tvashtarkatena

Counted 624 coup this time around (voters who missed at least one election in the past 4, including new voters) - 3 volunteers, 3 precincts. Each volunteer spent about 5 hours canvassing. Mail in only voting should definitely increase voter participation this time around. Most folks contacted had already voted or had their ballots filled out already. Most people are happy to tell you they've voted, even who for (we weren't asking). There were far fewer Unfriendlies this time around - mail in is so much easier, particularly for the elderly, people with work conflicts, and people with disabilities, and overall everyone seemed less stressed out about the whole process. People seem to really like being able to just get it over with. Canvassing was much more thorough this time in Seattle, far fewer precincts went unloved this time. Your WA ballot must be postmarked by Tue. Alternatively, you can drop your ballot off at one of a handful of drop boxes - the new Ballard library on 57th St for Seattle NW region. If you're a registered WA voter and you didn't receive a ballot, you can file a provisional ballot at these drop locations.

Wait at least 30 days for the law to kick in. Plus, blowing weed in public will attract that same type of law enforcement attention as chugging 40s in public.

Initiatives such as I 502 that are passed by the voters much be implemented by the legislature as written. They become law 30 days after the passage by the voters. I 502, like most complex legislation, allows for a one year rule making period for the State to work out the details of its implementation. In Washington, no initiated statute may be amended or repealed for two years without a 2/3 supermajority vote of both chambers. Any initiated law, so amended, is not subject to veto referendum. After two years, the law may be repealed or amended by a simple majority vote. State laws, initiatives included, must not violate the state's constitution. Initiatives, therefore, can and have been struck down in whole or in part by the courts due to such constitutional conflicts. 'Defunding' initiatives, presumably using the Appropriations clause of the WA state constitution, has not yet been attempted.

thanks for your yay votes, gentlemen.

Nope. He's been famously critical of both candidates right up to his endorsement. Might I suggest getting your news from sources other than FB.

Halt the Revolution! There are four huge tittied cougars at the bottom of the page who claim they don't WANT young men, they want ME.

gentlemen, you've interrupted my inspirational manifesto.

GDP and Uncle Sam's Pie are abstractions. I mean, really, as individuals, who fucking cares? How many folks in America wake up and ask "IS GDP GROWTH OK???!!!!" Wealth concentration is not an abstraction. We have a worsening wealth concentration problem in this country, relative to other developed countries its abysmal. It's stifling growth, eroding the middle class, making access to the middle class more difficult, and, while I know this is may be too much of an abstraction for ya: increasing human suffering. The Simpleton's agenda that is the GOP's tax cut mantra is partially responsible. Well, that and spending even more than the 700B/yr (yup...that's 14 Sandy recoveries folks...per year) we already spend on a military that's already larger than the next 14 countries combined. We don't wealth redistribution in this country, we need to reclaim the wealth that the wealthiest have stolen from those who created their wealth for them in this country.

Who's Off-ended?

My 2nd Chair wishes to note that prefacing a statement with 'truth be told' often indicates the opposite. If this is, indeed, a cry for help, it wishes me to affectionately ruffle your hair and let you know that its all going to be OK.

The NAACP reports that 'non-whites' polled nationwide strongly favor marital equality, however. Maryland has a large Black Baptist population actively pushing the Biblical marriage thing. I couldn't find any info, and perhaps there is none to be had, on how Washington's blacks feel about the issue, but I'm always dubious about these kind of racial breakdowns as monolithic voting blocks anyway.

A majority of Maryland's blacks are against marriage equality. Maybe there really is something to this belief in nothing.

He's just an aggregator, but I like the array of disparate data he's assembled, most especially the US economic data. Silver's analysis is good. He explains his robustness analyses well. He tries to look at things from a number of different standpoints. A small team of statisticians with varying viewpoints would probably produce even more robust analyses, but, in the end, its a predictive model - and it there is only so much inherent value one can squeeze out of it. FWIW, Silver's 538 model currently shows a 4:1 chance of an Obama win - kind of hard not to feel a little shamefully premature stoke if you're of a commie/librul bent. The trend of this probability is clearly on the rise and even seems to have a wee bit of acceleration, much like the curvature of an increasingly cheerful John Thomas.

Not showing up at all may well be the most efficient way to preach nihilism.

