Peter Schorsch
For the pro-legalization crowd tuning in from out of state, a Trump endorsement still carries water Florida. A lot of it.
From 2018 on, “Thus spake Trump” has been the TL;DR version of the typical contested Republican Primary. That’s certainly how it worked out for Ron DeSantis six years ago, and for countless Representatives and Senators in the cycles since.
Trump’s endorsement carries so much weight, in fact, that “pre-endorsements” are now in vogue. Yes, they’re exactly what they sound like; yes, they work.
Trump didn’t offer his usual “Complete And Total Endorsement” to the measure, which will appear on the November ballot as Amendment 3. Instead, the Republican Presidential nominee showed a flash of pragmatism on Truth Social, arguing that recreational pot is an inevitability, and the true policy dilemmas are related to its implementation, such as with “time, place and manner” restrictions.
“We need the State Legislature to responsibly create laws that prohibit the use of it in public spaces, so we do not smell marijuana everywhere we go, like we do in many of the Democrat run Cities. At the same time, someone should not be a criminal in Florida, when this is legal in so many other States. We do not need to ruin lives & waste Taxpayer Dollars arresting adults with personal amounts of it on them, and no one should grieve a loved one because they died from fentanyl laced marijuana. We will make America SAFE again!”
The former President is walking a narrow tightrope here: He wants to be the “law and order” candidate in this race, and thus far the organized opposition to Amendment 3 have said legal pot would make Florida less safe.
The Florida Sheriff’s Association said it was against Amendment 3 because it would infringe upon “the rights of citizens to live and work in a community where drug use is not normalized and citizens are not affected by the adverse effects of drug misuse.”
They, the Republican Party of Florida and the DeSantis-backed committee Vote No on 3 are — or at least were, before Trump’s bombshell — working in concert to defeat the proposed constitutional amendment.
You could argue Trump’s statement throws a wrench in the gears, but really it just makes things easier on everybody.
He knows this amendment is likely to pass. He knows the writing is on the wall elsewhere. He knows a contingent of his political allies are finding it increasingly difficult to make a cogent argument for preserving the status quo.
To Amendment 3’s opponents, this is a ripcord that allows them to stop fighting a losing battle and focus on implementation policy. It likewise saves pro-pot conservatives from doing mental gymnastics at their polling place in nine weeks. And, for the pro-Trump anti-pot crowd, it can be a wakeup call.
6 comments
Woke and Vote
September 1, 2024 at 1:11 pm
I frequently travel to Colorado where marijuana has been legal and available for quite some time. You would think that you would see it and smell it everywhere but that is not the case. I’ve NEVER observed marijuana use in ski resorts and seldom noticed its use in Denver.
THE SAGE ELVIS [FKA EARL]
September 1, 2024 at 4:47 pm
Relax Your Sphincters, Sage Patriots, as I, THE SAGE ELVIS [FKA EARL], have been advising Don & Don Jr. on “This WEED THING”.
HERE IS THE BOTTOM LINE:
As Everyone Agrees With, 97.25% of all Recreational Weed Smokers, once we go full recreational will be “The Dook 4 Brains Leftys” and you know what???
THE SAGE ELVIS [FKA EARL] tells you “WHAT”:
The “WEED” will, 100% make the “Dook 4 Brains Leftys” very controllable because of 2 Sage WEED RELATED RESULTS.
1.) The “Dooks” will all be so Zonked Out On Weed that the will no longer care about their “DOOK AGENDA” or voting any longer ….. it will be like, “Whatever Dudes Lets do more Bong Hits”.
AND:
2.) Their constant un-healthy “Weed Intake” will cause the Dooks testicals to shrink and become absorbed by their bodies; thus preventing them from populating our Great Nation with More Dooks.
BUT WAIT THERES MORE:
3.) Any “Dook Families” that want childern will thus need to seek out the “Strong Little Swimmers of our “Manly Men” [AKA SAGE PATRIOTS] to come over and bang their Hotty Hot wives in order to “Plant That Seed”.
IN CLOSING:
The Strong Little Swimmers of our Conservative “Manly Men” [AKA SAGE PATRIOTS] will ensure that within ONE GENERATION Our Great Nation will be populated with a “SUPER MAJORITY” of Sage Patriot young voters.
AND GUESS WHAT:
As long as the Dook parents are married there will be ZERO STANDING in any court of law to bring our “SAGE PATRIOT HOTTY HOT WIFE BANGERS” up on child support.
SO IN CLOSING:
Admendement 3 is a No-Brainer for us Sage Patriots to push accross the finish line.
This little peep into The Future has been brought to you courtsey of,
THE SAGE ELVIS [FKA EARL]
Freedom!
September 1, 2024 at 1:57 pm
Yes on 3 … and 4!
Ocean Joe
September 1, 2024 at 2:08 pm
“He knows this amendment is likely to pass. He knows the writing is on the wall elsewhere. He knows a contingent of his political allies are finding it increasingly difficult to make a cogent argument for preserving the status quo.”
The author gives Trump the capacity of concern for others which would require some political empathy. While he’s a genius at PR, he’s clueless and his support is just the result of spouting off, probably some right wing talking head put a bug in his ear. We KNOW he didnt read up on this. He is venal enough to be doing it to spite Desantis despite claims they made up. Trump, like the elephant never forgets. And like the elephant you never want to walk behind him in his parade of lies, unless you’ve got a big shovel.
Yrral
September 1, 2024 at 10:25 pm
The first woman that brought Trump to his knees,she extorted money from Trump,while threatened to go the Feds exposing his Mob ties Google Verina John Cody Trump Google Trump 1981 Fbi Memo
Calvin Groenewold
September 5, 2024 at 4:38 pm
As a Florida voter, I’ve carefully considered Amendment 3 pros and cons and believe it deserves support. Here’s why:
Consistency with existing policies: We already regulate alcohol, which poses similar risks for youth access. Many of the regulations and social norms that help prevent underage drinking could be applied to marijuana.
Second-hand smoke concerns are overblown: We already have cigar and cigarette smokers. Existing smoking restrictions in public spaces could easily be extended to include marijuana.
Safer market through regulation: Legalization could lead to better quality control, reduced risk of contamination (like fentanyl), and proper labeling of potency and contents. This shift away from unregulated sources could actually make the overall market safer.
Economic benefits: While the amendment doesn’t specify tax structures, legalization typically brings in significant revenue that could benefit our state.
That said, I acknowledge some valid concerns:
We need clear plans for how tax revenue will be allocated and used.
Regulations must be carefully crafted to prevent a monopoly and ensure a competitive market.
Impaired driving laws need to be updated and enforced.
Overall, I believe the potential benefits outweigh the risks, especially since many concerns can be addressed through thoughtful legislation and regulation. The amendment provides a framework for legalization while giving our lawmakers the flexibility to iron out the details.
Let’s learn from other states’ experiences and create a safe, well-regulated system that works for Florida. I’m voting yes on Amendment 3.
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