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CrayolaHalls said:
This is probably your best bet for traditional news coverage:  http://www.latimes.com/

These people will also have lots going on:  http://yeson19.com/

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ill be pissed if it passes and dosn't get a mention on the news over here. but for me it seems too good to be true.

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Friends & Family!

I just wanted to take a moment to encourage everyone to speak with their own friends and families about this important issue.

Voting against Proposition 19 would maintain a status quo that directly hurts tens of thousands of people in California every year who face legal consequences on account of the prohibitionary laws governing their personal use of marijuana.  It is an absolute travesty that our financially strapped state has been forced to continue this strain on our entire criminal justice system, just to hunt down and prosecute non-violent marijuana offenders.  Our state legislature recognized this fact when Governor Schwarzenegger signed SB 1449 into law last week, effectively reducing the penalty for public use of pot from a misdemeanor (requiring a court appearance and criminal record) to an infraction (which is the same class as a parking ticket - no court appearance, no court costs, and no criminal record).

Beyond that, people who fear these laws against cannabis will often turn to less safe legal alternatives such as the synthetic JWH compounds found in K2 and Spice over the counter herbal blends, which have been reported to produce adverse health affects and have a very short history of use.  Untainted marijuana on the other hand is extremely low in toxicity and holds a long history of safe use.

Please remember to vote yes on Proposition 19, and forward this email to family and friends who may have a misunderstanding of the real issues here.  The latest polls are showing passable support for proposition 19, but the only poll that matters is the one on November 2nd!

Some interesting and related commentary:

• Legalization will improve public safety
  
• If People Oppose Prop 19, Are They Prohibitionists?
  
• Out-Foxed on Fox News (video): Part 1 and Part 2
  
• Other related videos...

I hope everyone is enjoying the rain!



Thanks for reading,
~Mike

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Attorney General Eric Holder vowed this week to "vigorously enforce" federal laws against marijuana even if California voters approve a November initiative legalizing its use for recreational purposes.

In a letter to former drug enforcement administrators, Holder called prosecution against marijuana users, distributors and manufacturers a "core priority" of the Department of Justice and said it would remain so regardless of whether Proposition 19 passes. The letter marked the first time Holder has directly indicated what position his department would take should the recreational use initiative become state law.

"Let me state clearly that the Department of Justice strongly opposes Proposition 19," Holder said in a letter dated Wednesday. "If passed, this legislation will greatly complicate federal drug enforcement efforts to the detriment of our citizens."

Proponents of Proposition 19 said Holder was "posturing."

"The reality is that the federal government has neither the resources nor the political will to undertake sole - or even primary - enforcement responsibility for low level marijuana offenses in California," said Stephen Gutwillig, California director of the Drug Policy Alliance, in a statement. "Well over 95 percent of all marijuana arrests in this country are made by state and local law enforcement."

Under President Barack Obama, the U.S. Department of Justice last year said it would not prosecute medical marijuana use in states where it is legal, a change in policy from the Bush administration.

Proposition 19 would make California the first U.S. state to authorize marijuana use for recreational purposes. The initiative would allow adults 21 years or older to use or grow limited amounts of marijuana. It would also allow local governments and the state to tax the commercial sale of marijuana.

Supporters have suggested that the legalization of recreational marijuana use would bolster cash-strapped governments in California and reduce costs for law enforcement and corrections.

Holder was responding to a letter sent in August by nine former administrators of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency urging him to take a stance on Proposition 19. In the letter, the former DEA officials said, "It is unlikely that any taxes will be paid, for doing so would admit criminal violation of federal law and expose the seller to federal prosecution."

Tom Angell, spokesman for the Yes on 19 campaign, disputed that argument, saying that medical marijuana dispensaries already have contributed millions of dollars in taxes on payroll, sales and property.

"What they say we can't do, we're already doing," Angell said. "They were doing it before the (2009) memo. Those concerns are overblown and off-base."


Read more: http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/10/15/2119608/feds-say-they-will-enforce-pot.html#ixzz12T8Fsicd

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FurrowedBrow said:
I hate the be the bearer of bad news.  But surely you all expected this kind of a federal response...


Feds vow to enforce pot laws even if Prop. 19 passes

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Attorney General Eric Holder vowed this week to "vigorously enforce" federal laws against marijuana even if California voters approve a November initiative legalizing its use for recreational purposes.

.....


"What they say we can't do, we're already doing," Angell said. "They were doing it before the (2009) memo. Those concerns are overblown and off-base."

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The AG has to 'vow to uphold US law' its his job

Those concerns are overblown and off-base .... pretty much sums up what the AG said IMO

I would so vote for the California election, but I'm not in California. Only if there was a way... 

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T-Rex said:
That's one thing I can agree with, I'm glad I'm alive to see this new chapter of history begin. Looking forward to laughing with my grand kids over a joint on how bud used to be illegal back when everyone was crazy.

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