Will marijuana be a major issue in 2016?

[I Will Not Be Wrong]

It has been reported that 55% of Americans support the legalization of marijuana.
I don't know what Hillary's stance is, but Christie is against it, which may hurt him in the general election.
However, Scott Walker has stated that he would accept it if the majority of people want it.

[I Will Not Be Wrong]

What do you guys think?

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

I'd say so.  Now that gay marriage has gone by the wayside, it's in the news and definitely able to be used by the GOP as a wedge issue.  Especially if you look at where Democrats have been picking up their votes since 2008: the suburbs!

Oh boy... wait until the GOP starts letting all the fraidy-cat white soccer moms know what the Democrats have in store for them once they get legal pot through!  Soon their precious little angels are going to be dope-smokin' scoundrels who are gonna forgo their nice little after-school activities with the soccer and the baseball and the whatnot and start hangin' with all the black and brown dealers on the bad side of town.  (See... it has a racial tinge to it as well, so it's really your prototypical American wedge job)

[Mr. Illini]

It will not be a major issue, especially since Hillary's record is fairly anti-pot. Even if Rand Paul is nominated, I can't see him making it a big deal in fear of alienating the base. I think that both sides will say that they will not force the federal marijuana law on states that legalize it (the same policy Obama has used) and leave it at that.

That is, unless Santorum or Huckabee is nominated, in which case they might say they would be open to enforcing federal marijuana laws on states that choose to legalize it. It could become a bigger issue then, but I still wouldn't say "major."

[I Will Not Be Wrong]

I could see Hillary and   Christie being hurt on the issue, as those candidates have history with anti marijuana laws.
Walker could easily say his position now, if it is indeed pro marijuana. I wonder what Schweitzer's opinion is, he could use go against Hillary on that issue in the primary.

[I Will Not Be Wrong]

And for Rand Paul, he could use this in the general election, as well as his isolationism.

[CatoMinor]

And for Rand Paul, he could use this in the general election, as well as his isolationism.

[Gass3268]

I could see Hillary and   Christie being hurt on the issue, as those candidates have history with anti marijuana laws.
Walker could easily say his position now, if it is indeed pro marijuana. I wonder what Schweitzer's opinion is, he could use go against Hillary on that issue in the primary.

I would be shocked if Walker is pro-marijuana. Shocked!

[Zioneer]

If marijuana is talked about as part of a larger platform of criminal justice reform, yeah, I could see it being fairly major. I have no idea why the Dems haven't gone pro-pot; they'd lose a few older voters, but they'd gain a lot of excited younger voters.

[I Will Not Be Wrong]

I could see Hillary and   Christie being hurt on the issue, as those candidates have history with anti marijuana laws.
Walker could easily say his position now, if it is indeed pro marijuana. I wonder what Schweitzer's opinion is, he could use go against Hillary on that issue in the primary.

I would be shocked if Walker is pro-marijuana. Shocked!

He has stated he would accept it if a majority of people in Wisconsin want it. Obviously he is avoiding the issue.

[Mr. Illini]

And for Rand Paul, he could use this in the general election, as well as his isolationism.

>isolationism

[CatoMinor]

And for Rand Paul, he could use this in the general election, as well as his isolationism.

>isolationism

Unless you support spreading democracy via missile, you are practically North Korea.

[Cory]

And for Rand Paul, he could use this in the general election, as well as his isolationism.

Oh c'mon now you know what he meant.

[eric82oslo]

I'm pretty sure gay marriage will be a bigger issue than pot legalization in the 2016 election.

At the same time, I'm pretty sure that pot legalization will be a bigger issue than gay marriage in the 2020 election. If not for any other reason, since the Supreme Court will most likely have legalized same-sex marriage everywhere by then.

[publicunofficial]

Whatever Democrat throws themselves against Hillary Clinton might try to use it as an issue to paint her as out of touch with the base, but that's about it.


Colorado's status as a swing state might make candidates a bit more careful when discussing the issue however.

[Mr. Morden]

I wonder what Schweitzer's opinion is, he could use go against Hillary on that issue in the primary.

Then you should read the Dave Weigel interview with him, that's been discussed in the Schweitzer threads:

link

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[So rightwing that I broke the Political Compass!]

Heres the thing about stoners: they don't make the greatest activists. So no, highly unlikely. Even in the Netherlands, the tide is turning against legal drugs