Democrats Using Reefer to Cultivate Young Voters

In what could be a great idea or a sign of desperation, Democratic strategists are deciding whether or not to push marijuana initiatives on to ballots for the 2012 elections. According to a WSJ article today, Democratic candidates in California are benefitting from a surge in enthusiasm from young voters eager to support Proposition 19, which will legalize Marijuana in certain quantities and allow local governments to regulate and tax it.

The article states that ballot measures typically do not increase turnout on a large scale, although strategists from both parties argue that certain ballot measures can activate targeted groups of voters which can impact a close election. Democrats liken the reefer measure to the 2004 ban gay marriage effort Republicans lead in Ohio and other battleground states as a way to attract the more conservative vote for President Bush.

We'll see if this makes any sort of difference. I think it sounds difficult to just slap a marijuana initiative on the ballot in any state. The states that will have an initiative on the ballot likely lean enough to the left that it won't make a difference (The Dems are munsoned right now so maybe it will). The Democrats are definitely dangling the joint in front of those young voters. What would be funny (kind of) if it backfired. There are definitely a lot of 19 year old Republicans who love weed but feel they've been around long enough where they can be a xenophobe and complain about their taxes. Full article here.

Guns

Interactive state by state gun law map in the WSJ last week on. Click on your state so you can know how to properly handle your whistle!

Andrey Melnichenko 1 - World 0

I don't even know where to start with this one. Pick up a copy of Friday's Wall Street Journal and turn to the front page of the Weekend Journal IMMEDIATELY. I'll let you have the distinct pleasure of reading this amazing article about Andrey Melnichenko's ridiculous new yacht named simply "A" - Snipes, that name didn't quite make the part deux list, did it? - but I have to include one paragraph in particular from the story here:

"The walls of one room are covered in white sting-ray hides, while another is in hand-stitched calf's hide. The main deck features two Michelle Haillard chairs made from alligator hides and Kudo horns. Known for his mischievous streak, Mr. Stark (boat's designer) outfitted "A" with risque touches like the suite dubbed the "nookie room" by the crew, with its white circular bed with padded walls and a ceiling mounted TV."

The only thing I have in common with anything having to do with this boat is that a certain "college life" publication once claimed that parties at the house I lived in my senior year were "risque...but fun." Too bad we didn't have a nookie room. Make sure you watch the video as well. Enjoy the picture below.

Merriment and Madness

Great article in the WSJ today on the relentless annual lineup of American holidays and the inevitable religious, political, social...pretty much any sort of social construct with the suffix -ious or -al...conversational controversies that arise between family members over Easter brunch or the equivalent. According to the author, safe conversation topics this year include the chemical properties of Easter-basket grass and which celebrity scandals we should be most grateful for. As for the latter, I plan to explain to the female members of my family why Tiger Woods will win the Masters next weekend. Should go over well.

Paragraph of the Day

From Thomas Frank's opinion piece in today's WSJ.

It is tempting to understand the tea party movement as a distant relative of the lowest form of televangelism, with its preposterous moral certainty, its weird faith in markets, its constant profiteering, and, of course, its gullible audiences.

Read the full piece here.

*This is not an implied stance on TCD's view on the Healthcare issue. However, we will take advantage of opportunities to make fun of any fringe group that embarrass a political party, Democrat or Republican. PETA, you suck, too.

WSJ Bank Failure Map

Map of US Bank Failures since early 2008. Click here for the fully interactive map and DATA. Last updated Feb 28, 2010. Easy WAMU.

Snoop Dogg Banned From The UK?

Either I missed this one or the limited amount of gigabytes in my brain deemed this not important, but apparently Snoop Dogg has been banned from the UK since 2006. Yeah. As reported in the Wall Street Journal this morning in one of their semi-obscure British entertainment-related stories, the D O doublegizzle got into a dispute at Heathrow Airport, scuffled, was detained and then released with a warning for using "insulting words," according to authorities. Since that warning, Snoop has been banned from the UK. The Journal reports:

U.K. immigration rules allow border authorities to refuse entry if they believe it would be for the public good based on "character, conduct or associations of the person seeking leave to enter."

British authorities cite Snoop's criminal record and affinity for chronic as reasons for the ban - they believe he could become violent if another altercation occurred.

Certainly a bizarro story but I guess causing an unnecessary scene in a foreign country's airport won't earn you any points with their government. As long as they're keeping the real bad guys out. Full story here.

*Hilarious sketch courtesy of The Wall St. Journal

WSJ Dabbles in John Terry Story

Rumors have been swirling that English National Team (soccer) Captain John Terry had marital “transgressions” involving the girlfriend of former club and current national team teammate, Wayne Bridge. I am not sure how this story merits publication in the WSJ other than it loosely connects the British/Euro fascination with “football” culture to the PR and entertainment business. I just think they're looking for content juicier than healthcare and munsoned Toyotas. Anyway, not only did the journal drill Terry as a sauced adulterer, they also blew up his spot for parking in handicap spaces! There was also a noteworthy quote from a former English National team player who played in the late ‘80s (80s!), “There was always an unwritten law that you didn’t go near another player’s wife or girlfriend, and you expected the same from them.” Nice, as long as it’s OK for me, then.

Read the full story here.

Image courtesy of The Sun.