Feinstein backs effort to defeat marijuana legalization

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, California’s senior senator, has lent her support to the campaign to defeat Proposition 19, the marijuana legalization measure on the state’s November ballot.

The prominent Democrat, first elected to the Senate in 1992, signed the ballot argument against the initiative. On Monday, she issued a statement through the opposition campaign calling the measure “a jumbled legal nightmare that will make our highways, our workplaces and our communities less safe.”

Roger Salazar, spokesman for Public Safety First, said the opposition committee sought Feinstein’s support.

“She’s one of the most respected figures in California,” he said. “She has a great history with law enforcement and dealing with this type of issue. We’re looking at a bipartisan effort.”

Proposition 19 would allow adults 21 and older to possess, grow and transport marijuana, and would allow cities and counties to regulate and tax commercial sales. Most of the state’s top elected officials and candidates for statewide office — from both major parties — are against the initiative.

Dale Sky Clare, a spokesman for Tax Cannabis 2010, the committee behind the measure, said it was not surprising that Feinstein and other statewide politicians opposed it.

“I’m just not putting a lot of faith in politicians to lead,” she said. “The voters have always led on this issue.”

-- John Hoeffel

Comments

[Kevin]

Feinstein is stupid. If Feinstein were smart, she would have just stayed out of this issue rather than take a stupid stand. If alcohol is OK to be legal, so too is marijuana. Its just stupid -- even hypocritical -- to argue against marijuana if you're not going to support complete prohibition.

[RabidinL.A.]

Feinstein represents only herself and her archaic opinions and is famous for legislation without representation. She doesn't give a hoot about her constituents, i.e., the will of the people. Out you go Whinestein.

[Dooder]

If this legislation happens to pass (and, based upon utilitarian logic, I do hope so), the previous posts that mention the Federal opposition may be lacking foresight. While the majority of the poster's on this blog seem to think that the Federal agencies (DEA) will suddenly ingress upon the state of California, this may prove futile. Although I admittedly don't know the current population of the state, I do know that there are nowhere near enough Federal agents to suddenly enforce their delusional wishes.

Instead, I predict that the Feds will allow it to pass, as to them this is simply a minor "inconvienence". Then, instead of "raiding" the state, they will simply threaten to suspend all future funding for Interstate Highway infrastructure (maintenance, additions, and general upkeep). The Feds did the same thing to Idaho when the state legal drinking age was 18, which conflicted with Federally enacted standards (at the current 21). Students from Washington (WSU) simply drove to Idaho (Pullman to Moscow) to have fun, against the wishes of the Fed.

So, those of you if favor of cannibus legalization may want to add this minor cost when calculating the overall fiscal benefit to the state. If the Department of Transportation refuses to provide compensation for the Interstates and you think that your fiscal outlook is bad now...

As a side thought: I am really suprised that organized political lobbying organizations such as MADD have not voiced their opinion on this issue, as they do have a quite large base to distribute "reefer madness" propaganda to, in the hopes of continuing to promote a "war" that cannot and will not be won.

[bobbyz]

Politicians have done nothing but line their pockets full of lobbyist monies in there PAC'S. Then they dictate what is best for the public. HOW DARE THEY.

[alan Shore]

She just lost my vote.

[Carla]

Uh, Alexis Rae, there are 86 million registered Democrats and 55 million registered Republicans in the U.S.. The country has more Democrats than Republicans. And Feinstein is a Democrat. Maybe you need to target the Democrats for this not the Republicans, many of whom lean more towards Libertarianism and don't believe in the government mandating personal habits such as smoking pot or removing individual rights. Don't confuse them with the bible-toting bunch who only comprise about 25 percent of the Republican base.

[Rudy Solis]

Proposition 19 will pass, no matter what senator Feinstein say.
California voters will confirm that in November.

[denbee]

All of America will be watching California this November. I see this as a battle of the old guard vs. the new guard. Diane may have arrived in Washington a polictical virgin but she certainly has evolved into one of Washington's finest political whores. She has forgotten what personal freedom is about. She has forgotten that marijuana prohibition means ruining the lives of almost a million citizens each year. She has forgotten that the personal use of marijuana in our homes, away from the children, is a victimless "crime" and should be of no concern of our Government. Busting down citizen's doors and ransacking their homes and making criminals out of them all in an effort to prevent them consuming a botanical herb that grows anywhere, and has been acknowleged to be safer than alcohol, seems a bit draconian in light of what we now know about marijuana. Maybe it is time to see what happens to old congressional war horses who still live and believe in the reefer madness of the past and choose to defy the will of such a large segment of the people they are supposed to be representing. Good luck Diane, I believe you will be needing it.

[Carla]

Feinstein is not a respected Senator at all. In fact, she is hated by most Californians who feel she bought here way into that office and should leave. She bears a lot of responsibility for all the problems Ca. is having and its decline in the last decade.

[Kirk Muse]

So why does Feinstein want marijuana to remain completely unregulated,
untaxed and controlled by crimials?

Just like alcohol was when it was illegal.

