# Legalized Marijuana cost Republicans the election. Discuss **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 3, 2012, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804 "2012-12-03T00:39:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/21 "2012-12-03T03:37:40Z")
Whatching Bill Maher a few weeks ago. He had on that guy, I forget his name, but he was basically the driving force that got pot legalized in Colorado. He did so largely in part by educating the masses how relatively harmless pot is when compared to alcohol. It took an ass load of money to do this, but he did it. Here’s a good point he brought up: The legalization of pot is a platform that is completely up for grabs. Either party can take this and run with it. This platform becomes even more of a golden goose if the states that legalized it can show that it has saved them signifcant amounts of money, and maybe even [gasp] brought in some taxable revnue. Considering the state of the GOP these days, I’d run with this platform and never look back. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/22 "2012-12-03T03:38:48Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > I can’t tell if you are trying to troll me or are just obtuse. > That’s the mark of a good troll, by any measure. Please familiarize yourself with the rules of this forum. You’re not allowed to insult other posters or call them trolls. You can do that in The BBQ Pit, but not Elections or other forums. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/23 "2012-12-03T03:40:34Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > I’m saying the party that supports states’ rights should support the right of the states to decide internal matters. According to that logic, yes, they should. But that’s not the reason they lost this election. Marijuana and “states rights” issues of that type were much less important to voters than other matters, especially the economy. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/24 "2012-12-03T03:41:28Z")
In Colorado, the state that decided the election, marijuana legalization got a better share of the vote than Obama did. Polling indicated that the opposition to the amendment was correlated to age but not party. The only group that was solidly opposed were those aged 65+, and that includes those who self-identified as Tea Party supporters. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/25 "2012-12-03T03:48:15Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > In Colorado, the state that decided the election That’s not really how that works. And it’s still not clear if the tipping-point state was Pennsylvania or Colorado. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/26 "2012-12-03T03:53:03Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > That’s not really how that works. And it’s still not clear if the tipping-point state was Pennsylvania or Colorado. Plus, Obama would have won the election even if he lost both Pennsylvania and Colorado. I don’t see how embracing legalized pot would have won Republicans the election. Could the OP spell it out? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/27 "2012-12-03T03:58:02Z")
Well, if Obama had lost Pennsylvania and Colorado it would have meant he was probably doing badly among some important groups of voters for his campaign and he probably would have lost the whole thing. But I am wondering if the OP thinks most people would vote for a hands-way-way-off federal government libertarian-type candidate given the chance. The evidence says they wouldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/28 "2012-12-03T03:59:40Z")
> [@](#): > > What if a party stands for personal freedom and states’ rights over federal authority? > Shouldn’t that win an election? What do you mean by “should”? Do you mean that it would be better for such a position to win elections, or do you mean that you would expect that it actually would, in this imperfect world? ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/29 "2012-12-03T04:00:59Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > I’m saying the party that supports states’ rights should support the right of the states to decide internal matters. I am an independent voter. In my experience of voting since the Reagan era, the Republican party supports States rights only when it is expedient for their masses. It is not and never has been about supporting “States rights” over the Federal government. Nothing deeper than this. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/30 "2012-12-03T04:15:29Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > In my experience of voting since the Reagan era, the Republican party supports States rights only when it is expedient for their masses. Indeed, I rather suspect that a Doper named _ahem_ aNewLeaf is only supporting “State Rights” because its expedient in advancing one particular issue. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/31 "2012-12-03T05:40:38Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Well, if Obama had lost Pennsylvania and Colorado it would have meant he was probably doing badly among some important groups of voters for his campaign and he probably would have lost the whole thing. But I am wondering if the OP thinks most people would vote for a hands-way-way-off federal government libertarian-type candidate given the chance. The evidence says they wouldn’t. Well, sure. But I thought the OP meant that there were enough single issue pot people in Colorado (and Pennsylvania?) that Romney’s embrace of legalization would have won over those states. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/32 "2012-12-03T12:41:52Z")
Wait wait wait! I thought it was \*OHIO \*that decided the election! ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/33 "2012-12-03T18:51:10Z")
Colorado was the state that put Obama over 270 EV’s when all the media called it. The Ohio drama came shortly thereafter, but it was a moot point, Obama had already won. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/34 "2012-12-03T19:03:13Z")
Whoosh, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/35 "2012-12-03T19:10:25Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > Exactly which part of the Republican base would have approved of legalization? I can see a room full of angry old men (with red ties on) discussing the need to become pot smoking liberals in order to win win the upcoming presidential election. And surely a Mormon candidate would be the one to choose, if that were the case, given their religion prohibits alcohol and smoking. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/36 "2012-12-03T19:25:56Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > I can see a room full of angry old men (with red ties on) discussing the need to become pot smoking liberals in order to win win the upcoming presidential election. > And surely a Mormon candidate would be the one to choose, if that were the case, given their religion prohibits alcohol and smoking. 😛 Are they the same angry old men that want to control a woman’s uterus? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/37 "2012-12-03T19:56:34Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Whoosh, I think. 🙂 Yeah, I was trying to make a joke. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/38 "2012-12-03T19:57:15Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > I’m not saying that legalization = states’ rights. > I’m saying the party that supports states’ rights should support the right of the states to decide internal matters. > Personal possession by an adult within state boundaries is a local issue. > > A foolish consistency may be the hobgoblin of small minds. > But foolish inconsistency cost the Republicans this election. > …that’s what I’m saying. You should try reading the Republican platform some time. Republicans don’t have the positions you think they should have. Not to mention that even if they thought it was up to the states to choose, that doesn’t mean they’d be for legalization. Neither candidate thought this issue important enough to comment on, which I agree with. Perhaps the Republicans can have a hearing about marijuana. If they do it like they do women’s reproductive rights, all members and all witnesses would never have even seen a joint in their entire lives. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/39 "2012-12-04T04:13:06Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > Completely missing my point. > What if a party stands for personal freedom and states’ rights over federal authority? > Shouldn’t _that_ win an election? Probably wouldn’t win over black people who’d be sitting at the back of the bus and not able to eat at the Woolworth lunch counter without a Supreme Court smack down of states rights, or gay people, or women who used to have to get their husbands to sign off on contracts, or Hispanics that don’t want to be asked for their papers every ten minutes if they look too dark. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2012, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804/40 "2012-12-04T04:14:36Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Perhaps the Republicans can have a hearing about marijuana. If they do it like they do women’s reproductive rights, all members and all witnesses would never have even seen a joint in their entire lives. Not entirely fair. I’m sure many of the Republican men at the hearings on women’s reproductive rights were wearing ladies underwear. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legalized-marijuana-cost-republicans-the-election-discuss/642804.md?page=3)