I feel downright dirty rebutting something Larry Kurtz says with something Pat Powers says, but here goes:
The indomitable Mr. Kurtz repeats his contention that backing marijuana legalization will help Democratic candidates win in 2016. To support his claim, he cites typical pro-pot propaganda that does not connect the dots between pro-legalization sentiment and useful political mobilization and does not refute the empirical evidence that pro-pot ballot measures haven’t brought young voters to the polls in any useful numbers that change the outcome of elections.
I repeat my contention that there is no sign that backing cannabis will put more donors, volunteers, or voters in any South Dakota candidate’s column in 2016. To support my claim, I cite Pat Powers’s report that the petition drive to decriminalize marijuana has lost its two leaders, Ryan Gaddy and Blake Winfrey, Mr. Gaddy’s Facebook resignation makes the point most clearly:
This announcement is really not something I wanna do. . .but in interest of being a bit selfish (For once).. . With a heavy heart. . . I am choosing to step down as the SDAP Guy. . . I’ve given you my life, every waking hour since March 3rd 2014. I’ve chased politicians around the state. . . Been to Pierre numerous times. Registered a bunch of people to vote. I’ve even been out petitioning. . . But hey. . . 5 people won’t conquer these bogus cannabis laws. . . So until next time. . . When the rest of you wanna really get you hands dirty with me. . . I’ll return with a better bill next season. . . Time to hang up and focus on my own life – Gaddy [Ryan Gaddy, post to South Dakotans Against Prohibition Facebook page, 2015.10.09]
Gaddy is expressing the same frustration that I anticipate will greet any candidate who adopts Kurtz’s theory of cannabis politics as great mobilizer: you’ll trumpet your pro-pot position, you’ll get lots of social-media clicks, but the same four people you already know will show up to actually carry your petitions, knock on doors, or work the phone bank to get donations.
Then again, I could be wrong. New Approach South Dakota, the group petitioning for medical cannabis, had more people than that carrying signs and petitions for them at Swarm Days all the way out in Spearfish on Saturday. Their group has shown able leadership, organization, and press skills. But even their efforts have been focused on their specific issue (that’s not a critique—there’s nothing wrong with a ballot question committee focusing entirely on its ballot question) and have shown no clear sign of the capacity or desire to expand into a campaign machine for candidates.
Of course, Kurtz could still be right. Neither SDAP nor NASD is advocating Kurtz’s preferred policy of legalization. It is possible that the decriminalization petition push is foundering because it does not offer the full pot freedom that potential voters really want.
But if candidates have to go to the extreme of complete legalization to get cannabis backers off the couch for general political activity, they probably shouldn’t bother. Let’s see the pot movement prove itself, achieve its goals, and demonstrate that it’s interested in staying on the scene to address bigger issues.
Come on! Is this really a surprise to anyone that has ever been around potheads?
Anyone who is responsible that has had to deal with potheads in a work environment, collecting rent, cleaning up after their mess knows they will say and claim anything so they can legally get their “fix.”
The bogus claims by both SDAP and New Approach for SD really do a disservice for many people seeking medical relief and many will find it has no affect, a placebo and those suffering will find out they were pawns for profiteers looking to make big bucks off them in an effort to legalize or looking to legally get high.
Meanwhile I’ve been enjoying making phone calls across the state with a focus on defeating the candidates and misguided political party that support legalization.
Is this the 1950’s? Hypothesis: anyone who regularly smokes pot recreationally moves (or wants to) out of this state as fast as possible.
But Lynn’s got me worried…I wonder what all of my colleagues at a corporate law firm think of me while I work 10+ hours a day? Or my landlord that I’ve paid rent to for 3+ years. Or the schools groups I’ve volunteered for? Quit stereotyping. It’s unbecoming and shows a frightening level of ignorance on SD’s “liberal” blog.
If SD wants to change to a more progressive culture, it needs to actually be more progressive. Otherwise, what’s the incentive for anyone to stay?
Lynn’s back! I’ve achieved my goal for the day.
Lynn, remind me which party supports legalization? I haven’t seen that party platform declaration from the DP or the GOP….
Cory just briefly. Have many phone calls to make aside from other tasks today.
Lets just say I’ve let those that I’ve called connect the dots with endorsements by SDAP, social media posts by SD candidates and elected officials, Clay County Democratic fundraiser Oct 3 and who the guest speakers were and posts on this blog.
Evidently has been some additional internal turmoil about where the money has come from to support SDAP’s efforts. Will SDAP have a full disclosure of who and what businesses have been supporting them including from out of state? Will they not report some of that income?
We have already seen Melissa from NASD first say they were fully transparent after the free drinks for signature episode and then not be forthright about who was providing their offices in SF.
Michael, I share your concern that Lynn is throwing the baby out with the bong water. Legalization is not the linchpin of liberty or electoral success. Nor does it warrant overthrowing a candidate or party that stands for the right policies on several other more important issues.
Lynn, come on. Do you really have to work this hard just to prove Larry wrong? Are you really going to back SDGOP candidates just to spite a party that you indict on a few thin dots and blog commenters?
You can check the monthly FEC reports for disbursements from SDDP to SDAP or NASD. If you find any, let me know, because that would be headline news.
South Dakota has enough issues with addiction, low paying jobs, serious lack of investment in education and stagnant growth. Look at Aberdeen. That town has had some pretty hard hits with much needed jobs lost and businesses either closing or moving. Then we add lack of affordable housing, payday loan joints, video lottery. Do we need another intoxicant to be legalized?
Legalizing video lottery didn’t have catastrophic affects on our state but it has been a drain on it with the damage being far flung. Legalizing marijuana will be the same and more likely worse and once legalized will be very difficult to repeal just like video lottery.
Productivity? SDAP’s results provide another excellent example.
Michael I bet a number of us have worked with functioning alcoholics and drug users.
Cory,
I need to go after this but like I have stated in an earlier thread a while back when I last posted. Legalizing marijuana will have long term negative social and economic consequences in our state despite the pot profiteer propaganda claiming utopia in the states that have legalized. The politicians and many issues we are not happy with here in our state are temporary in comparison.
FEC reports for disbursements from SDDP to SDAP or NASD? They don’t need to.
Adios!
Lynn,
Your ignorance and anger never fail to amaze, over, and over, and over. I try to keep my comments generalized and not directed at a person, but you need and deserve a verbal beat down for the harm you cause.
When your false propaganda is met with silence over the phone and blank stares in person, it’s because people are getting effective cannabis medicine from Colorado and Washington and their positive experiences are spreading throughout our communities, and to elected officials through the grapevine.
