The Republicans hope to take the Senate. Colorado is one of the States up for grabs.
http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/20 ... _raids.php
Last week, we shared news about the U.S. House voting to defund DEA medical marijuana raids in states where the substance is legal. But that doesn't mean the count was unanimous -- even here.
Indeed, three of Colorado's seven representatives voted against the defunding amendment, including U.S. senatorial candidate Cory Gardner -- and a representative for NORML, among the nation's most prominent marijuana-advocacy organizations,
confirms that it hopes to target officials like him for anti-pot votes.
Legalization got 55.3% of the vote. That is a heck of a head wind to run against. Especially a self created headwind. Why? Especially for a medical vote. Support for medical in the US is even higher than support for recreational. By 10 or 20 points. Florida numbers show 88% support among those of voting age for medical and 66% to 70% support among likely voters.
As documented in the official-count document, accessible here, the Colorado representatives voting to defund included three Democrats -- Jared Polis, Ed Perlmutter and Diana DeGette -- as well as one Republican, Mike Coffman.
The latter is embroiled in what's thought to be a tough reelection campaign against likely Dem standard-bearer Andrew Romanoff, which may lead some observers to see his support for defunding as politically calculated. But even though Coffman opposed Amendment 64, the 2012 measure that legalized limited marijuana use and possession by adults age 21 and over, he backed a measure asking that Colorado be exempted from federal marijuana policy mere days after voters approved it. A statement explaining his support quotes him as saying, "I voted against Amendment 64 and I strongly oppose the legalization of marijuana, but I also have an obligation to respect the will of the voters given the passage of this initiative, and so I feel obligated to support this legislation."
Jeeze. The will of the voters. Now there is a novel idea. And a Republican who can count. Mr. Gardner might want to bone up on math. I'm hoping Rand Paul gets the nod in '16. I'd really like to vote for a Republican for President. And yes. For the time being I'm pretty much a one issue voter.
"NORML is in a great position to highlight individual voting positions and things officials have said publicly," St. Pierre told us during an interview about the organization opening a new office in Colorado. He adds that "even three or four years ago, some might say it would be a badge of honor to be attacked by NORML, but that's not the case now."
In Pierre's view, "the worm has turned" due to increasing popular support for marijuana legalization in Colorado and nationwide, and as a result, "it's likely that we will have the ability to direct people to these votes" -- particularly in the case of Gardner, whose race against Udall "has huge national implications."
Whether highlighting a politician's anti-pot stance might be enough to sway an election is unknown at this point. But no longer can such a prospect be dismissed out of hand.
I was talking about this back in 2011 - I guess I was a few years ahead of my time.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/09/ ... _plan.html