wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

I am heartened to see marijuana decriminalization and medical marijuana propositions doing well. The Federal Government has been wasting money on criminalizing pot for way too long. Good to see that sanity is prevailing, one state at a time. I'd love to hear Brian interview someone from the Marijuana Policy Project about what's going on out there re: the state of marijuana policy.

more about am 1 in florida:
http://www.sptimes.com/2008/01/20/State/QA__Understanding_Ame.shtml

CORRECTION to my comment:

I meant the right-hand side of the booth. I'm talking about the veteran's rights amendment in NYC.

Well I'm one of those who didn't vote on the prop in NYC. I read it over and over and over again before going to vote and have NO idea what it would have done so I thought it save not to vote on something I don't understand. I have to say that's the case about 50% of the time when there is one of those props in NYC.
I also chose not to vote for Carolyn Baloney, my congressperson because he voted for the bailout. I didn't vote for her opponents either because I have never heard of either of them before and have no idea what they were (are) all about. So another blank on my voting record

I would like to know how it is possible that billionaires get to create these ballot initiatives, spend huge sums of money to promote them and actually change the laws. Example: Ron Lauder and NYC term limits; Ward Connolly and Affirmative Action. And now Prop 8 and the proposition just mentioned in Missouri. How can outsiders come into a state and affect that state's laws. This has to be inherently undemocratic -- the manipulating the people with these divisive measures.

link to the amendment 1 issue:

http://www.tampabay.com/incoming/article821389.ece

I heard that the wording of Prop 8 was so misleading that people who voted YES thought that they were supporting gay marriage.

Also, after the election in New York, I asked my friends if they'd voted on the amendment. None of them knew what I was talking about -- they didn't even notice it way over there on the left-hand side in the booth!

How true is the rhetoric that Prop 8 was the only Ballot Proposition that eliminated the rights of citizens rather than enforcing them?

Can we her take on proposition 11 in California (independent commission on state legislative districting)? What are the prospects for this kind of commission being adopted by other states in the future?

I'm saddened by the passing of Prop 8 in California, rescinding the rights of Gays to marry.

A similar thing happened in NY, although in reverse, when the voters spoke against mayoral term limits, but this was rescinded.

And to hear Mayor Bloomberg's comment about calling it a democratic process after listening to objections to the bill but signed it anyway. What democracy?

Banning 'abortion' from the moment of conception includes the most effective forms of birth control as well. IUDs definitely prevent implantation of the egg, and the pill is thought to as well. Less effective birth control can only lead to more need fro abortions - or more unwanted children.

Michigan also passed a medicinal marijuana measure, do we know what the details are?

[[Producer Note: The Michigan ballot made it the 13th state to allow residents - with a doctor's approval - to use marijuana to treat pain caused by cancer and other chronic diseases.]]

Sorry for my ignorance but how do ballot measure make it to the voting booth - who puts them there and how are they generated?