Initiative To Legalize Marijuana

An initiative to legalize marijuana and allow it to be sold and taxed will appear on the November ballot, state election officials announced Wednesday, triggering what will probably be a much-watched campaign that once again puts California on the forefront of the nation's debate over whether to soften drug laws.

The number of valid signatures reported by Los Angeles County, submitted minutes before Wednesday's 5 p.m. deadline, put the measure well beyond the 433,971 it needed to be certified. Supporters turned in 694,248 signatures, collecting them in every county except Alpine. County election officials estimated that 523,531 were valid.

The measure's main advocate, Richard Lee, an Oakland marijuana entrepreneur, savored the chance to press his case with voters that the state's decades-old ban on marijuana is a failed policy.

"We're one step closer to ending cannabis prohibition and the unjust laws that lock people up for cannabis while alcohol is not only sold openly but advertised on television to kids every day," he said.

Lee, tapping $1.3 million from his businesses, has put together a highly organized campaign that he emphasized Wednesday would be led by a team of experienced political consultants, including Chris Lehane, a veteran operative who has worked in the White House and on presidential campaigns.

"There's all kinds of big professional politicos who are coming on board now to take it to the next level," Lee said.

Opponents have also started to put together their campaign. "There's going to be a very broad coalition opposing this that will include law enforcement," said John Lovell, a Sacramento lobbyist who represents the California Police Chiefs Assn. and other law enforcement groups. "We'll educate people as to what this measure really entails."

The measure, like the medical marijuana initiative, could put California on a collision course with the federal government. The possession and sale of marijuana remain a federal crime.

This month, President Obama's drug czar, R. Gil Kerlikowske, decried legalization in a speech to police chiefs in San Jose.

The initiative would allow adults 21 or older to possess up to an ounce for personal use.

Possession of an ounce or less has been a misdemeanor with a $100 fine since 1975, when Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown, who was then governor, signed a law that reduced tough marijuana penalties that had allowed judges to impose 10-year sentences.

Legalization supporters note that misdemeanor arrests have risen dramatically in California in the last two decades. The initiative would also allow adults to grow up to 25 square feet of marijuana per residence or parcel.

But the measure, known as the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act, goes further, allowing cities and counties to adopt ordinances that would authorize the cultivation, transportation and sale of marijuana, which could be taxed to raise revenue.

Supporters hope this feature will win over voters watching local governments jettison employees and programs in the midst of a severe budget crisis.

Three other marijuana legalization initiatives have been floated this year but are not expected to qualify for the ballot. One failed, one was withdrawn and one remains active.

Lovell said that the initiative would lead to increased marijuana use, cause the same kind of social ills as alcohol and tobacco and put more demands on law enforcement. He said voters are distressed by the medical marijuana law. "Neighborhoods feel very uncomfortable with these locations that have a lot of dope and a lot of cash," he said.

Lee countered that the state's experience with medical marijuana shows "the sky didn't fall." He said the measure would allow police to focus on serious crime, undercut Mexican drug cartels and make it harder for teenagers to buy marijuana.

Underscoring the importance the backing of law enforcement will play, Lee's campaign on Wednesday highlighted the support of retired Orange County Superior Court Judge James P. Gray, a former L.A. County deputy sheriff and Torrance police officer.

With polls showing that a slim majority of voters support legalization, the legalization campaign will be trying to appeal to a slice of undecided voters who are mostly mothers. "It's always easier for people to say no than to say yes for an initiative," said Mark Baldassare, the pollster for the Public Policy Institute of California.

Lee hopes to raise as much as $20 million. He will probably be able to tap a handful of wealthy advocates who have supported efforts to relax drug laws, including multibillionaire investor George Soros and George Zimmer, founder of the Men's Wearhouse. Zimmer has donated at least $20,000.

Lovell said he expected to raise less than his opponents but would have enough to get his message out.

source: John Hoeffel

Chile's Earthquake will have on copper

Uncertainty over the impact Chile's earthquake will have on copper production is likely to mean higher prices, according to analysts.

Chile is the world's biggest copper miner, and although officials have promised to honour its export commitments, supply worries remain.

Production at four major mines was suspended - affecting around 20% of the country's capacity.

Chile's mining minister said it could take two days for production to resume.

Risk premium

Aside from the direct impact of the disaster on the mines themselves, there are other factors that could slow the production process, such as transport and power supplies.

Jonathan Barratt, managing director of Commodity Broking Services, said: "People will start to build in a risk premium early on Monday. That will remain for as long as uncertainty exists and things like assessing the impact on fuel supplies and so on will take some time."

On Friday, the main three-month copper contract closed at $7,195 a tonne.

One Singapore trader was quoted saying the price could rise to $7,400.

Source: BBC News

Health Care Plan

President Obama and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
CAPTIONBy Pablo Martinez Monsivais, APOnce President Obama signs the health care plan this morning, the White House becomes responsible for actually putting it into practice.

"The most important thing is that we implement it effectively," said White House senior adviser David Axelrod.

Obama and aides plan to stress aspects of the plan that take effect the soonest, including removal of restrictions on insurance coverage and increasing prescription drug coverage.

Republicans plan to focus on provisions that kick in down the line. They include higher taxes, changes in Medicare and the requirement that all Americans buy health insurance or face financial penalties.

It's a debate that will play out for years, with voters getting their first chance to weigh in during the Nov. 2 congressional elections.

Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., said yesterday on MSNBC that there is "a distinct possibility" Republicans can retake the House and Senate, thanks to "the overreach of the Democratic Party."

Axelrod begged to differ, saying voters will realize that GOP attacks on the health care plan are unfounded, if it is put in place effectively.

"I think this will sell itself," he said.

Source
(Posted by David Jackson)