Marijuana Legalization Group SAFER Slams Hickenlooper, Lauds Tancredo

Correction: SAFER has not officially endorsed a candidate for Governor, as reported earlier, but released a voter guide (viewable below) slamming Hickenlooper while lauding Tancredo's stance on the issue of marijuana legalization. The organization indicates that it favors Tancredo and libertarian candidate Jaimes Brown, while disapproving of Hickenlooper and Maes.

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As legal pot in California begins to look like a real possibility, and Democratic operatives weigh the benefits of legalization initiatives in 2012, pot legalization advocates in Colorado are starting to flex their political muscles.

Denver-based SAFER (Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation) released its Colorado 2010 ballot guide on Wednesday, and the group is endorsing American Constitution Party candidate Tom Tancredo for Governor over Democrat John Hickenlooper and Republican Dan Maes.

Mason Tvert, Executive Director of SAFER, called out Hickenlooper for making a living--Hickenlooper was a bar-owner before becoming Mayor--selling alcohol while he opposed reforming marijuana laws.

"He has yet to explain why it was OK for him to make a fortune selling alcohol, yet it should be a crime for adults to use a far safer substance instead," Tvert said.

Hickenlooper opposed the 2005 Denver ballot measure that decriminalized possession of small amounts of Marijuana because he considers pot to be a "gateway drug" that often leads to the use of harder drugs.

Tancredo, on the other hand, has stated in the past that he supports the legalization of Marijuana as a way of quelling violence on the U.S.-Mexico border.

candidatesurveygov-ag

Comments

[JohnHKennedy]

05:05 PM on 10/17/2010

Those Dems worried about Tancredo winning should ponder whether Obama's theft of our Democratic Senate Primary poisoned the support for other down tickets races as well. According to another article on HuffPo Tancredo is within 4 points of winning.

When Presidents and Corrupt Party Officials try to manipulate a Primary the consequences just keep rolling in.

The Primary Facts are that Obama, DNC, DSCC and Organizing for America STOLE our Colorado Primary for Michael Bennet.

IF all of them had not meddled and had waited until AFTER our primary vote, there would be much more money available for the general election. And they would not have "split" our party, which has severely limited rank and file support for Bennet.

Teach our Corrupt Democratic Party Officials a lesson they won't forget.

Get our Honest Primary back by WRITING-IN "Romanoff"
or Leaving the Space on your Ballot "BLANK"
Don't let Corrupt Party Officials Dictate Whom our Nominees will be in future.
(and Please Don't vote for Buck) Get the Primary facts: http://AngryVoters.Org

[busterbrownthefirst]

01:13 PM on 10/17/2010

I am a Coloradan in favor of pot legalization, but this group is absurdly irresponsible. Endorsing Tancredo is endorsing racism. He thinks our money is best spent shipping 12 million people over the border. He says no, he's not really a racist and has NO problems with anyone's ethnicity, but gosh, he he is really worried that the whole idea of being an American is being sullied.

He wants to repeal Colorado's light rail system. He thinks we're better off addicted to oil and pollution--gee, as I recall we are one of the worst-polluted cities in the U.S. He cites bogus statistics saying only 4% of the populaiton will use it. Bull. This system will be HEAVILY used. What group did that poll--the Independence Institute, a far right "think" tank headed by the moron Caldera, who has argued that we should give cars to every man, woman, and child in the state as opposed to light-rail investment?

He wants to chop education. As in giving every citizen a finite amount they may spend on their education. Hey, wait a minute. This is not socialism. This is frigging Communist! Not to mention a novel new way to send us to the third world.

Not to mention, I don't want our state humiliated as the laughing stock of the nation. Come on, Coloradans. Even our horrible education system is inadequate to explain one single vote for Tancredo.

[busterbrownthefirst]

01:28 PM on 10/17/2010

By the way, everybody, I did read the article. And oblique or not, the only end result from them releasing any statement on the candidates' veiw of marijuana legalization is an endorsement.

[JaySantos]

01:52 PM on 10/17/2010

Do you consider the light-rail system 'heavily used' today? For every $1 spent to keep light-rail operational, how much is collected from fares? How much is subsidized by taxpayers? How do you suppose we fund light-rail operational spending deficits? Who should pay for this?

[busterbrownthefirst]

02:14 PM on 10/17/2010

The light-rail system we currently have has almost NO route. Look on a map. Your argument that we should nix further light rail, based on one tiny branch of a system that was never anything more than an extremely limited test case, can be outright rejected.

The new lines being put in, just near my neighborhood, will run it all the way from downtown into Golden, which means anyone nearby or going to a park-and-ride will not drive downtown, meaning no pollution from that part of the journey and less usage on roads, meaning less road repair. Everybody in my neighborhood appears excited about it, even the Republicans, and we would all have to do some driving to the nearest location. This is not a partisan issue, by the way.

Furthermore, how could you possibly dispute that linking downtown Denver with the airport wouldn't be heavily used?

This is the 21st century. We need to reduce and then eliminate our dependence on foreign oil. We can no longer afford to turn Denver into a health nightmare because of temperature inversions. Duh. Cars have something to do with both of these problems. We need to drive less.

Before you post back, do a little work and figure out exactly how light rail is funded before you assume we're picking up a bunch of spending deficits. Use a site other than the Independence Institute.

