Boohoo!

[UPDATE Below]

This is what greeted me this morning: Legalize-marijuana measure loses in California

Supporters of Proposition 19 are out in force trying to explain why the measure FAILED.

Here's an excerpt from the AP report:

“Prop 19 supporters blamed the outcome on the older, more conservative leanings of voters who participate in midterm elections and pledged to try again in two years.” [Emphasis added]

There may be some truth to that analysis, but I think, when you consider the worry everyone feared, as projected in this article posted on MSNBC: Reefer sadness for pot farmers – there's an even more pragmatic reason.

Here's a list of some of the local blog articles and follow-up comments:

1. Here's what Eric Kirk and some of his followers say here: Why did legal pot lose last night?
2. Kym Kemp: The Emerald Triangle’s Response To Prop. 19–Flowers Among The Weed?
3. NC Journal: Conservative Sweep?
4. A fair sampling of local comments at Humboldt Herald.

There's probably a more on this subject, but I got tired looking. This article poped up on Twitter thanks to NCJ's Ryan Burns: Minds Don't Change That Much, But Voters Do -  A good article about why people vote the way they do. In the end, really just an exercise in futility.

So, why did California voters shoot down Prop. 19 when all the polls showed it would pass? Money. It's as simple as that. When you can NET $150,000 to $200,000 plus a year AFTER you pay for all the hard lifting, there is a vested interest in all businesses that profit off this large amount of tax-free money coming into these communities. Even the small 10 to 15 plants a year anyone can grow nets a tidy sum. Regulating and taxing these growers would expose their lucrative operations. No one really wanted see that happen either.

Apparently with all the local buzz on the possible adverse benefits of legal pot growing some people are put out at the Humboldt Grower's prices. Here's what Kym Kemp thinks the growers need to do: Attitudes Towards Humboldt Growers - Join forces as one big corporation, then lobby and advertise.

My idea use some of all that tax-free money to buy representatives that will serve your interests first. The way the laws are today, no one would know where the money originated. That way everyone associated with this criminal so-called industry could be legitimate mainstream crooks and become active members of the ruling elite.

[UPDATE :: Friday, November 5, 2010]
Kym Kemp's latest take pot matters consequences as she sees them: Smokers Calling For A Boycott Of Emerald Triangle Growers? Problem is, she lives in a fantasy world. Think she'd get a clue if she understood why voters across the U.S. voted in a majority of conservative, Tea Party Republican types? Think she'd admit this was part of the backlash I talked about?

--Joe