Wrapping up last night's ballot measures

Posted: Wednesday, November 04, 2009 5:54 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: 2009

From NBC's Kelly Paice
More happened yesterday than just two gubernatorial races and a special congressional election -- key ballot initiatives were voted on across the nation.

To name a few, in Maine, voters repealed the state's law allowing same-sex marriage, a law that was signed by Gov. John Baldacci (D) only six months ago. According to the AP, the repeal passed by a 53%-47% margin. Also, a measure in Washington state that would expand rights and responsibilities to those in same-sex domestic partnerships is ahead 51%-49%, with 50% of precincts counted.

Cha-ching! Ohio voters called for the building of four casinos across the state -- in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Toledo.

Moreover, voters in Washington state rejected a ballot measure that would have regulated state and local tax revenue. Maine residents also rejected such a "Taxpayer Bill of Rights" initiative.

However, Maine did pass a referendum on making medical marijuana dispensaries legal. Maine is the fifth state -- following California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Rhode Island -- to allow the sale of medical marijuana legal at certain locations, according to AP.

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Comments

Off topic, but I think that's been done here before.

Will the Federal Government opt for the public option? As an employer they may decide to pay the penalty and opt for the public option.

Then there are the state employers who might be interested in saving a buck or two and only paying the penalty and leaving their employees to opt for the public option.

County and city governments are strapped for cash and may do the math to find out that paying the penalty might help balance their budgets, too.

Then there are the private employers who will opt for the public option.

Of course, all of these people will then choose a private insurer from the public exchange.

Who will decide what companies are eligible for the public exchange?

This is where gravity, cash and our lawmakers meet.

Richard, Washington State (Sent Wednesday, November 04, 2009 6:01 PM)

Which totally explains Hillary.
Bonzai Bill (Sent Wednesday, November 04, 2009 4:48 PM)

The people felt they needed to elect a senator that would actually get something done!! Hence her blow-out re-election in 2006!!

Pam, San Pedro, California (Sent Wednesday, November 04, 2009 6:03 PM)

firstread, u will remain last in cable news cause u have shitty news and a shitty blog.

. (Sent Wednesday, November 04, 2009 6:11 PM)

The Ohio Casinos, particularly the one in Cincinnati, will flop.

Newport Kentucky, just acrossed the Ohio River from Cincy and known 50 years ago as hang outs for the Golden Age of TV and movie stars, has one-upped Cincy every which way but loose. The Newport Aquarium comes to mind. Cincy wanted an aquarium but City Council sat on it until Newport broke ground. Now newport has more pubs and activity than Cincy and the Reds and Bengal stadiums sit just acrossed the river from Newport. You could hit them with a 2 iron. The people of Ohio have to pay for them, not Newport. And the Cincinnati Casino will be placed in an area that is more conducive to crime.

Currently, Belterra casino, which has Regis Philbin, Miranda Lambert and Tim Conway type entertainment, sits only an hours drive away in Indiana. Two other casinos, Argosy and Hollywood, also sit on the river in Indiana, again, 1 hour away.

Sarah from Cincinnati (Sent Wednesday, November 04, 2009 6:30 PM)

Palin's influence will screw the Dems big time.

This will be immensely fun to watch.

redplum (Sent Wednesday, November 04, 2009 6:33 PM)

FR:

Please give a history and background for the Maine proposition on gay marriage

Was it ever close to being rejected ?
Was there an ebb and flow to the support
Is there any demographic breakdown on who voted for and against ?

In California, our brain dead, arrogant Mayor Newsome was taped sying 'I's here whether you like it or not'
The Prop 8 people ran that spot incessantly

I think the anti-8 people suffered from over confidence
It was said they'd learned fro mtheir mistakes and would be better prepared in Maine

What happened

I work with and know a lot of gay and lesbian people
They're just like anybody else and should have the same rights

Being Latino, I can relate to having a minority status

MSierra, SF (Sent Wednesday, November 04, 2009 6:45 PM)

FIRST READ: However, Maine did pass a referendum on making medical marijuana dispensaries legal. Maine is the fifth state -- following California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Rhode Island -- to allow the sale of medical marijuana legal at certain locations, according to AP.

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What is pitiful is that Texas - the state that probably gets hit the hardest by the Mexican cartels - Dallas, in particular - will probably be the last to do anything this progressive and only keeps these cartels in business.

My mother just had a double masectomy, and is currently going through radiation treatments, and the medicine she is receiving not only makes her unintelligible, it makes her sick beyond what any person should have to go through - I would gladly break the law to get her some real relief - like marijuana, but she will not let me do it for her because of the possible legal consequences - this ass-backwards way of thinking needs to end.

Saint Dick, Dallas, TX (Sent Wednesday, November 04, 2009 6:48 PM)

Medical marijuana should be taxed to help pay for HCR. Just like tobbacco tax and tax on gasoline help in other ways. We can pay a tax on junk food too, why not? If people won't reform on their own we make them via a tax. The services provided by the govt. for health care shouldn't be necessary even today but costs to consumers are too high and so the greed of the few cause the many to pay more in taxes. That's how it works.

eagle1776 (Sent Wednesday, November 04, 2009 6:56 PM)

I'm proud to be from Washington state--we passed the "Everything but Marriage Bill" yesterday. Glad to see ALL couples finally granted equal rights and protection.

Heidi, Seattle, Washington (Sent Wednesday, November 04, 2009 7:59 PM)

So, to boil it down....

American voters prefer legalized marajuana and building new casinos... over allowing gay couples to have any rights??!

Really?...ew...

Homophobic much?

Michelle, military wife in Germany (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 5:38 AM)

These results are no surprise. Polling consistently shows that the majority are okay with civil unions but gay "marriage" is a problem because the word "marriage" has inherent religious connotations. Based on separation of church and state, maybe our laws should not utilize the word "marriage" at all, but should utilize the term "civil union" exclusively, regardless of the gender or sexual orientation of the participants in said union. Churches would then be free to bestow the title "marriage" on whomever they deemed fit, but the state would regard all these relationships as civil unions. This would be a libertarian solution that would provide equal treatment under law.

Steven Randolph, Tampa, FL (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 8:23 AM)

There's a lot of finger pointing about the Maine same-sex referendum. Its pretty simple though- voters were simply repulsed by too much Rachel Maddow.

Susan, Atlanta, Georgia (Sent Thursday, November 05, 2009 9:20 AM)

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