The constitution of Idaho states that the citizens are of “equal stature” with the legislature when it comes to proposing and enacting public law. Just as any legislator is free to propose any law he wishes (no matter how ill conceived – and there is plenty of this each session), so any citizen is also free to use the initiative process to propose law. The citizenry form a sort of “fourth branch” of government in Idaho (as in other states with similar constitutions), and form a check and balance on institutional power developed by vested interests gaining control over the police power of government over time.

Had the supreme court voted against Davidson and his right to propose any law he wished (yes, even one that was currently illegal or ill-conceived), then our constitutional liberties here would have been reduced to a mere pretext only.

While any of you may not agree with smoking dope, it is simply not your decision, but the people’s as a whole as voiced through the legislature or through the initiative process, which work together to form an effective check on the abuse of either process.

As a life long “Mormon,” I don’t believe in smoking dope. It is an extremely stupid and irresponsible thing to do. What I value much more than my opinion on dope, however, is the liberty granted by my Creator … liberties which men continually conspire to steal from all of us.

I much prefer to trust the voice of the people as a whole over the voice of an elite few when push comes to shove. That’s why I heartily supported Davidson’s case and applaud the supreme court for their integrity.

The constitution of Idaho states that the citizens are of “equal stature” with the legislature when it comes to proposing and enacting public law. Just as any legislator is free to propose any law he wishes (no matter how ill conceived – and there is plenty of this each session), so any citizen is also free to use the initiative process to propose law. The citizenry form a sort of “fourth branch” of government in Idaho (as in other states with similar constitutions), and form a check and balance on institutional power developed by vested interests gaining control over the police power of government over time.

Had the supreme court voted against Davidson and his right to propose any law he wished (yes, even one that was currently illegal or ill-conceived), then our constitutional liberties here would have been reduced to a mere pretext only.

While any of you may not agree with smoking dope, it is simply not your decision, but the people’s as a whole as voiced through the legislature or through the initiative process, which work together to form an effective check on the abuse of either process.

As a life long “Mormon,” I don’t believe in smoking dope. It is an extremely stupid and irresponsible thing to do. What I value much more than my opinion on dope, however, is the liberty granted by my Creator … liberties which men continually conspire to steal from all of us.

I much prefer to trust the voice of the people as a whole over the voice of an elite few when push comes to shove. That’s why I heartily supported Davidson’s case and applaud the supreme court for their integrity.

The constitution of Idaho states that the citizens are of “equal stature” with the legislature when it comes to proposing and enacting public law. Just as any legislator is free to propose any law he wishes (no matter how ill conceived – and there is plenty of this each session), so any citizen is also free to use the initiative process to propose law. The citizenry form a sort of “fourth branch” of government in Idaho (as in other states with similar constitutions), and form a check and balance on institutional power developed by vested interests gaining control over the police power of government over time.

Had the supreme court voted against Davidson and his right to propose any law he wished (yes, even one that was currently illegal or ill-conceived), then our constitutional liberties here would have been reduced to a mere pretext only.

While any of you may not agree with smoking dope, it is simply not your decision, but the people’s as a whole as voiced through the legislature or through the initiative process, which work together to form an effective check on the abuse of either process.

As a life long “Mormon,” I don’t believe in smoking dope. It is an extremely stupid and irresponsible thing to do. What I value much more than my opinion on dope, however, is the liberty granted by my Creator … liberties which men continually conspire to steal from all of us.

I much prefer to trust the voice of the people as a whole over the voice of an elite few when push comes to shove. That’s why I heartily supported Davidson’s case and applaud the supreme court for their integrity.

The constitution of Idaho states that the citizens are of “equal stature” with the legislature when it comes to proposing and enacting public law. Just as any legislator is free to propose any law he wishes (no matter how ill conceived – and there is plenty of this each session), so any citizen is also free to use the initiative process to propose law. The citizenry form a sort of “fourth branch” of government in Idaho (as in other states with similar constitutions), and form a check and balance on institutional power developed by vested interests gaining control over the police power of government over time.

Had the supreme court voted against Davidson and his right to propose any law he wished (yes, even one that was currently illegal or ill-conceived), then our constitutional liberties here would have been reduced to a mere pretext only.

While any of you may not agree with smoking dope, it is simply not your decision, but the people’s as a whole as voiced through the legislature or through the initiative process, which work together to form an effective check on the abuse of either process.

As a life long “Mormon,” I don’t believe in smoking dope. It is an extremely stupid and irresponsible thing to do. What I value much more than my opinion on dope, however, is the liberty granted by my Creator … liberties which men continually conspire to steal from all of us.

I much prefer to trust the voice of the people as a whole over the voice of an elite few when push comes to shove. That’s why I heartily supported Davidson’s case and applaud the supreme court for their integrity.

In Humboldt County the illegality was overlooked on a local level because it brought so much money into an economy that had been decimated by anti logging forces. The simple back to the earthers that showed up in the 70’s by accident found their excess pot had value in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York etc., by default they were in business because locally it was nearly legal which triggered an over abundance. Then the capitalists showed up, they had little tolerance for the peace and love types, they just wanted to make big money.

Newcomers that lacked the money for their own land grew guerilla gardens in the national forest and bobby trapped them with rat traps that would trigger shotgun shells at intruders, it was no longer safe to take a hike in the public woods.

John, Robert and Ryan, if marijuana became legal in Idaho you and your children who have been raised by poor role models will be selling your excess bounty to misguided folks in Wyoming, Nevada, Montana and Oregon, an identical dynamic that brought decadence to Humboldt. Worse yet, Idaho would become a destination resort for dopers.

Your neighbor just up the Wood River that wants to make a million dollars will be guarding his crop with mini fourteens, uzis and shotgun booby traps and your 14 year old is going to be the one that can’t resist the temptation to rip a bud after he runs out of his own.

One must always be ready for The Law of Unintended Consequences, nirvana often looks better in a dream than it does after it unfolds into reality.

This is simply ostrich thinking.(yes your head is buried in the sand) I’m glad you at least recognize the fact that citizens have the right to create laws through the initiative process.
That your recourse against those POTENTIAL laws is to vote against them. That’s better than what you would ever be offered by any sitting governmental body.

As for the war on drugs,surely you haven’t beleived the load of crap the government tried to sell all of us. My advice would be to do a study of illegal drugs and why and how they got that way. It is actually a very interesting study. You will discover that the reasons they were outlawed have very little to do with protecting anyone as much as they were used to discrimnate against minority groups and the ignorant. Yes drug abuse can hurt you. So can overeating or a sendentary lifestyle. In fact these two things kill more than drugs. But hey who is counting. Remember :”your drug is worse than mine and therefore should be outlawed”.

From 1980 till 1985 I lived in Phillipsville CA. ground zero of Humboldt County’s legendary outlaw drug production culture. In that time I saw many happy hippies turn into pitiful cokeheads. I saw redneck loggers sharecropping and brokering pot deals. Cops, teachers and anyone else you could think of had a few plants somewhere which for most was a banana peel towards a coke habit.

Robert, I’m afraid that I do know what I am talking about, I lived in the underbelly you only dream about. I did live in lala land and I chose to move away. When you get your decadent nirvana be prepared for the trash that comes along with it.