Nineteen

Admittedly I was on the fence regarding the decriminalization of weed here in our Golden State, as I know how debilitating it can be. Apparently the majority of the state agrees, although there were myriad reasons why each chose to defeat the proposition. Some for religious reasons; somewhere God told them not to toke. Others for enforcement reasons; their jobs depend on continued decriminalization. Many for personal reasons: their stoner brother is a slug and they simply don't want to offer tacit support of this lifestyle. Fair enough. This decision won't change the habits of anyone who partakes; it'll be as omnipresent as before.

I openly address my own medicinal grow (yep...I'm licensed) with my co-workers, and it's clear there's a rift between them, not unlike the state or the nation in general. Almost a 50/50 split within my little group...not unlike the state or the nation in general. It demonstrates just another facet of the polarization we maintain as a nation -- in all areas.

I suppose such polarization has always existed; truthfully, I haven't bothered to go back in time to see if the same degree of polarization existed in 1932 or in 1962. But I suspect that this is simply a consequence of a two-party system, and that it's always been there, and that it's likely not any worse than today. I mean, I argue that there aren't any more pedophiles offering candy to get in the van today than there were in 1976; but popular consensus is that there are. That there must be.

I voted along third party lines during the last election; one, because I believe in the platforms of a few of the minor parties, but two, because I would like to see a viable third or fourth party emerge in my lifetime to wrest this polarization away. I'd like to see a swing set of elected officials, not just the two who's purpose isn't just to follow their own party line but to oppose the other.

Of course this will never happen. This is why I blog, to broadcast a set of opinions that will never see the light of day, but that represent the things that are important to me nonetheless. That we are moving to a general election where only the two top candidates are available from the primary election demonstrates the stranglehold the two major parties have on the process and why my little third party voting will never go anywhere...but I'll vote that way anyway, for as long as I can. If I can't vote third party, I will simply not vote.

In any event, I gain simply from the satisfaction that so much money is spent trying to get my non-vote. Contrast this with prop 19, whose supporters really didn't have to throw out much money to get the 45% that it did garner. In different times, times that aren't all that far off, the legalization of marijuana will come to pass.