I have been told by a 78 year old man he can use his shoulder once again after getting a salve from Washington. An elderly neighbor told me of his friend finding relief from Parkinson’s using illegal (in SD) pot meds from Colorado. This same neighbor’s wife has Parkinson’s, but she is so afraid of you and your lies, she says she will only go to Colorado and try it if her symptoms get worse. So your work is getting results, only with Parkinson’s, early treatment has been found to yield the best outcomes.
These people are sharing the Truth, and amazingly, they are not afraid of your jails or servants as they speak in public places without lowering their voices. The Genie is out, and it’s a good Genie.
It’s too bad you weren’t born 100 years ago. There was a political party whose leader appreciated hard workers with your compassion and beliefs. He led the National Socialist Party in Germany and they “cured” potheads for angry landlords by putting them in work camps.
Oh, to dream.
Lynn: Add low-level drug offenses that serve as a scarlet letter and impair the ability for young folks to get student loans, affordable housing and employment to your list of economic deterrents in South Dakota.
You act as if legalization would exacerbate the problem – as if anyone that wants marijuana in SD doesn’t get “their fix” already, as you so inelegantly put it. Legalize it, tax it, regulate it. Move the money that would otherwise be spent on law enforcement and that raised from taxes to education and healthcare. It really is that simple…CO shows – no increased accidents from driving while impaired – no great zombie apocalypse. Just more tax dollars, less wasted energy on a non-problem and a new burgeoning industry.
University of Minnesota Hospital or Mayo Clinic vs the opinion of a physician such as TV personality Dr. Sanjay Gupta or a few others hmmm!
Real Science based on non-biased research vs Marijuana profiteer influenced science or some pothead pulling miracle claims out of their anus.
This is off of Mayo Clinics website.
Evidence
These uses have been tested in humans or animals. Safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider.
Key to grades
A Strong scientific evidence for this use
B Good scientific evidence for this use
C Unclear scientific evidence for this use
D Fair scientific evidence against this use (it may not work)
F Strong scientific evidence against this use (it likely does not work)
Grading rationale
Evidence grade
Condition to which grade level applies
B
Chronic pain
Marijuana has been studied for the treatment of chronic pain. It has been used in people whose pain did not respond to other drugs such as narcotics. Cannabis-based products like Sativex® are used to treat different types of pain, such as pain from cancer or multiple sclerosis. It is approved in Canada and many parts of Europe. In the United States, it is being studied in people who have cancer-related pain. Other cannabis-based products, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved dronabinol (Marinol®), are also being studied.
B
Multiple sclerosis
Marijuana has been studied for the relief of multiple sclerosis symptoms, such as nerve pain, muscle spasms, and urinary disorders. The active ingredients have effects on the central nervous system and immune cells.
C
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (nerve cell disease)
Current studies show that THC may lack benefit in people who have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. More research is needed.
C
Appetite stimulant
Current studies show that cannabis-based therapy may lack benefit on weight loss and anorexia related to cancer. Early studies suggested that marijuana may improve appetite in people who have cystic fibrosis (mucus buildup in the organs) and AIDS. More research is needed.
C
Atopic dermatitis (itchy, scaly skin rashes)
Hemp seed oil may help reduce symptoms of atopic dermatitis, a chronic skin disorder that causes itchy, scaly rashes. This benefit is believed to come from the fatty acids in hemp seed oil. Further research is needed.
C
Brain injuries
Marijuana has been studied for potential benefit in people with acute brain injury. However, more research is needed before conclusions can be made.
C
Chemotherapy side effects
Studies suggest that marijuana may help reduce nausea and vomiting in people undergoing chemotherapy. However, it may cause side effects such as sleepiness and changes in mood. One review suggests that marijuana may cause more side effects in children undergoing chemotherapy than other therapies. However, the effect of cannabis alone is unclear, and further research is needed.
C
Dementia
Early studies suggest that marijuana may benefit weight gain and behavior in people who have dementia. More research is needed before conclusions can be made.
C
Eating disorders
In patients with eating disorders THC had a lack of effect on weight, caloric intake, and psychiatric assessment. Further research is required.
C
Epilepsy
Early studies suggest that marijuana taken with antiseizure drugs may lower seizure risk in people with epilepsy. However, the evidence is limited. More research is needed on whether marijuana may be effective in treating epilepsy.
C
Glaucoma (high eye pressure)
People who have glaucoma have high pressure in the eye, which may lead to optic nerve damage and vision loss. Some studies suggest that THC may lower eye pressure, while CBD may lack benefit or actually increase pressure. More research is needed to understand the possible role of marijuana in glaucoma treatment.
C
Huntington’s disease (nerve cell death in brain)
Symptoms of Huntington’s disease include impaired brain function and jerky body movements. Early research suggests that CBD may lack effect on movement problems caused by Huntington’s, although the marijuana-based drug nabilone may have benefits. More studies are needed in this area.
C
Neuromuscular disorders
Marijuana has been studied in the treatment of symptoms of nerve and muscle disorders. Researchers looked for possible benefits on appetite, saliva production, mood, muscle health, and sleep. More research is needed before conclusions can be made.
C
Quality of life
There is some controversy over the use of marijuana in people who have cancer or other long-term illnesses. It has been studied for increasing appetite, treating stomach problems, improving mood and sleep, and reducing pain. More research is needed before conclusions can be made.
C
Rheumatoid arthritis
Limited research suggests that Sativex® may reduce pain and improve sleep quality in people who have rheumatoid arthritis. More research is needed.
C
Schizophrenia
Early research suggests that CBD may lack effect in people who have schizophrenia. Other research reports that cannabis users may have better brain function than nonusers. However, long-term use of cannabis has been linked to a higher risk of psychiatric problems. These include bipolar disorder, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, depression, delusions, hallucinations, aggression, and lack of motivation or energy. More research is needed.
C
Sleep disorders
Limited research suggests that CBD may help people who have problems sleeping. However, more studies are needed before conclusions can be made.
C
Tourette’s syndrome (brain disorder causing tics)
Some research reports that marijuana may improve some symptoms of Tourette’s syndrome. However, significant benefit over placebo is lacking for tics and other symptoms. More research is needed in this area.
Michael,
The REAL stats from the social costs in Colorado and other states that have legalized will be coming soon but by others here in the state.
Phone calls await. Gotta go! :)
Lynn: Your last response makes no sense. “…but by others here in state.” Uhh…what?
