Prop. 19 and Other Election Stuff

Proposition 19, the California initiative to legalize possession and cultivation of relatively small amounts of weed for personal use failed yesterday.  Here's a short piece about the measure that appeared before the election: http://chronicle.com/blogs/brainstorm/kristof-crouch-soros-and-mcnamara-on-prop-19/27987.  Call me whatever you want (and I've been called lots of things) but I agree with the voices in the article, even arch liberal George Soros--this war we have on pot is nuts.  People want to smoke weed and it's no worse for you than alcohol.  I agree that pot is a gateway drug and a lot of people begin their drug abuse tailspin through pot usage just like I know for a fact that alcohol does the same for many.  But, most pot users--like most alcohol users--do so and live responsibly at the same time, reporting in for work each day and baking delicious brownies at night.  We've got better uses for our tax dollars and police and I have a little spot in my backyard that gets just the right amount of sun and shade.

Lots of Republicans won last night.  You think Obama overreached or what?  I thought he was smarter--a big chunk of the country identifies itself as "conservative"--much more than "liberal," so he maybe should have had one of those best and brightest surrounding him point that little fact out along the way while he was ripping the Republicans a new one.  The R's now have Congress and  I'm not sure they know what they're going to do with it but I do know for sure that John Boehner is going to be lighting up Camels in his office while cheerfully suggesting that Nancy Pelosi can go suck it.  Anyway, I think that despite the big win in Congress, Republicans would make a mistake by thinking it's a mandate of some sort--it was a market correction of the political variety.  I have every confidence that the R's will muddle around and screw up things in fine fashion which should work in the president's favor in a few years.  But, for the moment, he can sneak over to Boehner's office for a smoke.

The day following elections should be reserved for the expeditious removal of political signs from public and private places, along with a ritual peeling off of bumper stickers.  Note: for those of you whose candidates won, you come off as a preening ass by leaving your bumper stickers affixed to the Prius.  If you lost, you appear as the bitter, self righteous ass variety.  Don't be an ass.  In fact, all the world and especially your friends and neighbors would much rather not know your politics at all or get your prayer train emails or see you without makeup.  Speaking of which, I live in an area with a lot of transplants from other parts of the country.  You see them on Saturday or Sunday mornings in public venues (HEB, kids sporting events, etc.) wearing absolutely no make up, the effect of which is typically hideous.  That contrasts with a Texas (or Southern) girl who wouldn't show up to a dawn hanging or 6:30AM 10k with a 105 degree fever without the expert application of makeup and a smart touch up of their hair.  Reminds once again that once you go north of the Red River, it gets a little dicey in the female department.  Hear the pot's better in California, though.