Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Showing Original Post only (View all)A Victory in Oregon--Medical Marijuana Has Some Political Muscle [View all]
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2012/may/16/medical_marijuana_ally_wins_oregEllen Rosenblum, friend of medical marijuana, defeated former interim US Attorney Dwight Holden, foe of medical marijuana, by a margin of 63% to 37% for the Democratic attorney general nomination in a campaign where the therapeutic herb was a BIG issue.
Holden was supported by law enforcement. Rosenblum had the medical marijuana people and some campaign cash from national drug reformers.
Here's the press release from a mighty pleased Drug Policy Alliance:
Drug Policy Action
For Immediate Release: May 15, 2012
Support for Medical Marijuana Ensures Victory for Ellen Rosenblum in Oregon Attorney General Race
Drug Policy Action: Holtons Defeat Sends Message to US Attorneys Nationwide That Attacks on Medical Marijuana Have Steep Political Price
Outcome Has National Implications for Increasingly Formidable Drug Policy Reform Movement
Medical marijuana was a major issue in the Democratic primary for Attorney General in Oregon and the candidates starkly different positions on the issue ensured victory for former judge Ellen Rosenblum. Rosenblum is supportive of patients rights to safe and legal access to medical marijuana while her opponent, former Interim U.S. Attorney Dwight Holton, is sharply critical of the program. Although Holton was heavily favored early in the race, he was targeted for defeat by medical marijuana patients and their advocates after threatening medical marijuana providers and their landlords with property confiscation, and overseeing several medical marijuana raids while serving as interim U.S. Attorney last fall. In addition, Holton had pledged to work with Republican legislators who are anxious to change the medical marijuana law. With no Republican on the ballot in November, Rosenblum is all but certain to be the states next Attorney General.
Drug Policy Action, the political arm of the Drug Policy Alliance, and a driving force behind the initiative that first legalized medical marijuana in Oregon in 1998, threw its support behind the Rosenblum campaign, with $100,000 in total donations to the campaign and to an Oregon group, Citizens for Sensible Law Enforcement, during the final stretch of the campaign. John Sperling, an ally of Drug Policy Action who provided major support for the 1998 initiative, also contributed a total of $100,000 to Rosenblum and CSLE.
Jill Harris, Managing Director of Strategic Initiatives for Drug Policy Action, and a native of Eugene, OR, issued the following statement:
Dwight Holtons defeat in the Oregon Attorney Generals race should be taken as a clear and unambiguous message to U.S. Attorneys around the country and to the national Democratic leadership that attacking state-approved medical marijuana programs is not a smart political move. Medical marijuana has overwhelming public support it is now legal in 16 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, and national polls have consistently shown support in the 70-80% range for well over a decade. Drug war rhetoric and tactics will not be tolerated, and organizations like Drug Policy Action will be there to defend patients rights to safely access the medicine they need.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
52 replies, 11936 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (35)
ReplyReply to this post
52 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
A Victory in Oregon--Medical Marijuana Has Some Political Muscle [View all]
Comrade Grumpy
May 2012
OP
"law enforcement" won't give up the $$ cash cow for busting pot smokers - police welfare nt
msongs
May 2012
#1
She won for many other reasons, but this was not that big of an issue in the campaign.
HuckleB
May 2012
#2
So some young reporter whose focus is on his or her own obsession is all you need.
HuckleB
May 2012
#29
Like it or not that's an AP story fronm the second largest daily in Oregon
Bluenorthwest
May 2012
#44
And another logical fallacy (actually two in one sentence, it appears) is offered up.
HuckleB
May 2012
#33
Right. Sort of like that crazy group who called Marijuana the "defining issue" of the campaign.
Warren DeMontague
May 2012
#46
So, the Horton campaign ITSELF said medical marijuana was the defining issue of the campaign?
RainDog
May 2012
#47
No, no, no no, since he lost it was a total non-issue. As the Oregonian put it, a "distraction".
Warren DeMontague
May 2012
#52
I dont know, I could just rack up a whole bunch of sort of vacuous posts in a thread on the topic.
Warren DeMontague
May 2012
#38
So if you write several posts about "logical fallacies", does that count as one?
Warren DeMontague
May 2012
#40
Here it was THE issue. What it boiled down to was Holton flipping the bird to the
Bluenorthwest
May 2012
#15
Its only interesting -or maybe surprising- to people who aren't paying attention.
Warren DeMontague
May 2012
#11
Here is the opening paragraph on the outcome from the Register Guard Eugene...
Bluenorthwest
May 2012
#17
So what was Holton's reasoning for opposing the existing medical marijuana laws?
randome
May 2012
#18