Please form a cogent argument instead of putting everything under the umbrella of “societal ills”. You know what’s a societal ill? The racist and discriminatory way marijuana laws are enforced nationally against black and brown people. The fact that the US has the largest percentage of incarcerated people per population than any other nation on the planet. Those are societal ills and they occur right now…not some nebulous time in the future. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/14/marijuana-prohibition-racist_n_4590190.html
Good luck with your phone calls – not really 100% sure how you criticize lazy potheads but seem to have the time to make political phone calls at 9:00 AM in the morning but c’est la vie…
Lynn,
What non-biased research?
Doctors in CO will not hesitate to write a massive morphine script for a baby with seizures, but refuse cannabis.
Why? Their licenses to practice have been threatened. THAT is the environment you envision for scientific research?
Please post your tax return so we can see for whom it is, you are paid to lobby. Transparency and credibility.
Lynn spent 45 minutes here arguing instead of being out making phone calls, maybe she is addicted to fighting marijuana?? Fighting marijuana has been know to decrease rationality, productivity, and positive view of self as the avalanche of science and public opinion continues to roll over the medieval thinking and straw man arguments proposed by people that get addicted. Michael is right in that marijuana initiatives and legislation might not correspond directly at the ballot box in the same election cycle which they are proposed, but generally, I think we can (should) agree that MOST young, capable, intelligent liberals view marijuana as something that we, at the very least, shouldn’t spend money prosecuting and jailing, its actually a pretty common sense, no duh sort of issue (all the polls agree). Why would the aforementioned young, smart liberals stay in or move to (and subsequently vote in) a state that so CLEARLY has it backwards on every single social issue. Abortion, gun control, support for teachers and education, treatment of minorities, acceptance of the LGBT community, marijuana policy, the list goes on and on. These are the social issues young people care about and look at when deciding where they want to raise their families, people who agree with the psychotic way SD currently handles EVERY SINGLE one of those issues are going to move here and love it, people who don’t will move away and never regret it. The further SD falls behind on each of these issues, the more it slips into the great incestuous echo chamber on the prairie that is has already started to become. Marijuana isn’t a silver bullet for progressives in SD but it’s handling/defeat may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for the person or people that could have been that silver bullet in 5 or 10 years.
“Anyone who is responsible that has had to deal with potheads in a work environment, collecting rent, cleaning up after their mess knows they will say and claim anything so they can legally get their “fix.”
Lynn only perpetuates the stupidity of a dying generation. The sooner they are gone, the sooner the misinformation and fear will stop. I have a pot head friend that I’ve known since I was born. He just sold his start up business for 17 million at the age of 29. I know a handful more that pull in 6 figures a year. Some of the brightest people I know, who work for companies like Intuit, NASA, Netflix, Microsoft, and Google….all like to wind down the end of the week with a joint rather than a 6 pack which would be more socially acceptable. Not to mention, the FBI and CIA are relaxing their marijuana policies because they can’t find a competent security or programming employee that don’t have pot in their system. They are finding out that people they expect to stare at a screen for 18 hours a day like to pop a lozenge or an edible to make things a little less stressful. It’s not uncommon to go to a party and see people smoking, and that tolerance is only going to grow as the gray hairs pass on. Even in SD, judges aren’t handing out the harsh sentences like they used to. Heck, they aren’t even taking people to jail for having small amounts anymore. Pay your weed tax and be on your way. Now, throw in the medical patients who could see relief and I don’t know how/why anyone could possibly consider the negative effects to outweigh the positive without some uninformed bias. Tax revenue is up, crime is down, cost-effective medicines are making people’s live more livable.
Lynn, none of the problems you say South Dakota has is attributable to cannabis. They all are,however,directly connected to right wing nut jobs and their sincerely held religious beliefs that greed and corruption are good for you as long as wingnuts are in charge.
Nothing from your Mayo report definitely says pot is bad for you or anyone else.
When it comes to the desire to lock people up for using cannabis, Lynn is a real crusader. What’s missing from her arguments, however, is a whole picture of reality.
Rather than considering the social harm caused by jailing so many folks for using marijuana, or considering how medical marijuana has actually helped many sick folks, including kids with severe seizure disorders, Lynn has essentially three arguments.
First, she likes to argue that marijuana cannot cure all ills, therefore, we should deny it to all sick folks in South Dakota, regardless of the nature of the illness, and lock up all the current users.
Next, she argues, in effect, that using marijuana will destroy any user not yet jailed, ruin the user’s family, harm anyone who employs a user, ruin the morals of the community, etc. She finds support for this argument from research like the following:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTEHSolQqD0
Last, Lynn makes an argument that once marijuana is legalized, the cat is out of the bag and people will be so happy that they will never vote to lock up users again. This sounds like the early conservative argument that if the ACA/Obamacare was not repealed right away people would begin to understand the benefits of the ACA, making it impossible to repeal – which has proved to be true.
Go get em Lynn, keep our jails full!
Cory,
When you take a break from getting petitions signed ask progressive Steve Hildebrand how he feels about the legalization of marijuana and how it affects those most vulnerable here in South Dakota. If my memory serves me correctly he might have stated it on an Argus SuFuStu interview but please double check with him.
So if Hildebrand did make a statement on legalization (quick Googling turns up no such comment, but let’s go for sake of argument), does that invalidate his proposed 36% rate cap? If Steve Hickey takes objectionable positions on marijuana, abortion, and marriage equality, does that mean I should sign on with Silver Bullet and circulate Lisa Furlong’s fake 18%-rate-cap petition, just to crush Hickey?
As I stated before you can either watch SuFuStu near the end of his interview or just contact progressive Steve Hildebrand directly about his view on the legalization of Marijuana and why here in South Dakota. Let us know what you find out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njuIKGNcTVE
Daniel said, “the stupidity of a dying generation.”
As a Baby Boomer, I want to tell you that stereotype is so wrong. I, and hundreds of thousands of my cohorts support an end to marijuana prohibition. So many of us used it, and sometimes still do, and have had good, productive lives. As we age, we see how beneficial weed is for our various ailments.
We Boomers are a pretty smart bunch, but most of all, we are not monolithic, any more than all Millenials are lazy slackers or all of the Greatest Generation were fabulously heroic.
Lynn is welcome to her opinion, but I have doubts that she represents the majority of Boomers. For certain, Lynn does not represent all of us.
Cory, I do enjoy the cleverness of your writing: ” . . .throw out the baby with the bong water. . .”
Hahahahahahahaha!
The US Government has classified marijuana in the same category as heroin. This has prevented, delayed, or stifled real and timely research. That is also why some of the medicines related to marijuana are coming from Britain.