[busterbrownthefirst]

02:37 PM on 10/17/2010

You know, I'm going to suggest a second argument for light-rail. My guess is that you're a Republican, which means you probably don't believe in global warming, as the United States is the only country on earth where scientific "debate" is split on political lines. So tell us--I'm actually curious.

Here in Colorado you may have noticed that we do get a tad of revenue from tourism. That might not work out so well as pine beetles, now proliferating because our winter temperatures no longer fall low enough, are scheduled to destroy a staggering 90% (!!!) of our pine forests. Don''t take my word for it. Drive up to Lake Dillon and check out the scenery. Red vegetation means the trees are dead. (Udall and Bennet have been fighing for more federal funds to eradicate them.) When those red trees fall down, it's going to look like the whole state's been strip-mined.

Gee, global warming might put a crimp on ski season as well. Colorado ski businesses have figured this out. Go to just about any site seeking to educate the public on global warming, and note that the ski industry donates frequently.

Seems kind of obvious that we might want to PROMOTE light rail to PRESERVE our own economy. To SAVE jobs.

Even dogs know enough not to poop in their own doghouses. Light rail is an indication we are in the process of figuring that out.

[sistahfriend]

06:21 PM on 10/16/2010

Hope the people in Denver realize that this election is bigger then Legalizing Pot!

[Shawn Fausett]

01:02 PM on 10/16/2010

Mason, please don't make me vote for Tancredo.

[escribacat]

12:40 AM on 10/16/2010

Idlots.

[GerryS]

09:54 PM on 10/15/2010

wow, someone is one toke over the line--------

[Fred303]

09:22 PM on 10/15/2010

Republican Pot Smokers? this is not a good combination IMO.

[busterbrownthefirst]

01:14 PM on 10/17/2010

Too true. But it would explain voting for him. A great big plate of crazy.

[1differentdrummer]

06:16 AM on 10/15/2010

Don't be stupid, he's not your friend. This guy is a huge accident looking for a place to happen.

[busterbrownthefirst]

01:17 PM on 10/17/2010

Right, and it might be here in Colorado. He has closed to within four points of Democrat Hickenlooper. I moved here in 1978, when this state was so red you would have had to have been color-blind not to notice. We go back to that, we are completely screwed. Our education system here is pathetic. But it wouldn't explain electing this racist with the worst ideas I have ever heard. And that is a serious charge.

If you live in Colorado, please help to get out the vote!!!!

[cooperone]

11:20 PM on 10/14/2010

Well, this is a sad state of affairs. I actually support the legalization of marijuana and/or all drugs; but note that you would definitely have to be very high to support Tancredo!

[ThirdSection]

08:45 PM on 10/14/2010

As California goes, so goes the rest of the country. That being said, we have some extremely liberal medical marijuana laws here and it's only a mater of time, with or without Hick's approval, that it will be completely legal here, too.

[DBtv]

04:06 PM on 10/14/2010

This is absurd, tunnel vision by SAFER. I support total legalization of hemp and hemp products NOW, but not enough to have to deal with all the massive sociopathetic baggage from the teabagger candidate who was rejected by the republicks already.

tancrappo is no friend of Real America.

[Eva Enns]

08:48 PM on 10/14/2010

If you look at the very beginning of this article you will see a CORRECTION that states SAFER did not endorse Tancredo or any candidate. Jeez, a group does its duty to report where candidates stand on the issue and people get upset with the group because a politician they don't like sees it a certain way? Fulfilling your organization's mission is not tunnel vision. Or maybe you just didn't read thoroughly...

[busterbrownthefirst]

01:22 PM on 10/17/2010

That is splitting hairs. I noticed that as well, but this group is still saying, merely by virtue of its endorsement of his stance on mMarijuana, that Tancredo's the one to vote for (the other candidate is completely nonviable). Otherwise, why come out with any statement at all???

This group is ridiculously irresponsible probably because they're frigging high! And by the way, I am in favor of pot legalization and I do live in Colorado. And I'm taking this election and this ENDORSEMENT, oblique or not, whatever, seriously.

[pharmmajor]

12:43 PM on 10/14/2010

If you don't like Tancredo you can always go with their other endorsement, Libertarian candidate Jaimes Brown.

[SteveDenver]

12:03 PM on 10/14/2010

Tancredo over Hickenlooper? Maybe I have been wrong all this time and pot really does hamper judgment.

[mujer-lg]

02:22 PM on 10/14/2010

A broken clock is right two times a day. . .Tancredo has one logical mindset where pot is concerned but on all other things he is batsh*t crazy.

[Buford2k10]

11:16 AM on 10/14/2010

Yo Tommy, Pass the feakin' doobie.

[RENAMED Concerned Parent]

09:10 AM on 10/14/2010

Jesus said, Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. (Matthew 7:12).

I know I would not want my child sent to jail with the sexual predators, or my aging parents to have their house confiscated and sold by the police, over a little marijuana.

We can change the world when we get registered and vote.

Just Google your state name and the phrase, voter registration. In many states, you can simply print off the form and mail it in, but do it today! Registration deadlines are upon us!

[busterbrownthefirst]

01:23 PM on 10/17/2010

Take that dope away from your parents!

Just kidding.