There are those who get me, those who don't, and those who don't care. I'm a member of the last group. Please address all further inquiries regarding this important matter to my 2nd chair. SAKU

Looks cobbled together. All seriousness aside, though, there's a ton of great stuff there for the political super dweeb.

Communion 'wine'? CASCAE Ministries invites you to think outside the box!

I'll give that my usual level of concern.

NPR's Steve Scher has some guests discussing 502 (and other initiatives). Apparently, the pot legalization initiatives in OR and CO, unlike WA, aren't as well according to polls precisely because they lack a DUI provision. They also discussed discussed the fact that only real opposition to 502 is dispensary owners who want to maintain the current Wild West situation - and that their vocal opposition has actually pushed WA voters towards, not away, from I 502. Stoned hippies who want the right to drive high don't make the best spokespeople for a soccer mom audience. It was a good thing the 502 drafters consulted extensively with John McKay, former US attorney and endorser of 502. He has been instrumental in creating an initiative that voters will actually support.

Hmmm. I don't think of you much at all.

I already head my ministry, for which Ivan is Arch Deacon, so separation of church and state precludes me from running for office.

I could. WA still sends my brother Matt's ballot to me after not having lived here for 10 years. I tear and toss, of course. The Heart of Democracy must remain Pure, lest it be Broken.

As of Oct 31, 56 for, 37 against, error +/- 4, 7 undecided. Never assume, though. This thing is still controversial. Mail that ballot in. BTW - you can still vote at one of WA polling places (yes, there are a few provided for this purpose) on election day if you lost, destroyed, or didn't receive your ballot.

Regarding Kids and the zero tolerance thing: Gross misdemeanor: In the case of an incident where a person under age twenty-one has submitted to or been administered a test or tests indicating that the alcohol concentration of the person's breath or blood was 0.02 or more, or that the THC concentration of the person's blood was above 0.00: (a) For a first incident within seven years, suspension or denial for ninety days; (b) For a second or subsequent incident within seven years, revocation or denial for one year or until the person reaches age twenty-one, whichever is longer. (5) Except as provided in subsection (6) of this section, a violation of this section is a gross misdemeanor. (6) It is a class C felony punishable under chapter 9.94A RCW, or chapter 13.40 RCW if the person is a juvenile, if: (a) The person has four or more prior offenses within ten years as defined in RCW 46.61.5055; or (b) The person has ever previously been convicted of: (i) Vehicular homicide while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, RCW 46.61.520(1)(a); (ii) Vehicular assault while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, RCW 46.61.522(1)(b); (iii) An out-of-state offense comparable to the offense specified in (b)(i) or (ii) of this subsection; or (iv) A violation of this subsection (6) or RCW 46.61.504(6). (6) It is a class C felony punishable under chapter 9.94A RCW, or chapter 13.40 RCW if the person is a juvenile, if: (a) The person has four or more prior offenses within ten years as defined in RCW 46.61.5055; or (b) The person has ever previously been convicted of: (i) Vehicular homicide while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, RCW 46.61.520(1)(a); (ii) Vehicular assault while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, RCW 46.61.522(1)(b); (iii) An out-of-state offense comparable to the offense specified in (b)(i) or (ii) of this subsection; or (iv) A violation of this subsection (6) or RCW 46.61.504(6). Seems reasonable to me. SW and Sarich have done a lot of screaming about kid felonies. Seems like only the dirtbags would be convicted of them, no? For this, people want to vote NO?

BTW, I do not agree with the zero tolerance provision for minors. I'm not sure the drafters do, either, but it was a deal breaker criminal justice professionals, mainly law enforcement, and without their support, I 502 is DOA. Even so, the net effect of I 502 will be a reduction in arrests due to a reduction in the black market and therefore availability - like alcohol and tobacco today. The 'more kids will be arrested' argument is a misinformation talking point. It makes zero sense under analysis - and we did the experiment with Prohibition. Anyway, reform of certain provisions can and will happen. Nothing will happen, however, if I 502 doesn't pass. Getting anything done in politics requires compromise. Success takes years and years of trying, failing, and revising, and waiting. Its long, hard, and frustrating work. Welcome to the real world. Carping from the sidelines about a Utopia that satisfies one's personal interests, and ignoring of the opinions of a large percentage of a voting public wary from 41 years of Drug War propaganda, and having no plan or funding for an actual win, requires no compromise, of course.