We are spending millions of dollars holding people in prison for using or selling a drug which may be less harmful and even useful compared to alcohol. The alcohol industry gets a nearly free ride on covering unnecessary social costs associated with alcohol use and abuse. Taxes on alcohol need to be greatly increased so they can subsidize responsible driver insurance charges for liability and vehicle destruction due to others’ alcohol use. Shut down every facility selling alcohol for one day a week after a fatal crash involving alcohol and a lot of the alcohol slime will get responsible just to keep their establishments running. Others like grocery stores will stop selling it because of the costs associated with shutting down their grocery sales, etc.
The cost shifts of the alcohol industry to all should be a lesson for those contemplating legalization of pot. Taxes should be such that they cover unnecessary social costs associated with pot use. My guess however that the primary cost will be significantly less that from alcohol and the court and prison costs should drop significantly.
Cory,
Just found out thru an e-mail that the SuFuStu Hildebrand segment where he stated his views on legalization here in SD was edited out probably due to time constraints. Just contact him directly. It might make a good interview since his 36% cap pay day loan campaign is in crunch time trying to get signatures. His view on legalization will probably not sit well with your many pot activists that comment here on this blog.
The calls I’ve made are actually enjoyable and interesting visiting with folks. There are plenty of Democrats and Independents here in the state from a wide age range that will not have anything to do with legalization nor the state party or candidates that have any association. That’s problem creating and not problem solving!
Hey! I could be wrong and there could total revolution with not only legalizing marijuana but all drugs but the way things are going I look forward to November 2016. :)
Grey hairs dying off? Hahaha! I have maybe one grey hair if that with a natural non-colored full head of hair and a few others my age are the same. Unless something catastrophic happens we will be here a long time and there are others younger than us who oppose legalization. :)
Lynn, your choice of language – “oppose legalization” – seems a bit disingenuous when you really seem to mean you “support incarcerating young, old and sick marijuana users.”
Curious that both Cory and Lynn are using language consistent with some twelve step behavior modification derp.
Lynn’s hero:
http://www.salon.com/2015/10/13/chris_christies_reefer_madness_how_he_became_the_gop_fields_most_fanatical_drug_warrior/
Lynn and Christie promoting the “stereotypes of drug offenders as unworthy losers to be tossed into a hole and forgotten.”
whatever perceived evils surrounding the cannabis industry already exist: continuing to criminalize those behaviors instead of providing the resources as prophylaxis is simply philistine.
Non-colored head of hair would make your follicles clear like plastic or acryllic,I’m guessing. Must be some anomaly.
Tonight, expect former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton say that she inhaled then watch the other actors on that dais say let us pray.
let me just say that flying into pierre in january to testify in front of a murder of daugaardian crows would cost far more money than i care about my home state right now.
So Lynn, are you really telling those Dems and Indies to throw the SDDP overboard and send money to the SDGOP based on your dot-connecting in the absence of an explicit platform statement and documented activism by SDDP officials and candidates? What exactly do you tell the people you’re calling, and what action do you tell them to take on the basis of that information? What is the objective? Staunch the pro-pot movement? Destroy the SDDP and anyone who speaks anything less than absolute rejection of marijuana?
Cory, it looks like you are beginning to recognize the effects of “marijuana madness” on Lynn.
As someone that really doesn’t have a dog in this fight, I will offer the following:
I worked in a few years as a chemical dependency councilor for a hardcore treatment center, most of our clients were ex-cons, street and homeless, and those court ordered for treatment.
Almost all of our clients had multiple addictions such as alcohol/marijuana, heroin/marijuana, prescription drug and marijuana addictions, etc. You see the pattern here? Oddly, I had never had a client who had a sole diagnosis of marijuana addiction.
Yes, there are the true pot heads that most of us have seen and dealt with, but we also know plenty of marijuana users that on appearance behave naturally and you may not even know they are high.
Whether you are for or against marijuana in this coming election year, at some point the issue is going to have to be dealt with in an equitable way.
Lynn’s condemnation of cannabis is to some degree understandable, she has apparently had some really bad experiences with it somewhere in her past, maybe it was with family members, friends, or herself, I don’t know.
I also agree with Cory’s headline to this post that there doesn’t seem a coattail for the pro-marijuana users to hang their hat on with the SDDP or if they can actually influence the party to victory in 2016. Remember we felt that way with the minimum wage issue and still lost the election.
I would have to see some hard research to determine if the Democratic Party should take a stand on pot legalization.
There is always the possibility that it could be detrimental to the party, keeping in mind this is conservative South Dakota we are talking about.
Hold the presses according to another SDAP video they are not out of the running quite yet…their posts were ment to motivate others through fear of not making the ballot. I guess hard work and dedication was to much for them. NASD is close but not close enough to make any grandiose claims of victory. The next few weeks are serious crunch time. We wish all the ballot initiatives the best of luck and successful circulating!! We hope to see you all on the 2016 Ballot!!
How does the D party in Colorado do? It may be different for them as Denver proclaimed pot as a very low level priority to law enforcement in the mid-70’s. So the recent change there wasn’t out of the blue, but occurred after decades of quasi-legalization in their densest population center.
Their Governor is a D who doesn’t support the move, but says he respects the will of the people. Might be a political thing to get votes from both sides… could be a tactic worth considering by SD D’s.
Plank: ” While I don’t personally support decriminalization at this time, as your ________, I also cannot stand by and watch two year old children having dozens of seizures per day go without a medicine that is proven to work, and I must respect and support the will of the people should they choose to decriminalize cannabis”.
Melissa, so the Gaddy and Winfrey resignation announcements were just passive aggressive ploys? If so, that doesn’t sound like wise campaigning. NASD’s constant positivity and honesty seems a better approach to any campaign.
Barry, Colorado is a key part of the Five Thirty Eight article I keep citing that shows no relationship between marijuana ballot measures, youth turnout, and boost for Democrats:
http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/sorry-democrats-marijuana-doesnt-bring-young-voters-to-the-polls/
As Roger says, support for marijuana could create backlash that outweighs any meager increase in support. Even though Lynn is overreacting, the fact is, she’s acting. How many pro-cannabis citizens have looked at the same evidence Lynn has, concluded that certain Democrats support easing restrictions on cannabis, and thus started making phone calls and raising money for Democrats?
Cory,
Apparently given the phone calls I and others now have been making I’m not the only one who is suffering from “marijuana madness” and “over reacting”. Many of those folks have shared their personal stories of friends, family and as business owners that sometimes laugh at what pot proponents claims and are pretty pissed! Like a few said Reality vs complete BS!
The calls can take longer than a typical sales or campaign call when they share their stories of bad experiences and observations but we both come away better educated and motivated.
