These poll results, just released today, explain why I will vote and I will vote ANYTHING BUT REPUBLICAN - followed by ANYTHING BUT CONSERVATIVE - followed by ANYTHING BUT 65+ OLD FART... those groups of people are found by most recent Gallop polling to be most likely to be flat-Earther anti-science tools of industry and are not welcome as leaders of my society.

Those I will seek out to vote for will be, in the following order, LIBERALS, THOSE 18-49, from the WEST, DEMOCRATIC and INDEPENDENT, as they poll as most real about public health, liberty, economics and freedom... which is what the issue of legalization of marijuana and hemp is all about.

How I shall ultimately cast my most important ballot is with my feet, choosing to move where I find people most like myself, being liberal, Independent, young (at heart) and West... until Ohio shakes its old-fart conservative Flat Earther failure and gets real.

In Northeast Ohio, we have poor choices for office in most races - I blame the Ohio and regional Democratic parties for that - a conservative Southern 69 year old fart flat Earther for Governor, conservative old farts for Senate and on down the line - pathetic. But better to vote for them than risk placing society in the hands of conservative Republican Southern old fart flat Earthers or their ilk.

Next election, the Democratic Party must offer voters younger, smarter, more liberal candidates who will better represent the ideals of real Americans and offer a better future for this great nation, beyond the hater, ignorant, industrial failure of our past and present - who will bring out the future leaders of America and the world to vote, and believe in change again.

For now, intelligent people must vote and vote Democratic or Independent (and Green), however poor our choices may be.

That may be how garbage like McFaul, Russo, DimAura, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., got in office here, but the alternatives are even more unacceptable, being the further loss of freedom and sanity for the suffering people of the nation and the world we ruin.

October 28, 2010

New High of 46% of Americans Support Legalizing Marijuana

Liberals, 18- to 29-year-olds express the highest levels of support

by Elizabeth Mendes

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- While California's marijuana ballot initiative is garnering a lot of attention this election cycle, Gallup finds that nationally, a new high of 46% of Americans are in favor of legalizing use of the drug, and a new low of 50% are opposed. The increase in support this year from 44% in 2009 is not statistically significant, but is a continuation of the upward trend seen since 2000.

These results are from Gallup's annual Crime poll, conducted Oct. 7-10. Approximately 8 in 10 Americans were opposed to legalizing marijuana when Gallup began asking about it in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Support for legalizing the drug jumped to 31% in 2000 after holding in the 25% range from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s.

A separate question in the poll asked about legalizing marijuana for medical use, and found support significantly higher than it is for legalizing the use of marijuana in general. Seventy percent of Americans say they favor making marijuana legally available for doctors to prescribe in order to reduce pain and suffering. This figure is down, however, from 78% in 2005 and 75% in 2003.

Political Leanings, Age Divide Americans' Support for Legalizing Marijuana

Across numerous subgroups, liberals' support, at 72%, is by far the highest. There is widespread support for legalization among 18- to 29-year-olds (61%) as well.

Majority support is also found among Democrats, independents, men, and political moderates.

A large majority of those living in the West, which encompasses California, are in favor of making the drug legal. Support is significantly lower in the South and Midwest.

Political conservatives and Republicans are the least supportive of legalizing marijuana. Seniors express a similarly low level of support.

Women are 10 percentage points less likely than men to favor legalizing the drug.

These demographic, political, and ideological differences in support are much the same as they were in 2009.

Bottom Line

Arguments for and against legalizing marijuana -- for personal or medical use -- are likely to continue for years to come. Even if Proposition 19 wins in California on Nov. 2, as state law it will still come up against federal law, which bans the growth and sale of marijuana.

Support for making the drug legal in general, however, is growing among Americans. The public is almost evenly split this year, with 46% in favor and 50% opposed. If the trend of the past decade continues at a similar pace, majority support could be a reality within the next few years.

Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted Oct. 7-10, 2010, with a random sample of 1,025 adults, aged 18 and older, living in the continental U.S., selected using random-digit-dial sampling.

