Californians Voted Democrat But . . .

[Le Taz Hot]

didn't pass Prop. 19. Think about that. The Democrats kicked Meg's ass as well as Carly's but Prop. 19 failed. I'm sure a statistician or analyst can point out where I'm wrong, but, on the surface, doesn't it seem that a whole lot of Democrats voted "no?"

[still_one]

1. They did vote against rolling back pollution standards, and a lot of other progressive issues /nt

[dsc]

2. they could have abstained

without knowing totals I can't say for sure that a lot of Dems voted no but it is quite likely. The only other option is that prop 19 had significantly fewer Dems vote on it at all than voted overall. It should be noted that no elected or trying to be elected Democrat at the state level endorsed it so that might suggest that there was a significant Democratic no vote.

[Le Taz Hot]

6. I think you may have something there.

No politicos would come out in favor of it. Too bad because the SEIU came out for it. I was hoping there would be a lot of closet "yes" voters but, apparently, it was exactly the opposite.

[onenote]

20. no. abstentions were not the reason

In the Senate race, 7,441,687 votes were cast (3.86 million for Boxer). On prop 19, there were 7,418,587 (only 3.42 million). The 23,000 fewer votes cast on prop 19 doesn't explain the more than 400,000 differential between Boxer's total and the pro-19 total.

[dsc]

35. I had assumed that was unlikely but it was a remote possibility

[Jim__]

3. I'm sure a whole lot of Democrats voted "no" on Prop 19.

It would be more surprising if a whole lot of Libertarians voted "no" on Prop 19. I'm don't think you're likely to find a unified position on drugs (using that word because my guess is that's how most "no" voters see marijuana) across the Democratic Party.

[LWolf]

4. There's a thread here in GD this morning

posted by a Californian explaining the no vote. I'd find it, but I'm getting ready to go to work.

Something about regulation and criminalizing something....I'm sorry I don't remember it better.

[Jim__]

8. Here's a link.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=9473639

[Le Taz Hot]

9. Yeah, I saw it.

Spewing the right wing talking points that have been countered thousands of times at which time they hold their hands to their ears and sing, "Tra la la la la la . . . don't confuse me with the facts, I know what I know."

[mulsh]

5. The 3 people I know who voted NO on 19 all smoke pot and

do not have a medicinal marijuana card. All of them are Democrats. Two of them who smoke a lot of pot all the time voted against 19 because they "didn't want government and big corporations to get the money from pot." The other one is a school teacher who no longer smokes very often, doesn't want kids having easier access to pot.

My wife and I and all of our relatives voted yes on 19. Even our very conservative relatives voted yes.

[mikelgb]

7. There was quite a vocal campaign against the measure from the left.

The narrative is that growers and players in the current medical industry think the status quo is just dandy and we should leave well enough alone.

I was convinced that it was a step in the right direction. I voted Yes.

[liberalmuse]

10. Prop 19 - No, Prop 8 - Yes.

Yet CA essentially had a Democratic sweep on Tuesday. I can't explain it, except to say that perhaps the fact that most of us were raised with rather strong anti-drug propaganda and in religions that frown on gay marriage might play a part. On top of that, you have institutions with a helluva lot of money - drug dealers/cartels and religions throwing money and propaganda towards these issues. Too many American minds are pretty easy to tap and bend one way or the other.

[Bluenorthwest]

11. CA Democrats also cast the votes that passed Prop 8

So they are what they are.

[Le Taz Hot]

18. What can I say?

We're a mixed bag down here. Just when we think we're the most progressive state in the union, something like Prop. H8 comes along and passes. Now, if we could just get rid of the destructive churches (99% of them) . . . :hide:

[Bluenorthwest]

21. Born and raised there, been here a few years now

But I know CA politics going back many long years. This election is encouraging to me after the last few there. The apathy is fading, and that is good. CA will pull it all the way out eventually. I'm stoked that CA and OR both elected former Democratic Governors back into office, Brown and Kitzhaber. Our expansioin of our Medical Marijuana law also failed to pass this time.
I think CA did better this election that in many cycles past. 19 aside and also 8, the trend is good in CA again. As long as we remember that CA is not auto-Blue, we can keep it Blue. Oregon too.

[Odin2005]

12. I've heard that many thought the prop was a corporate takeover of pot-growing.

[Hepburn]

13. You and me both cannot figure this one...except...

...I think that a lot that gave California the Dem win was an anti Repuke feeling in the general voting population. I know staunch Repukes that passed voting for both Nutmeg and Carly. IMO, it seems like many of those conservatives then went on to keep the deamon weed outlawed. Also, another IMO, I think that the Gulf oil spill gave a huge boost to prop 23. No one around here ~~ I live in a beach area ~~ maybe even kinda wanted that kind of bullshit. But...again...where I am, PV area, there are a lot of people with those "family values" that say that weed leads to hard drug use.

