Steven Greenhut
reason.com
November 23, 2012
When it comes to real political change, the people almost always are light years ahead of the politicians, most of whom are so worried about re-election that they take only carefully crafted positions that appeal to their core constituencies.
If anything, the general election reaffirmed the big-government status quo, but there was one good sign from the national results, as voters in Washington and Colorado passed, with strong majorities, measures legalizing the recreational use of marijuana. Voters ignored the hysteria of Republican and Democratic politicians and did the right thing.
This is a serious issue that involves law-enforcement priorities, basic freedoms, criminal justice reform, and basic economic issues involving black markets and taxation, not that you’d know it from the silly pot jokes one hears whenever discussing this matter. (As an example, Colorado’s Democratic governor, an opponent of the state’s measure, warned supporters,”Federal law still says marijuana is an illegal drug, so don’t break out the Cheetos or gold fish too quickly.”)
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