Each question reported here was asked of a half-sample of approximately 500 national adults.

For results based on these total samples of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±5 percentage points.

Interviews are conducted with respondents on landline telephones (for respondents with a landline telephone) and cellular phones (for respondents who are cell phone-only). Each sample includes a minimum quota of 150 cell phone-only respondents and 850 landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas among landline respondents for gender within region. Landline respondents are chosen at random within each household on the basis of which member had the most recent birthday.

Samples are weighted by gender, age, race, education, region, and phone lines. Demographic weighting targets are based on the March 2009 Current Population Survey figures for the aged 18 and older non-institutionalized population living in continental U.S. telephone households. All reported margins of sampling error include the computed design effects for weighting and sample design.

In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

View methodology, full question results, and trend data.

For more details on Gallup's polling methodology, visit http://www.gallup.com/.

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE - GALLUP POLL SOCIAL SERIES: CRIME -- FINAL TOPLINE --

                                                                                                  Timberline: 927568
                                                                                                               G: 515
                                                                                          Princeton Job #: 10-10-016
                                                                                               Jeff Jones, Lydia Saad
                                                                                                  October 7-10, 2010
Results are based on telephone interviews conducted October 7-10, 2010 with a random sample of –1,025—
adults, aged 18+, living in the continental U.S., selected using random-digit dial sampling.
For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of
error is ±4 percentage points.
For results based on the sample of –511—national adults in Form A and –514—national adults in Form B, the
maximum margins of sampling error are ±5 percentage points.
Interviews are conducted with respondents on landline telephones (for respondents with a landline telephone)
and cellular phones (for respondents who are cell phone only). Each sample includes a minimum quota of 150
cell phone only respondents and 850 landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas among landline
respondents for gender within region. Landline respondents are chosen at random within each household on
the basis of which member had the most recent birthday.
Samples are weighted on the basis of gender, age, race, education, region and phone lines. Demographic
weighting targets are based on the March 2009 Current Population Survey figures for the age 18+ non-
institutionalized population living in continental U.S. telephone households. All reported margins of sampling
error include the computed design effects for weighting and sample design.
In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce
error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
19. Do you think the use of marijuana should be made legal, or not?
    BASED ON –511—NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM A
                                                Yes, legal          No, illegal No opinion
     2010 Oct 7-10 ^                                   46                   50           4
     2009 Oct 1-4 ^                                    44                   54           2
     2005 Oct 13-16 ^                                  36                   60           4
     2003 Nov 10-12 ^                                  34                   64           2
     2001 Aug 3-5                                      34                   62           4
     2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 ^                               31                   64           5
     1995 Aug 28-30                                    25                   73           2
     1985 May 17-20                                    23                   73           4
     1980 Jun 27-30                                    25                   70           5
     1979 May 18-21                                    25                   70           5
     1977 Apr 1-4                                      28                   66           6
     1973 Jan 26-29                                    16                   78           6
     1972 Mar 3-5                                      15                   81           4
     1969 Oct 2-7                                      12                   84           4
     ^  Asked of a half sample.
20. Would you favor or oppose making marijuana legally available for doctors to prescribe in order to reduce pain
    and suffering?
    BASED ON –514—NATIONAL ADULTS IN FORM B
                                                            Favor                     Oppose                  No opinion
     2010 Oct 7-10 ^                                           70                          27                           3
     2005 Oct 13-16                                            78                          22                           *
     2003 Nov 10-12                                            75                          22                           3
     ^   Asked of a half sample.
    TREND FOR COMPARISON:
    Suppose that on election day this year you could vote on key issues as well as candidates. Please tell me whether you
    would vote for or against each one of the following propositions. Would you vote for or against making marijuana legally
    available for doctors to prescribe in order to reduce pain and suffering?(SOURCE: Gallup Poll)
                                                            Favor                     Oppose                  No opinion
     1999 Mar 19-21                                            73                          25                           2