There have been a CLEAR MINORITY of calls where they were actively using pot but for the most part we have respectful and polite conversations and left it at that sharing some of the experiences and data I had.
Will this be enough to influence the results of an election and campaign donations here in South Dakota? I don’t know but I’ll do what I can personally as a private citizen using my skills to make a difference in the results.
The hypocrisy of South Dakota’s Republican Party knows no bound. While nutcases like Fred Deutsch are crusading for an end to women’s civil rights the state is hemorrhaging educators.
Fact is: South Dakota’s legislature can write a bill that would adopt legislation similar to Minnesota’s medical cannabis law but worthy of Federal Drug Administration scrutiny where real medicine could be sold by pharmacies, legalize for adults then allow Deadwood and the tribes to grow under California organic standards and distribute on reservation and off-reservation properties under a compact putting the gaming commission as the administrative body to tax and regulate.
Because cannabis is illegal under federal law, and use of the term “organic” is regulated by the US Department of Agriculture, a licensed cannabis business cannot be certified as USDA organic.
In my view edibles should only be available to patients suffering from debilitating diseases, disorders or conditions and be dispensed by pharmacists and taxed like other prescriptions.
Home growing for personal enjoyment should look like California’s and Alaska’s models.
For the record, I do not support widespread growing of hemp: it is an invasive species and capable of overgrowing native grasses.
Tribes can do this by themselves and the South Dakota Legislature should be kept out of the cannabis loop completely unless Deadwood chooses to be the non-Native test bed off-reservation. Nations trapped in South Dakota and in other states with off-reservation properties are already testing cannabis law.
Addiction? When some guy named Janklow closed the brothels in Deadwood for political gain to cover up his being implicated in the death of Jancita Eagle Deer, Democrats Bill Walsh and Tom Blair pressed a five-dollar bet limit to preserve historic Deadwood after the Syndicate Building burned to the ground. It took Republicans to turn Deadwood into the cultural wasteland it is today.
But, a red moocher state like South Dakota is powered by sin: video lootery, a loan shark industry that preys on the least fortunate, a massive gambling addiction and a too-big-to-jail banking racket fill in the gaps created by lobbyists who enjoy the protection of single-party tyranny.
A GOP task force is leaning toward a regressive sales tax increase to nudge teachers’ salaries out of 51st place.
South Dakota should listen to Paula Hawks, Bernie Hunhoff and Cory Heidelberger then pass a corporate income tax.
Reduce the number of South Dakota counties to 25, turn DSU into a community college, and adopt my cannabis template: the kurtz solution painted on a thumbnail.
If the South Dakota Democratic Party is too timid to tackle legal cannabis the task should fall to the fledgling South Dakota Progress.
Lynn, what’s the objective of those long calls? Are you simply mobilizing people to oppose any loosening of marijuana laws? Are you soliciting donations for specific candidates or committees? Are you telling people to vote Republican?
For a more specific hypothetical: suppose I declare for U.S. Senate against Thune, or for State Senate against David Novstrup. Given every public statement I’ve made about cannabis policy, given the forum I provide here for discussion of cannabis policy, and given the dots you have connected, do you start calling voters and telling them to vote for John Thune or David Novstrup over me?
Cory,
When I make the call many times those who I’ve called just start sharing their personal stories regarding negative experiences from those who have used marijuana and where or where not it has taken those individuals. Those individuals mentioned are family members, co-workers, neighbors, tenants and others.
Then they want to know who being state elected officials or potential candidates and what party is having anything to do with this. I’ve given them quotes from commenters on this blog, your postings, the careful denials, endorsements, posts giving publicity & indirect promotion in the spirit of promoting a ballot initiative making it look innocently which they connect the dots right away (Clay County Democrat Pig Roast announcement has really ticked them off!), facebook pages or websites to check out.
The folks I’ve called have seen the damage, know first hand the costs and are now telling others. It goes beyond party lines. The last thing they want is another intoxicant legalized here in SD!
The tribes are going to do this regardless of what 12 Step dropouts want.
Whatever perceived evils surrounding the cannabis industry already exist: continuing to criminalize those behaviors instead of providing the resources as prophylaxis is simply philistine.
Daniel
I’ve countered many arguments such as Millionaires business founders in Silicone Valley that used marijuana and nothing bad happened. I used to fly into SFO and San Jose quite often staying in Santa Clara, Redwood City, Half Moon Bay and knew a number of people that made millions in tech and besides pot witnessed them using a serious buffet of hard core drugs daily. I would never trade their wealth for the chaos and dangerous games they played making their lives totally chaotic. They were friends that I kept at a safe arms length. Brilliant in one area? Absolutely! Completely clueless in others? Absolutely!
As to Cory’s original point: Earl Blumenauer and Jared Polis are two Democrats who won office touting cannabis as a revenue producer.
As Governor O’Malley said during the Democratic Debate, talk to someone under the age of 30 and you will see where progress is being made. Homosexual acceptance, Gender Equality, Climate Change, Universal Healthcare, Marijuana legalization, vaccination requirements…..all the good things that will continue to grow as all those leading us today die off and take their backwards thinking with them. It’s time to let the old die and the young govern. We have been let down by an entire generation and because of them, as Colbert put it in his 2013 commencement speech in Virgina, we owe it all to the Chinese. We owe nothing to the Lynn’s of this world. They owe it to us to get out of the way.
Daniel,
A number of those I’ve called are 30 and under and they joked about the BS tactics used by pot proponents. I have a feeling that when a few of those you mentioned when and if they “grow up” and start seeing the REAL financial and social costs from potheads on a personal basis their opinions will change.
Well I’ll let the usual commenters solve world problems here, many of which will burn a few bowls and then get back to posting all day.
I need to get back to making phone calls and get other things done being another beautiful fall day here in South Dakota.
Ciao! :)
I reach over 10,000 readers a day, Lynn: you?
“The Indian casinos are basically small little banks,” Bloomberg.
The real financial and social costs are the cost of incarcerating victim-less criminals and taking people who contribute to society out of the workforce and pushing them down a path that would make them even more likely to commit crimes due to unfair classifications and restrictions that have been placed on them through unjust laws. The propaganda that fills your head is being erased and we are smarter than to believe the “Reefer Madness” that you are trying to peddle.
Willie Nelson says marijuana a is a gateway drug. A gateway out of hard core drug use. I’ve heard the same from alcoholics.
Did I miss the answer to my question, Lynn? Would you endorse John Thune or David Novstrup over me? Are you telling your phone targets to dismiss all of the content on this blog? What is the objective of these phone calls?
