<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Courtesy of Lawrence O'Donnell commentary at the end of yesterday's "Last Word" at:</span></p><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none; "><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49806039/ns/msnbc/#.UKK78Hy9KSM">http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49806039/ns/msnbc/#.UKK78Hy9KSM</a></span></p><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; ">-----------------------------------------------</p><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); ">"In tonight`s Rewrite, another episode of your votes </span></p><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">matters. Seventy seven million people who could have voted for president <br>didn`t. There are a few different kinds of non-voters at the presidential <br>level. First of all, some voters were understandably discouraged by voter <br>I.D. laws and other unique first-time attempts to suppress their votes. <br>I`m not talking about those people tonight.</span></p><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I`m talking about people who could have easily voted and didn`t. They <br>include some people who kind of, sort of, mean to vote, but then don`t get <br>around to it on election day, for a variety of reasons, from flat tires to <br>you name it, including some legitimate last-minute reasons, illness, things <br>like that.</span></p><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Another sizable group that don`t go out and vote during presidential <br>elections are those who live in intensely red or intensely blue states, <br>where there is absolutely no doubt what the electoral college result will <br>be in their state. Another group are those who believe that there is no <br>big difference between Democrats and Republicans.</span></p><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">That group thinks that voting doesn`t matter, ever. They are, of <br>course, in a word, wrong.</span></p><div class="ad-break t-AdBreak hide " style="margin: -20px -166px 20px 20px; padding: 40px 0px 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: right; float: right; height: 284px; width: 664px; "><div class="ad-label" style="text-align: -webkit-auto; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px 0px 3px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; height: 10px; overflow: hidden; "><font color="#000000"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" class="mediakit" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px 0px 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; display: inline; ">Advertise</a> | <a href="http://g.msn.com/AIPRIV/en-us" class="adchoices" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 3px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; display: inline; background-image: url(http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/MSNBC/SiteManagement/Ads/Images/adchoices-blue4.png); background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; ">AdChoices</a></span></font></div><div class="col " style="margin: 0px 15px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; float: left; display: inline; width: 300px; "><div data="field:AdBreak2;typeName:any;evt:EnterViewport;size:adX1;" class="ad adX1 matched" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: right; float: left; position: relative; width: 300px; height: 270px; "><div id="dap146217-NBCCBA-1089" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><iframe id="dapIfM18" name="dapIfM18" src="about:blank" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "></iframe></span></div></div></div><div class="col" style="margin: 0px 15px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; float: left; display: inline; width: 300px; "><div data="field:AdBreak3;typeName:any;evt:EnterViewport;size:adX1;" class="ad adX1 matched" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: right; float: left; position: relative; width: 300px; height: 270px; "><div id="dap8932-NBCATB-1089" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><iframe id="dapIfM19" name="dapIfM19" src="about:blank" width="300" height="250" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "></iframe></span></div></div></div></div><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There is always a huge difference between the Democratic candidate for <br>president and the Republican candidate for president, on whom they would <br>select for Supreme Court justices. And that is a difference that can have <br>an important affect on our lives for generations to come.</span></p><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There are, of course, about 1,000 other reasons to vote for president. <br>But if none of them move you, then there are always some local issues that <br>have to be resolved on state ballots. Now, you saw how complicated some of <br>those can be when I filled out my California ballot right here on the show, <br>with the former California Governor Gray Davis, because I couldn`t do it <br>myself.</span></p><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In Washington State, Initiative Measure Number 502, to legalize <br>marijuana possession, up to an ounce, for people over the age of 21, was on <br>the ballot; 1,549,928 voted yes for legalizing marijuana in Washington <br>State, and they instantly changed some lives in the process.</span></p><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The measure won 55 percent of the vote. And days after the election, <br>Washington State prosecutors in two counties immediately began Rewriting <br>the charges against people who have been arrested for marijuana possession. <br>They now intend to charge them with nothing.</span></p><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Prosecutors are now taking action to dismiss charges in all of the <br>simple marijuana possession cases in their jurisdictions. King County <br>prosecutor Dan Sauterberg has decided to apply the law retroactively to <br>defendants who were arrested before election day.</span></p><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">'Although the effective date is not until December 6th, there is no <br>point continuing to seek criminal penalties for conduct that will be legal <br>next month,' Sauterberg said About 40 such cases had already been filed in <br>King County, which includes Seattle, as criminal prosecutions. Those 40 <br>will all be dismissed. And another 135 cases that had not yet been <br>formally charged in court will all be dropped.</span></p><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In Pierce County, which includes Tacoma, prosecutor Mark Linquist said <br>he was dismissing all of about four dozen cases of simple possession of <br>marijuana. He said 'the people have spoken through this initiative. And <br>as a practical matter, I don`t think you could sell a simple marijuana case <br>to a jury after this initiative passed.'</span></p><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In an interview with 'the Seattle Times,' King County prosecutor Dan <br>Sauterberg said 'I think when the people voted to change the policy, they <br>weren`t focused on when the effective date of the new policy would be. <br>They spoke loudly and clearly that we should not treat small amounts of <br>marijuana as an offense.'</span></p><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Allison Holcomb (ph), who was the manager -- campaign manager of the <br>campaign to decriminalize minor marijuana possession, said she was, quote, <br>'incredibly moved' by Sauterberg`s announcement. She said that the <br>prosecutor showed, quote, 'incredible courage.'</span></p><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">More than 220 marijuana possession cases instantly dismissed. More <br>than 220 lives saved from criminal records. Allison Holcomb is right. It <br>did take some courage for prosecutors to decide to drop those cases based <br>on last week`s vote. And it took wisdom, the collective wisdom of voters <br>to make that happen.</span></p><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">One million, five hundred forty thousand, nine hundred twenty eight <br>Washington State voters improved the lives of people, instantly, by voting. <br>When people tell you that voting doesn`t matter, tell them to talk to those <br>220 people in Washington State who won`t be dragged into court for <br>possession of a little bit of weed. And tell it to the thousands and <br>thousands and thousands of people who, for years to come in Washington <br>State, will not be arrested for minor possession of marijuana.</span></p><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">And let`s all thank Washington State voters tonight for once again <br>proving that your vote matters."</span></p><p style="margin: 0em 0px; padding: 0.6em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">-----------------------------------------------</span></p><div class="ad-break t-AdBreak hide " style="margin: -20px -166px 20px 20px; padding: 40px 0px 0px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: right; float: right; height: 284px; width: 664px; "><div class="ad-label" style="text-align: -webkit-auto; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px 0px 3px; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; height: 10px; overflow: hidden; "><font color="#000000"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div class="col " style="margin: 0px 15px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; float: left; display: inline; width: 300px; "><div data="field:AdBreak2;typeName:any;evt:EnterViewport;size:adX1;" class="ad adX1 matched" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: right; float: left; position: relative; width: 300px; height: 270px; "></div></div></div><br><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">Seeya round town, Moscow, because . . .</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><br></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">"Moscow Cares"</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><a href="http://www.MoscowCares.com">http://www.MoscowCares.com</a></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "> </div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; "><div>Tom Hansen</div><div>Moscow, Idaho</div><div> </div></div></div></div></body></html>