Cola

cures headaches, they said.

GIVES me one, I'll tell ya.

[LJ3]

I heard the synthetic stuff doesn't keep you as alert as the real stuff does.
3899

[Thumper]

When I was researching info before voting, I ran across this article. I don't know squat about this site and it may be ultra-Liberal, I simply stumbled upon it during a net search. What I was looking for was who is putting up the biggest fight against legalizing pot. I expected it to be the drug companies. True or not, I don't know, but it did open up other possibilities I'd never considered. If nothing else, it's an interesting read if you care to take the time.

It's titled, "The Top Five Special Interest Groups Lobbying to Keep Marijuana Illegal"

Last year, over 850,000 people in America were arrested for marijuana-related crimes. Despite public opinion, the medical community, and human rights experts all moving in favor of relaxing marijuana prohibition laws, little has changed in terms of policy.

There have been many great books and articles detailing the history of the drug war. Part of America’s fixation with keeping the leafy green plant illegal is rooted in cultural and political clashes from the past.

However, we at Republic Report think it’s worth showing that there are entrenched interest groups that are spending large sums of money to keep our broken drug laws on the books:

1.) Police Unions: Police departments across the country have become dependent on federal drug war grants to finance their budget. In March, we published a story revealing that a police union lobbyist in California coordinated the effort to defeat Prop 19, a ballot measure in 2010 to legalize marijuana, while helping his police department clients collect tens of millions in federal marijuana-eradication grants. And it’s not just in California. Federal lobbying disclosures show that other police union lobbyists have pushed for stiffer penalties for marijuana-related crimes nationwide.

2.) Private Prisons Corporations: Private prison corporations make millions by incarcerating people who have been imprisoned for drug crimes, including marijuana. As Republic Report’s Matt Stoller noted last year, Corrections Corporation of America, one of the largest for-profit prison companies, revealed in a regulatory filing that continuing the drug war is part in parcel to their business strategy. Prison companies have spent millions bankrolling pro-drug war politicians and have used secretive front groups, like the American Legislative Exchange Council, to pass harsh sentencing requirements for drug crimes.

3.) Alcohol and Beer Companies: Fearing competition for the dollars Americans spend on leisure, alcohol and tobacco interests have lobbied to keep marijuana out of reach. For instance, the California Beer & Beverage Distributors contributed campaign contributions to a committee set up to prevent marijuana from being legalized and taxed.

4.) Pharmaceutical Corporations: Like the sin industries listed above, pharmaceutical interests would like to keep marijuana illegal so Americans don’t have the option of cheap medical alternatives to their products. Howard Wooldridge, a retired police officer who now lobbies the government to relax marijuana prohibition laws, told Republic Report that next to police unions, the “second biggest opponent on Capitol Hill is big PhRMA” because marijuana can replace “everything from Advil to Vicodin and other expensive pills.”

5.) Prison Guard Unions: Prison guard unions have a vested interest in keeping people behind bars just like for-profit prison companies. In 2008, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association spent a whopping $1 million to defeat a measure that would have “reduced sentences and parole times for nonviolent drug offenders while emphasizing drug treatment over prison.”

If you find any of that interesting ... try this link! http://www.republicreport.org/2012/exclusive-why-cant-you-smoke-pot-because-lobbyists-are-getting-rich-off-of-the-war-on-drugs/

[Buckrub]

It's one of the prime personal agendas of Peter Lewis, owner of Progressive Insurance.

[DeputyDog]

I'll bow out. I'm nowhere near old enough to have any knowledge about those sort of things and by the way, I don't know of any state in the US where marijuana and heroin are classified in the same drug class and the sentencing for them are no where close. I've never heard of anyone getting major (more than a couple years) for weed unless there was hundreds of POUNDS involved.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Classified as Schedule I drug.
Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Schedule I drugs are the most dangerous drugs of all the drug schedules with potentially severe psychological or physical dependence. Some examples of Schedule I drugs are:

heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), marijuana (cannabis), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy), methaqualone, and peyote

Schedule II drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with a high potential for abuse, less abuse potential than Schedule I drugs, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence. These drugs are also considered dangerous. Some examples of Schedule II drugs are:

cocaine, methamphetamine, methadone, hydromorphone (Dilaudid), meperidine (Demerol), oxycodone (OxyContin), fentanyl, Dexedrine, Adderall, and Ritalin


http://www.justice.gov/dea/druginfo/ds.shtml

BKB

[DeputyDog]

That's the pharmaceutical designation. Look up state criminal statutes and there will be one for possession of marijuana, and a separate one for possession of a schedule 1 controlled substance. More than likely different crime classes, and much different penalties.

[Thumper]

I don't know the law and surely you know better than I, but I believe the differences in penalties is based on the amount in possession. Under an ounce, slap on the wrist. A kilo, prison time. I don't think the "class" varies. How could it?

[Captain]

Schedule VI here in NC

[BarryBobPosthole]

Any amount here in Oklahoma is subject to one year in jail and a second offense is 2-10 years and is a felony.

BKB

[Thumper]

State of Florida

Offense Penalty Incarceration Max. Fine

Possession

20 grams or less misdemeanor 1 year $ 1,000
More than 20 grams felony 5 years $ 5,000
Less than 25 plants felony 5 years $ 5,000
25 plants felony 15 years $ 10,000


Sale


20 grams or less without remuneration misdemeanor 1 year $ 10,000
25 lbs or less felony 5 years $ 5,000
25 - 2000 lbs (or 300-2,000 plants) felony 3* - 15 years $ 25,000
2000 - 10,000 lbs (or 2000-10,000 plants) felony 7* - 30 years $ 50,000
10,000 lbs or more felony 15* - 30 years $ 200,000

Within 1000 feet of a school, college, park, or other specified areas felony 15 years $ 10,000

* Mandatory minimum sentence

Hash & Concentrates


Possession of hashish or concentrates felony 5 years $ 5,000
Selling, manufacturing or delivering felony 5 years $ 5,000


Paraphernalia

Possession of paraphernalia misdemeanor 1 year $ 1,000


Miscellaneous

Conviction causes a driver’s license suspension for a period of 2 years

[DeputyDog]

Indiana code 35-48-2-3

Schedule I tests
Sec. 3. (a) The board shall recommend placement of a substance in schedule I under this chapter if it finds that the substance:
(1) has high potential for abuse; and
(2) has no accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or lacks accepted safety for use in treatment under medical supervision.
(b) The board may recommend placement of a substance in schedule I under this chapter if it finds that the substance is classified as a controlled substance in schedule I under federal law.

That is why it's placed in schedule 1.

I'm on the iPad so I won't copy each statute for dealing of the different schedule drugs or the ones for possession of each, but there is a separate one for schedule 1 and marijuana, hash, salvia, and synthetics. Maybe tomorrow when I'm on the laptop.