So Lynn, how is jailing marijuana users working out for your cause? Has it stopped young folks from trying marijuana? Has it stopped marijuana trafficking? How could all the people you are calling describe experiences with marijuana users if the policies you advocate actually controlled marijuana use?
Jailing kids for smoking marijuana has been federal policy since the 1930’s and even amped up in the 1970’s. After 55 to 85 years of locking people up for using marijuana, developing anti-marijuana propaganda, advocating “just say no,” why hasn’t marijuana use been eradicated? Indeed, why do more people use marijuana today in states where it is illegal than they did 10 or 15 years ago if your advocated “lock em up” policies are effective?
And with current criminalzation policies that necessarily require that marijuana can only be obtained in an unregulated and unlawful manner, how many young folks are then exposed to more dangerous unlawful drugs, such as meth or heroin when they meet up with their underground, unregulated dealer? How have your policies changed this exposure compared to the heavily regulated sale in states like Colorado and Washington, where sellers cannot sell anything other than marijuana?
I can assume for the sake of argument marijuana has a downside, but help me understand how locking people up for using has in any way ameliorated this assumed downside? And what affect has the criminalization had on the families that lose the companionship of a husband, wife, parent, child, grandchild or sibling who is arrested and jailed for using marijuana?
Please open your eyes to the full picture. So far, I have seen nothing in any of your anti-legalization arguments that even considers the above questions. Even if you think no one should ever use marijuana, and even if you think it justified to denigrate people who do use it, please explain how our decades old anti-marijuana public policies have advanced your cause, rather than hurt it?
Silicone Valley,wasn’t that producer/director Russ Meyer’s name for his Valley of the Ultra Vixens homestead?
Indeed marijuana is a gateway drug. It is the mule that hauls the hard core drugs into our nation. Without the hundreds of tons of mj, meth and heroin etc would have no easy ride and no easy approach to our youngsters. They lace their mj with meth and hook the unwary. Many reasons to take the road to regulated industry.
Such Dakotas prison industry undoubtedly does not support legal mj.
Just in from Massachusetts:
http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/us_politics/2015/10/guv_open_to_treatment_of_opiate_addiction_with_medical_marijuana
If Paula Hawks wants a cash donation from me she’d better start talking about moving cannabis off Schedule 1 at the very least.
Please see this link (http://www.vice.com/read/why-marijuana-is-not-a-gateway-drug-1013?utm_source=vicefbus)…mj is not a gateway drug. A lot of nuance to digest but unless SD begins to see the gray in many of these issues, it won’t ever move out of the dark ages. That’s the problem with turning a public policy matter into a political debate. One side has to be evil and demonized in an all or nothing contest for personal grandiosity.
Honestly, Lynn. You should probably get some help. I mean, going on a personal crusade b/c some bad tenants left one of your properties in poor condition? There’s some personal avoidance going on there. How long will the lusty feeling of vindication last when the mj referendums are defeated this year? A day, a week? It won’t stop the bad tenants so what’s this about? Stopping mj won’t make you happy but I understand struggling against an enemy (real or imagined) is much easier than quieting your mind.
Mj led me to meditation and mindfulness training which has helped me immensely with anger and depression. Consequently, without making a conscious decision to smoke less, I naturally do so.
But I won’t ever turn my back on mj. Only a pothead knows the intimacy that is created between those burning a few bowls together – the friendship, the camaraderie. Your judgmental disparagement aside, those experiences are no less real b/c they resulted from a substance. Nor are they any more worthwhile because they did so. That’s the fine line and maybe one too difficult for you to grasp. But it is beyond me why you wouldn’t want to get the most out of life by any means necessary
Everything can become an addiction – drugs, religion…whatever. Culturally, we need to move these debates beyond defensiveness about Lynn’s stereotypes. Drugs can be a good thing. They can help us face our own inner demons in ways sobriety can’t. I won’t apologize for being an avid mj enthusiast. I live a full life full of family and friends. I don’t watch TV, I read books. I volunteer in my communities. I am a good person precisely b/c of my willingness to expand my point of view. A lot of that I owe to drug use. It has had its costs for sure but nothing in life comes without a cost and most of them are due to its illegality, not something intrinsic to the experience. Simply put, I do not believe in a liberal paternalism that so stifles individual choice, especially when choice has been such an integral part of my personal growth.
In summary, Lynn, I am not afraid. Sorry?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOY1SvCLEuc
Michael, thanks for the Hicks link! Bill always made us smile!
Lynn,
Many thousands of South Dakotans are addicted to Opiate based, legal, pharmaceuticals. Many hundreds have died of their addiction to these Opiates. Nobody has ever died of MJ overdose, but you are campaigning against pot? Something doesn’t add up. Is it you are a paid lobbyist of the Pharmaceutical Drug Cartel? (asked before and ignored)
We know from Limbaugh that addiction to Pharmaceutical Opiates will make you say and do just about anything. Reading your writings, we will need you to pee in a cup in front of Cory so we can test it and prove you are sober. Refusal is an admission of guilt, just like at work.
http://www.argusleader.com/story/blogs/danaferguson/2015/10/16/lawmakers-tour-marijuana-facility-south-dakota-tribe/74026250/
Crash Pushes Car Into Business, Five Teens Arrested For Drugs Two cars both cars with pot, slammed into each other and then damaged building Clemens said officers found 2.7 ounces of marijuana inside the Buick, and a small amount was also found inside the Pontiac.
Davidson was charged with possession of marijuana. Two 17 year olds were charged with possession of marijuana and paraphernalia, and another was charged with possession of marijuana. Police also found 2.4 grams on 19-year-old Creighton Ross. He was charged with possession of marijuana and paraphernalia.
Damage to the building is estimated at $15,000
http://www.keloland.com/newsdetail.cfm/crash-pushes-car-into-business-five-teens-arrested-for-drugs/?id=186200
Wait! Didn’t the pro-pot activists say drivers that are stoned are safer than sober drivers? Just another pot related damage report, accidents, crimes and sometimes deaths all while under the influence in police reports would add hundreds perhaps thousand of pages to this thread.
I’d love to see the Brian Kelly spam bot paid for by out of state pot profiteers post in social media under this KELO story why it should be legalized like other pot related stories. That would be funny!
At least our AG and law enforcement will be actively taking care of the FSST non-tribal customers who break the law and put others at risk.
Claiming diabetes meds Bill Janklow ran a stop sign and was t-boned by a biker who died.
Lynn,neither of the drivers was charged with being under the influence of drugs. The crash wasn’t because of drugs, More like road rage with pot being incidental to your diatribe,as per usual. I have never seen anyone stoned who was aggressive towards anyone else. Did you get your silicone transplant yet?
