Today’s New York Times featured an article about a ballot initiative to legalize wacky weed in the Golden State. Backers of the measure say taxing pot will help offset California’s fiscal crisis.
Deep in the article, Frank Schubert, Proposition 8’s campaign manager, (the referendum prohibiting LGBT marriage equality) is quoted on his opposition to legalizing marijuana:
“There is going to be a large sector of the electorate that would never do this themselves that’s going to sort out what the harm would be versus what the supposed good would be,” said Schubert. “That is where the election is going to be won.”
Supporters of legalizing marijuana should be forewarned. If Schubert ends up running the opposition he will:
1) Target undecided voters with a barrage of misinformation and fear tactics
2) Most likely exploit children to create the appearance of “harm”
That is the dishonest and immoral approach he used during the Prop. 8 vote. I suspect he will duplicate the sinister strategy – except the Bogey man will be ganja instead of gays.
This referendum should be based on facts. Unfortunately, if Schubert gets involved, the debate will degenerate and become a trashy farce mired in cynical fiction and social friction.
If Schubert signs on to this campaign, all the voters in California will lose – regardless of who ends up winning this fight at the ballot box.