[Patty]

I support the legalization and I have never been a pot smoker nor profiteer of it. One of the largest allocation in California's budget is law enforcement and the prison system with the largest sector in our prisons being drug users, many of them pot heads. Big pharma donates a huge amount of money to the likes of Feinstein who is bought and she has always sided with multi-national corporations. She is a Dino as she recently showed when she tried to overturn our deserts from federal protection. She has been a major disappointment in so many ways for so long(and I say this as a lifelong democrat) that this latest position is no surprise. Last, the number one way teens are getting high is by prescription pills and there is not one recorded death ever from a pot overdose. Legalizing pot won't solve the budget crisis but it would force an allocation of law enforcemnt resources to better use.

[WendiG]

I am shocked and surprised that Feinstein would be against this initiative..if it's a jumble of dificult language, get some amendments going..don't throw out the baby with the bathwater.
Why would a good politican State mired in debt and despair want to turn away from an idea that could concievably help to turn California's fortunes around?
I am gob-smacked that the State I was born and raised in has come to this sorry pass..people will continue to cultivate, sell, distribute and use marijuana, no matter what..like gay marriage, this constant negative voting against victimless concepts is mired in stupidity and stubborness; be pragmatic and get this thing done..the worst thing that can happen is some new tax income for the State...and nothing is needed more..

[citizen]

if it was made legal one ounce would cost $38. Which would mean a loss of a couple of hundrend dollars per ounce. Taking away a large amount of profit.

[frankyfrank]

The article reads "Proposition 19 would allow adults 21 and older to possess, grow and transport marijuana, and would allow cities and counties to regulate and tax commercial sales". how? wouldn't this just lead to more underground sales?

[madmatt6773]

We realistically have just two choices;
1) Continue to allow the criminals and cartels to control the growing, distribution, and untaxed sales of Cannabis (even to minors) while reaping astronomical profits from the illegal Cannabis trade and killing thousands of innocent Mexican victims every year or,
2) Legalize and regulate Cannabis keeping the distribution and sales under the control of the government while putting all that money into our economy instead of sending it south of the border.
Cannabis and it's users are not going to go away. The choice is yours. Which will it be?

[Joe Riley]

we need to get these old bags out of office.. term limits need to be increased .. we need young progressive next - generation folks in office. green minded, solar, etc. not old fashioned closed minded people like this.

don't worry guys the voters will pass this. There is no way any right minded Californian would pass up on the privilege to blaze legally at home!

[Carla]

Feinstein has sold out so many times and on this one I think it's all about that marijuana is an herb that anyone can grow and cultivate. It's not something that requires a factory or mass production. There's no profit in it for the elite. And let's face it, everyone will be growing their own to avoid paying exorbitant prices. Let the people speak on this and determine what they want. All politicians are owned by corporations anyway who all have self-serving agendas.

[blinkingblythe]

Fun Fact: Marajuana was outlawed because it (hemp) was competing with the cotton industry. Also, racism was used in the push to make it illegal.

[Wise 'ol geezer]

Feinstein is hardly representative of many of us ASIDE from the marijuana issue.
I'm referring to her constant pro Zionist position in support of theIsraelis over the Palestinians on a par with Lieberman from Connecticut.

[Lee]

Franky - No it wouldn't because the price would drop to drive out the underground sales of marijuana.

As an avid pot smoker, of course I'll lend my support to the legalization of marijuana. If I'm looking to have a late night, then I'll have a Beer or a Mixed drink. If I want to relax after a long day at work, I'll smoke a bowl. Point being, marijuana is nowhere near the potency of alcohol. Those who disagree have most likely never used marijuana and don't know what they are talking about.

Also, did someone really post that California will be ruined because the sale of alcohol will deminish with the legalization of marijuana? Interesting point of view..

[Backing away from you and your party]

I've just twittered that I now have no intention of voting for this woman, despite being a fairly devout little liberal. See what's going to happen, Mrs. Feinstein? You're going to utterly alienate your young voters.

[Steve]

Lost my vote.

[airica]

The fact that a substance as bad as alcohol which has 100% no medical benefits is legal negates any arguments that a plant with medical benefits of any kind like marijuana should be illegal.

[Riley]

I don't need some idiot politician giving me permission to use marijuana. Feinstein is a crony. She and her family have made millions of dollars off the people of California, and I'm not referring to all her white, rich friends. Her husband is helping to destroy the UC system and make higher education unaffordable for the middle class. I used to be proud that I was from a state that had two female Senators, but they're as bad as all their fellow politicians, whether male/female or dem/repub. I'd be happy to listen to Feinstein if she could demonstrate that she was capable of tackling more pressing issues, such as the pathetic public education system, high unemployment and homelessness, and the state of health care in Cali. Right now I'm proud that I can medicate myself with marijuana in what I still consider to be a wonderful place to live. If all 18-35 voted, she'd never be in office. It's that simple. Suck it, Feinstein!

[claygooding]

I wonder if the senator has updated her resume lately.
With all the evidence available and the congress failing to support the millions of unemployed but spending 700 million on border security
because of the prohibition,there should be no incumbents returning after the next elections.
The fact that legalization of marijuana would reduce the cartels income by 70% alone should have been signal enough for even the most skeptical legislator to push for change,instead of just throwing more money at the problem.