Mike who resides in Iowa,
Given your chemically hampered reading and comprehending abilities as pointed out by Al who was incredibly patient with you on another thread we will see what further charges are brought. Either way it is another pot related crime that don’t seem to exist in the magical and mind-altering land of “Potopia” lol
Back to more phone calls. :)
Lynn, despite your spite I will push my agenda to South Dakota lawmakers next session. You are just another dry drunk struggling to stay sober.
I’ve sat in court several times as a witness for the state and most likely those kid’s test results will be sent to a lab for further charges.
Larry who resides in New Mexico,
Your presence at a legislative hearing next session will not only be entertaining but a gift for those who oppose legalization. Very much looking forward to this. lol
Lynn, you’re a liar.
Lynn,you’re even goofier than Novstrup.Pot had nothing,and I mean absolutely nothing to do with that accident you like to tout. You struck out,again. Hit the showers. And lighten up on the hairspray,the fumes are causing senility or stoopidity or both.
What I find funny is if Lynn gets busted for being the largest importer and pusher of pot in South Dakota. Remember how the virulent,anti-gay wingnuts tend to turn out to be gay themselves.
Lynn is right. There’s no need for medical cannabis in South Dakota. Most of the citizens live near the Minnesota border, anyway. Sodak residents know where to go to buy marijuana and they know where to go to buy abortions. Getting the state involved is needless. It’s better for you to stay the way you’ve always been. History is like water. It finds it’s proper level, eventually.
~ VISIT COLORADO ….. you know, for the scenery
Lynn, dont take my lack of commenting as a sign that I have thrown in the towel. What it really means is that my desire to read and write has been slowed by my physical ability to do so.
My pot addled mind is still being used every day, not jonsing for a high, but making decisions just like someone that doesnt use cannabis. There is nothing special about that, millions of people are doing the very same thing while being a whole lot more productive because they have found help they couldn’t get elsewhere.
Its funny really, in the last month I’ve had to spend some time setting in a couple of different doctors offices. As with any of these places they give you a bunch of paper work to do while your setting there. I can no longer read these things so I have someone help me fill them out, that nessesatates asking me questions loud enough for others to hear.
Both times when the question was asked about illegal drug use it sparked some very interesting conversation, not unlike here. These conversations included from three to ten people with some comming and some going to their appointments. There wasnt a single person under the age of fifty there and for that age group it was very surprising that in each case there was one person like Lynn that was basically a drug war retread. Both times it was a very vocal person that would raise their voice to make sure everyone knew exactly where they stood.
I answered questions both times but mostly just set and listened to the conversation. Ten yeas ago those conversations would have happened in a private setting, and never with everyone in that same age group. Five years ago you might have that conversation in a bar and talked openly about pot, but you never saw people in that age group in any numbers speaking up. That brings us to now.
The stigma of pot use from the past is slowly being fragmented, and like a bride’s veil is being lifted from the face of reality. I admit that at one point I almost lost my cool. One of the retreads asked me if my pot use caused my blindness. I told her that I was born this way. Then she asked if I was on government assistance because being both blind and addicted to pot I must be, from her experiences with pot heads.
The friend that was helping with the questions that day happened to be one of our contractors. He let the lady get through her little speach and then told her what we were doing, and how we were doing it. Like Lynn, that didnt change her stance or her opinion on pot. She said that in her experience, she had never met anyone that smoked pot that amounted to a ” tinkers damn.” Thats one we will never convert.
For the most part these people were exchanging information. Sure some was second and third hand, but there was lots of personal insite to. I like that kind of exchange that makes people think. That point was driven home by a little gramma that had to be over 80. She hadn’t said a thing all the while listening intently to what was being said. During a break in the conversation a quiet little voice said something that was so profound, I had to tell you all.
“In my lifetime we were told many lies about marjuana. We were told that just one drag from a marjuana cigarette would make us go insane. We were told that men raped women when they used pot. And we were told that users would kill and steal just to get pot to get high. At the same time we were inundated with cigarette and liquor advertising. My personal experience with “all” these things leads me to believe that we have been lied to from the start.” And then she said this. “The insanity isnt from the people that smoke pot, the insanity comes from the lies and excuses from other people who never will.”
As for the pot vote in SD. I told everyone before this whole thing started that without educating the people of South Dakota about cannabis, it would never fly this time. The message was killed by the very ones that were supposed to be getting out the vote, or in this case signing a petition. It really didnt have to be this way. You cant move a persons mind if you are so full of yourself that you think everyone is just goona believe what your saying. That my friends can only be done through education.
In the beginning there were two ways to get some sort of legalization. You are about to loose one. The other way wont even have anything to do with those that want legalization for medical purposes, but absolutely everything to do with greed.
And one more thing before I’m done today. The money that could have been made had cannabis been legalized when Colorado did it is long gone. Yes there will be profits, but nothing like the states that have already legalized before now. I see where the Santee projected $2,000,000 a month when the facility they are going to use could have done maybe $250,000. Really come to the res and gamble or get high or both. Thats it, theres not a damn thing other then that. Now lets add Marty Jacklow to the equation and who would want to take a chance that the dog man wont want to have his four legged friend take its fake stroll around your vehicle. Until someone decides where the states rights end there will be NO money made, only spent.
I wont be posting much for a while. I need some body work done on my eyes and reading will have to be done by someone else. I’m finished with most of the details of Carson House and the contractor just needs to bring it all together. Belinda and I felt that now would be the best time to start the process of possible eye improvement with the first of maybe four operations. At the same time she will have her shoulder fixed so we can bitch at each other.
One way or another I will be reading here, and from time to time there might be a post.
Lynn, if you want to see what pot allowed me to do come to Bethany Mo, take the grand tour, and have some coffee. If you just want to look, go to William Dithmers Facebook page and go back to June of last year. There are a thousand pictures of not just what we are building, but how we built it.
That goes for the rest of you as well.
And this from me. It doesnt make a damn bit of difference how much money you have, its how you use that money that counts. I made my choice forty years ago to help people when I could, and to put those people not a god first.
.08+1
The Blindman
Hope you get all the luck that is coming to you,Blindman.
Blindman, it is always good to hear from folks like yourself who actually see issues for what they are. Others are blinded by the bullshit they only think they know about. I agree with you that this state will probably not go with the medical marijuana and will to continue to allow its citizens to suffer needlessly. What can you expect from a state that continues to deny healthcare for its working poor and disabled. I wish you well with your operations, thanks for your clear views.
Indeed, Bill: very moving perspective.
