[Vision2020] Your Vote Matters

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of Lawrence O'Donnell commentary at the end of yesterday's "Last Word" at:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49806039/ns/msnbc/#.UKK78Hy9KSM
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"In tonight`s Rewrite, another episode of your votes 
matters. Seventy seven million people who could have voted for president 
didn`t. There are a few different kinds of non-voters at the presidential 
level. First of all, some voters were understandably discouraged by voter 
I.D. laws and other unique first-time attempts to suppress their votes. 
I`m not talking about those people tonight.
I`m talking about people who could have easily voted and didn`t. They 
include some people who kind of, sort of, mean to vote, but then don`t get 
around to it on election day, for a variety of reasons, from flat tires to 
you name it, including some legitimate last-minute reasons, illness, things 
like that.
Another sizable group that don`t go out and vote during presidential 
elections are those who live in intensely red or intensely blue states, 
where there is absolutely no doubt what the electoral college result will 
be in their state. Another group are those who believe that there is no 
big difference between Democrats and Republicans.
That group thinks that voting doesn`t matter, ever. They are, of 
course, in a word, wrong.
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There is always a huge difference between the Democratic candidate for 
president and the Republican candidate for president, on whom they would 
select for Supreme Court justices. And that is a difference that can have 
an important affect on our lives for generations to come.
There are, of course, about 1,000 other reasons to vote for president. 
But if none of them move you, then there are always some local issues that 
have to be resolved on state ballots. Now, you saw how complicated some of 
those can be when I filled out my California ballot right here on the show, 
with the former California Governor Gray Davis, because I couldn`t do it 
myself.
In Washington State, Initiative Measure Number 502, to legalize 
marijuana possession, up to an ounce, for people over the age of 21, was on 
the ballot; 1,549,928 voted yes for legalizing marijuana in Washington 
State, and they instantly changed some lives in the process.
The measure won 55 percent of the vote. And days after the election, 
Washington State prosecutors in two counties immediately began Rewriting 
the charges against people who have been arrested for marijuana possession. 
They now intend to charge them with nothing.
Prosecutors are now taking action to dismiss charges in all of the 
simple marijuana possession cases in their jurisdictions. King County 
prosecutor Dan Sauterberg has decided to apply the law retroactively to 
defendants who were arrested before election day.
'Although the effective date is not until December 6th, there is no 
point continuing to seek criminal penalties for conduct that will be legal 
next month,' Sauterberg said About 40 such cases had already been filed in 
King County, which includes Seattle, as criminal prosecutions. Those 40 
will all be dismissed. And another 135 cases that had not yet been 
formally charged in court will all be dropped.
In Pierce County, which includes Tacoma, prosecutor Mark Linquist said 
he was dismissing all of about four dozen cases of simple possession of 
marijuana. He said 'the people have spoken through this initiative. And 
as a practical matter, I don`t think you could sell a simple marijuana case 
to a jury after this initiative passed.'
In an interview with 'the Seattle Times,' King County prosecutor Dan 
Sauterberg said 'I think when the people voted to change the policy, they 
weren`t focused on when the effective date of the new policy would be. 
They spoke loudly and clearly that we should not treat small amounts of 
marijuana as an offense.'
Allison Holcomb (ph), who was the manager -- campaign manager of the 
campaign to decriminalize minor marijuana possession, said she was, quote, 
'incredibly moved' by Sauterberg`s announcement. She said that the 
prosecutor showed, quote, 'incredible courage.'
More than 220 marijuana possession cases instantly dismissed. More 
than 220 lives saved from criminal records. Allison Holcomb is right. It 
did take some courage for prosecutors to decide to drop those cases based 
on last week`s vote. And it took wisdom, the collective wisdom of voters 
to make that happen.
One million, five hundred forty thousand, nine hundred twenty eight 
Washington State voters improved the lives of people, instantly, by voting. 
When people tell you that voting doesn`t matter, tell them to talk to those 
220 people in Washington State who won`t be dragged into court for 
possession of a little bit of weed. And tell it to the thousands and 
thousands and thousands of people who, for years to come in Washington 
State, will not be arrested for minor possession of marijuana.
And let`s all thank Washington State voters tonight for once again 
proving that your vote matters."
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Seeya round town, Moscow, because . . .

"Moscow Cares"
http://www.MoscowCares.com
  
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
 
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