The threat of the undecideds

If you’ve been keeping up with this year’s midterm election buzz, you might have heard about Prop 19. That’s the ballot proposition that would legalize marijuana in the state of California. (I use the term “legalize” liberally; click here for full information on Prop 19.)

Since it made it onto the ballot, public opinion surrounding Prop 19 has been for the most part positive. In polls conducted as early as April of this year, those in favor of Proposition 19 have maintained a lead over those opposing it, although this margin has narrowed in recent months. Meanwhile, the number of voters as yet undecided about the proposition seems to be on the rise.

Now, I’m rather liberal and intend to vote yes on this proposition come November 2 – rather, whenever my absentee ballot arrives in the mail. Either outcome, yes or no, won’t have any substantial impact on my life. I don’t smoke marijuana and don’t plan to should it become “legal.” However, I do see the economic benefits that can come about as a result of legalizing a substance so many people use illegally already. Why shouldn’t the government make some money off of it? And, if alcohol is legal, why not pot?

But what strikes me as odd is how many voters are still undecided. Until recently, I was certain young, similarly minded Californians would venture out to the polls this November in drones to unequivocally vote Yes on Prop 19, even if they weren’t potheads or recreational marijuana users; and that older Californians – i.e., the baby boomers – and those on the other side of the political spectrum – namely, moderates and conservatives – would be the ones opposing or not knowing how to vote on this measure.

However, I’m no longer convinced this is true. Case in point: my co-worker. For the last couple of months, I have been doing some part-time work at a winery in the Central Valley, which has been somewhat educational and a lot of fun. Plus I get free wine!

Keep in mind the Central Valley has traditionally been red territory (although this has changed in recent years) and is still relatively conservative. Also bear in mind the Central Valley has played host to numerous meth labs over the years and contributed to California’s overall disreputation as a major source of methamphetamine in the United States,[1] but that’s beside the point.

No, my point is as follows: my co-worker, a 22-year-old, relatively poor white kid (and a ginger!) who smokes pot, was, until this past weekend, undecided about Prop 19. I was, to say the least, dumbfounded to learn this fact.

Then it struck me. This is what’s wrong with the average American voter – the undecideds and independents, a category I was so sick of continually being lumped into by the media (and the Republicans) that I reregistered as a Democrat (“Socialist” would probably not be the best option given my career aspirations)! People who can’t make up their minds even when they take part in the illegal activities they’ll soon be voting to legalize or not.

My co-worker, it seems, was having a hard time making up his mind over whether or not to approve this measure due to the claims being made by either side. He was particularly perplexed by the following assertions:

• The way Proposition 19 is written, it “will prevent bus and trucking companies from requiring their drivers to be drug-free. Companies won’t be able to take action against a ‘stoned’ driver until after he or she has a wreck, not before.”
• Enactment of Proposition 19 will endanger school children because “A school bus driver would be forbidden to smoke marijuana on schools grounds or while actually behind the wheel, but could arrive for work with marijuana in his or her system.”

Despite not being totally familiar with the text of the proposed law, this didn’t seem right to me. First of all, these claims just sounded stupid. Secondly, common logic follows that if you go to work fucked up – ok, “under the influence” – there will be consequences. Just like with alcohol.

That’s when I gave him the best advice I ever received. When I was working on my Georgia (the country, not the state) project last year, I used second-hand information to diagnose and propose solutions to an “institutional problem” afflicting the country, rather than look at the Georgian constitution itself.

It turns out that information was completely wrong, and, as such, my analysis of the problem was pretty messed up too. Then my professor told me I should have looked at the original documents and not some second-hand analysis.

And that’s exactly what I told my co-worker to do: look at the original text of the proposed law. In regards to his concern over bus and/or truck drivers showing up to work “stoned,” the initiative would actually prohibit:

• Consumption in public or in a public place;
• Consumption by the operator of any vehicle, boat or aircraft while it is being operated, or that impairs the operator;
• Smoking cannabis in any space while minors are present.[2]

a fact he seemed to completely overlook. I don’t know about you, but this sounds pretty open and shut to me.

Also, take into account alcohol. I can buy an unrestricted amount of alcoholic beverages under the current law, but would be limited to purchasing just one ounce of marijuana at a time should Prop 19 pass. You still don’t think marijuana will be more heavily regulated than other vices??

So what’s the moral of this story? Be an educated voter and don’t believe everything you hear/read. If you want the facts, go directly to the source! Oh yeah, and use common sense!

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[1] http://feinstein.senate.gov/releases01/meth%20summit%20statement.htm

[2] http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Text_of_Proposition_19,_the_%22Regulate,_Control_and_Tax_Cannabis_Act_of_2010%22_(California)#Section_11300:_Personal_Regulation_and_Controls

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