Bill your info you sent me was an opinion and that was it and obviously biased.. No hard science. Doesn’t stack up to the standards used by Minnesota in crafting their laws.
Best wishes on the outcome of your surgery though you might not even need surgery given the claims Gaddy makes with the miracle affect of smoking pot. He basically said Hickey would grow a new lung back which was incredible!
Potopia the land of magic and a mind altered state where there is no crime, no disease or ailments, cats & dogs living together and everyone is happy. Hospitals are only used for delivering babies. The state has more money than they know what to do with. Streets lined with gold. Ah Potopia the land of milk and honey.
lol :)
Go have a cocktail Lynn, your drooling like you need one.
Oh just having fun with the absurdity of the claims by potheads. Relax and burn a few more bowls. It was a very productive day regarding phone calls. Actually a very good week in terms of productivity with a few more volunteers joining the effort.
Mark Roper @MarkRoperKSFY 7h7 hours ago
Reps from Monarch say take what you know about people who smoke pot and throw it out the window @ksfynews
“Beware The Zealot, for her’s is a selfish endeavor.”
Lynn: your slippery slope argument won’t hold up in committee. Try harder.
Dana Ferguson @bydanaferguson 53m53 minutes ago
Quote that didn’t make story: “The sky isn’t falling. People aren’t going to start doing meth and rails of coke on the hoods of their cars”
Lynn, you’re hardening me with your thrusts. Makes me strong.
Monarch wouldn’t have any financial gain by making that statement right? Just like the 21st century snake oils salesmen making wild claims about pot, Rachel from Cardmember services, Used car sales people, the scam call you get for Windows support from overseas.
When a great deal of money is to be made some will say anything to make a buck and in this case the pot gold rush a boatload of cash!
Monarch doesn’t have the luxury to work for free like i do.
this post is poised to eclipse the harrisburg shooter in hit counts.
Has congress done anything bi-partisan in 2014? Indeed they have https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/683
The American people have grown tired of the failed drug war and see it for what it is, a sham that has done nothing. It is coming, just like gay marriage. Marty will huff and puff (hmmmm) and try to blow the house down, but in the end, and probably at much cost to South Dakota taxpayers, his house of cards will be reshuffled to sanity.
Lynn,keep looking up.
Larry who resides in New Mexico,
I’ll just let this be what someone else came up with the Dakotans For Pot Blog and just focus on calls and getting things done offline. Friday night is a chill out night from calling but will resume tomorrow morning.
Can’t wait to see you at a legislative hearing if your able to make it. It will be a big bonus for our efforts. I’m sure Marty and his staff will be glad to welcome you too with open handcuffs. lol :)
2016 will be a very interesting election year. That’s for sure!
Adios
aside to bill flaming: talk about the morning sun glare in the gap.
lynn, yer a blithering nincompoop.
lynn: my template works in new mexico. two towns off-reservation work: las vegas and silver city. the pueblos are way ahead of me in this effort: santo domingo pueblo among them.
Thought you’d never ask, Larry :-)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PUfXJfXC28
Next sessions Wyoming, Nebraska and Montana’s legislatures are going full force on cannabis revenue.
Back to Cory’s original point: Paula Hawks has a unique opportunity to lead on this issue as a statewide candidate and a legislator. Whether she has our backing is paramount to her chances.
Join me in supporting her efforts to make South Dakota safe for Democrats again.
I have joined her in her efforts to make South Dakota a better place for all.
Lynn,do you know how to keep a maroon occupied for 24 hours?
i’ve plowed the road, fleming: build in the windrow now.
Governor Daugaard: pardon Bob Newland.
Sometimes accidents just happen involving young folks even if you are completely sober.
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Drivers-ed-student-crashes-car-through-front-of-driving-school-333269191.html
Lynn is just one person here against many. Many that won’t pick up the phone and get into the game. It is her right to choose as it is your right to do nothing and bitch at her. I don’t agree with her logic but do agree with her rights to do as she has chosen.
Lynn doesn’t get to make stuff up without getting called on it. Because pot was found in both vehicles does not mean pot contributed to the crash. Neither driver was suspected of impaired driving,but darling Lynn isn’t concerned with the facts. Only her own made up narrative.
Les, everyone has a right to engage in political activism. But I am disappointed that Lynn, who seems to be a well-informed participant in the political sphere, would attack the Democratic Party on such thin evidence on an issue of so little relative import. Mike, I’m less concerned with the debate about the merits of Lynn’s position on pot itself (remember, I think that smoking pot is a waste of time and that recreational marijuana offers little if any social utility) and more with her willingness to blow a few discussions on this one blog and an absence of opposition from the Democratic Party up into a narrative that the Democratic Party poses a greater danger to life and liberty than the Republican Party.
Lynn did respond, sort of, under another post, to my question about whom she would endorse in a Thune–Heidelberger or Novstrup–Heidelberger contest by asking “Are you announcing your run for John Thune or David Novstrup’s seat? Which one and when?”
I am not announcing, Lynn; I am posing a hypothetical question to test the political principle you are laying down. Do the sum of my public statements on marijuana policy, my hosting of these conversations on Dakota Free Press, and the actual positions of other South Dakota Democrats on this issue provide you with enough reason to campaign for John Thune or for David Novstrup if I challenge either of them in 2016?
What you are wailing about with Lynn is absolutely what many participants of your blog do on a daily basis. If there is one thing they think about someone not entirely inline with their beliefs they are more than willing to call that person responsible for all the problems of the repub party and drive them from the blog with almost any attack being acceptable. Essentially driving them from participation where similar beliefs could and have pulled in tandem.
You ain’t fixin nuthin, teach until you start cleaning some of the other mess onsite as well. An absolute as to why many republicans went Pressler rather than Weiland in their vote against Rounds. Until we work together to elect quality people regardless of party we are stuck with the best money can buy! The attitudes here are a gift that keeps on giving to the GOP.
What the perceived gift that keeps on giving to the GOP is denial. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjYWGpnnaeI
Yes, Jer. Denial is exactly where you are.
No Les, I am not a republican, so denial is not an option. I see the truth clearly. Republicans in position, only see the moolah that can be skimmed from the taxpayers with impunity, so who are you for in this and why are you not outraged at the corruption?
Intriguing Jer, do tell why you feel so intuitively confident that I’m not outraged at all the corruption.
I’ve shared my concern many times over the last 8 years here. Because I’m not part of your little circle jerk here now, you assume to know what I’m doing and what is on my mind.
I can safely assume you have no good relationship with any republican and a minimal relationship with your position Dems who besides a couple of ladies, the rest hide safely behind their skirts.
Again all positives for continued biz as usual in Pierre.