Ohio voters have approved a proposal legalizing recreational marijuana. Republican legislative leaders are expected to weigh revisiting aspects of the proposal that passed Tuesday.
Don’t worry. Many lawmakers in Ohio have already said they’ll immediately overrule it via legislation. Dunno the legality of what they’ve said, but I wouldn’t put it past them.
From a different site I came across. I am not politically savvy but this doesn’t sound like an amendment the way issue 1 was.
“Since Issue 2 is an initiated statute, lawmakers are free to change or toss out the version that voters approve. But even though GOP leaders disapprove of recreational marijuana, a total repeal seems unlikely. They may instead look at the revenue distribution or impose additional requirements.”
This is basically how it goes with “begrudging legalization”. The legislature figures out exactly how much they can get away with pushing back while still keeping their seats. There was a little of this in Massachusetts, with the Governor and Mayor both speaking out against legalization when the Question made the ballot.
They dragged their feet for a while on licensing, and gave retails licenses to friends first. If I recall correctly, an overturn vote made it to the next ballot. They rolled it out slower. They jacked up the pot tax an extra 8% (10.75% tax on top of our sales tax AND an optional 3% local tax). They added the silly “5mg per dose of edibles” limit. All stuff they could get away with, but that makes the bill more palatable to pot-haters.
The legislature can and will find ways to neuter the amendment.
They did it here in Florida when we voted to restore the rights of felons after their punishment was complete.
The legislature ruled that the felons had to pay back all outstanding fees before they could get their rights back. Felons get changed by the jail for their stay, so most leave with 100s of thousands in debt on the books.
Then the state purposely makes it impossible for felons to even find out how much they owe, meaning even if they were to somehow get the money paying is very difficult.
It has effectively prevented any felons from getting their voting rights back. I think the actual number who have is less than 10 and we passed that amendment in 2020.
Welcome to Republicans. They openly believe that law should never be based on the will of the majority. It’s why they draw heirarchy-focused voters. A Republican Vote isn’t “they will honor our wants and needs” as much as “I trust them to be my manager, and make hard decisions I might not like”
I think a real government needs a little of both sometimes, but a WHOLE LOT more “will of the majority” and only a little “hard decisions I might not like”. They feel the other way around.
Don’t worry. Many lawmakers in Ohio have already said they’ll immediately overrule it via legislation. Dunno the legality of what they’ve said, but I wouldn’t put it past them.
I would imagine any legislative actions would be ruled unconstitutional as the method of legalization was a state Constitutional amendment.
No fucking way lmfao that’s hilarious 😂 Cheers to any Ohioions 🌿 reading this
From a different site I came across. I am not politically savvy but this doesn’t sound like an amendment the way issue 1 was.
“Since Issue 2 is an initiated statute, lawmakers are free to change or toss out the version that voters approve. But even though GOP leaders disapprove of recreational marijuana, a total repeal seems unlikely. They may instead look at the revenue distribution or impose additional requirements.”
Source: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/elections/2023/11/07/what-would-ohios-marijuana-and-abortion-ballot-issues-do/71485973007/
Edit: spelling is hard
This is basically how it goes with “begrudging legalization”. The legislature figures out exactly how much they can get away with pushing back while still keeping their seats. There was a little of this in Massachusetts, with the Governor and Mayor both speaking out against legalization when the Question made the ballot.
They dragged their feet for a while on licensing, and gave retails licenses to friends first. If I recall correctly, an overturn vote made it to the next ballot. They rolled it out slower. They jacked up the pot tax an extra 8% (10.75% tax on top of our sales tax AND an optional 3% local tax). They added the silly “5mg per dose of edibles” limit. All stuff they could get away with, but that makes the bill more palatable to pot-haters.
The legislature can and will find ways to neuter the amendment.
They did it here in Florida when we voted to restore the rights of felons after their punishment was complete.
The legislature ruled that the felons had to pay back all outstanding fees before they could get their rights back. Felons get changed by the jail for their stay, so most leave with 100s of thousands in debt on the books.
Then the state purposely makes it impossible for felons to even find out how much they owe, meaning even if they were to somehow get the money paying is very difficult.
It has effectively prevented any felons from getting their voting rights back. I think the actual number who have is less than 10 and we passed that amendment in 2020.
Imagine being so brazenly undemocratic that you’d try to overturn the will of the people themselves. 😩
Welcome to Republicans. They openly believe that law should never be based on the will of the majority. It’s why they draw heirarchy-focused voters. A Republican Vote isn’t “they will honor our wants and needs” as much as “I trust them to be my manager, and make hard decisions I might not like”
I think a real government needs a little of both sometimes, but a WHOLE LOT more “will of the majority” and only a little “hard decisions I might not like”. They feel the other way around.
I’m hoping they’re just showboating… but also if they want to actually take that poison pill… it’s their own funeral.