JMHO -- but a lot of guessing included...:hi:

[kctim]

14. Does this mean

that they are not "real" Democrats because they dared to vote how they wanted, instead of how progressives wanted them to?

[Le Taz Hot]

15. Um, no.

:wtf:

[kctim]

32. Just checking

seems everybody else who doesn't vote in lock-step with progressives aren't 'real' Democrats. Think they are called Blue Dogs, Republican Lite and conservatives.

[Le Taz Hot]

33. Isn't that interesting?

The only ones I hear the charge re: "real Democrats" are those who demand the Progressives shut up and vote and never EVER ask questions as in, ". . . otherwise, you're not a REAL Democrat." :shrug:

[kctim]

38. Very interesting indeed

Especially with all the posts the last couple days about so-called 'Blue Dogs' losing only because they weren't 'real Democrats.' That the people didn't vote for them only because they weren't progressives. That progressives should create a 'real Democrat' wing of the Democratic Party.

[JCMach1]

16. We need a front organization to get Prop 19 on every state ballot in 2012

Time to beat the Repugs at their own game.

[Hepburn]

17. I would go more for ballot measures that make abortion decisions...

...solely between a woman and her medical provider. Then we do the MJ issues. While I may be well past the age of personal considerations as to reproductive rights, I will NEVER forget the 1960s when I found someone I knew who had bled to death from a botched illegal abortion.

[JCMach1]

19. Hell, do both... but the MJ issue is one that will definitely get a greater % of young people out

[Hepburn]

24. Yep...

...I think that MJ is pretty much accepted by the "youth" -- whatever age group that may be! I am in my 60s and I have less than -0- problem with those who toke.

GMAB...it is the liquor industry that is afraid of grass. This bull about it leading to hard drug use has been around for YEARS. Those who are substance abuse prone are going to find their drug of choice...PERIOD. The availability of grass has nothing to do with how someone is geared towards having or not having a propensity to abuse.

[JCMach1]

34. Get funding from the soft drink and snack industries and maybe fast food!

to get the initiatives on the ballot.

[crazylikafox]

28. No, abortion amendments just bring out the fundies. MJ will bring out the young people.

We can win on the abortion issue if we can WIN BACK the SUPREME COURT. That means we need to win elections. Putting abortion on the ballot is an old Rovian trick to brick out the knuckle draggers.
Young people should be supportive, but since they never lived thru the 60's & earlier, they just don't understand the implications of losing abortion & contraceptive rights. They take it for granted.

This said, I am a huge supporter of a woman's right to choose. I just think we need to be careful about throwing red meat to the fundies at election time.

[Johonny]

22. who gives a fuck about prop 19. It was prop 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 that mattered

That some of the worst ideas passed and some of the best were voted down means many more long years of service cutting at the expense of the rich living like kings and queens. Prop 19 was a huge distraction.

[Le Taz Hot]

23. I did.

As did the MILLIONS whose lives have been decimated because of draconian, racist marijuana laws. And thanks for caring. :sneer:

P.S. If you don't care so much, why did you post on this thread? Nevermind. It's rhetorical.

[XemaSab]

25. From where I'm sitting

the pro-19 people failed to articulate what a yes vote would mean.

It was a game that was played on the field of drunk/impaired driving, while the dialogue should have been about throwing good money after bad for the failed war on drugs. :(

[CommonSensePLZ]

26. Yay! Callie's pro-sobriety!

Doesn't matter that 19 failed, everyone for it probably cracked out the special hash to grieve. The people who want it are going to get it, said it before and it bears repeating.

[Iggo]

29. I voted for it.

I've been clean for 14 years.

Most people...

[Iggo]

27. A whole lot of nice people voted yes on H8, too.

Can't explain it other than to say it's hard to let go of ingrained prejudices.

Gays bad. Pot bad.

It's the intiative system that has to go. It's a bad way to govern. Because most people are idiots.

[Le Taz Hot]

30. I disagree with you on the initiative process.

Has it been infiltrated and corrupted by corporate interests? Yes. But, for the most part, people weren't fooled by, say, Prop. 23 and it IS a way for things like MM and legalization to get on the ballot. Our corporate milquetoast Democrats sure as hell aren't going to touch it so the ONLY way to get it on the ballot is by initiative.

[hayu_lol]

31. Don't forget that Humboldt growers have been...

hiring pickers heavily for the past month.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

36. Maybe because there are a lot more important issues out there than legal pot.

And God forbid a liberal or Democrat may not agree with legalized pot, but far as I know being a liberal or Democrat doesn't hinge solely on the issue of legalized pot.

[grantcart]

37. I was under the impression that some of the top MJ advocates were not

for this law because the saw it as flawed.

I know that the MJ Dispensary folks were against it.

[Cleita]

39. The medical marijuana industry voted down

Proposition 19, the growers, the dispensaries and the clinics who provide the recommendations. It would have put them out of business. This time it was an inside job. I work for a doctor who provides letters for medical marijuana and he told me it was going down because of the way it was written. The industry didn't like it.