Measure 3: The Vote You Don’t Have to Tell Anyone About

November 6, 2018 T. Arthur Mason North Dakota
(Photo via Flickr)

Last week we published The Minuteman’s official positions on all four of North Dakota’s initiated measures. If you haven’t read that article, I encourage you to do so. Not only does it explain where we stand and why, but it includes the verbiage on each measure you’ll see on the ballot. By the way, thank you to those who Liked, Shared, and gave us feedback on the article. It’s appreciated.

For obvious reasons, Measure 3 — which seeks to legalize recreational marijuana for those 21 and older — is the hot topic when it comes to the initiated measures. Aside from the U.S. Senate race between incumbent Democrat Heidi Heitkamp and Republican Kevin Cramer, it’s undoubtedly the most talked about issue in relation to North Dakota’s 2018 election cycle. And it’s being observed nation-wide.

As a homegrown North Dakotan, I’ve seen a few fear campaigns when it comes to initiated measures. But the movement against recreational marijuana in North Dakota is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Of course, that wasn’t surprising to those of us here at The Minuteman. We expected it.

One of the most baffling arguments, to me, in opposition to Measure 3 has been the idea that it’s not detailed enough. That it doesn’t contain enough regulation, etc. It’s an amusing argument. Why? Because I’m fairly certain that even if it had those elements included in it, those opposed to it would have picked them apart and perhaps even suggested it was too much— too detailed.

For some reason, some folks have chosen not to understand the fact that the measure was intentionally written as it is so that it could be modified according to the wishes of the North Dakota State Legislature and the people. Legalize ND’s Cole Haymond explained months ago that:

“This bill is by far the most progressive yet most conservative marijuana legalization bill that will be on any ballot across the country. We leave our bill wide open so the legislature can do their job—regulations, taxes, zoning, whatever.” (Emphasis Added)

To be honest, it’s a brilliant piece of legislation. Not because I think it’s a good idea to smoke weed for the fun of it— I don’t. I’ve been clear about that from the beginning as well. But because there’s literally no argument against the measure that cannot be debated and even “fixed” — the opposition’s word, not mine — by the legislature. Oh, and by the way, the legislature will be meeting in December for organizational meetings and their session kicks off in January. Perfect timing to address any perceived “fixes” that need “fixing”.

I’m not going to take the time here to hash over all the arguments in relation to Measure 3. We’ve done quite a bit of that. And in case you missed it, you can see those articles here and here. Knock yourself out.

Having said that, I do want to say this much— if you’re scared to tell people you support Measure 3, that’s okay. You don’t have to. That’s the magic of the voting booth. The privacy of casting a ballot is a beautiful thing.

I recognize that for some folks it’s an intimidating thing to publicly say you support legalizing marijuana. For some idiotic reason it often results in some lame-brain calling you a pothead— even if you’ve never touched the stuff in your life. So, save yourself the headache. Don’t tell them. Just walk in to the voting booth, mark “YES” under Measure 3, turn in your ballot, and leave knowing that nobody except you and The Man Upstairs will know about it.

You see, that’s called freedom. That’s the way to fight establishment politics without fear of retribution or ridicule. That’s the way to end a failed War on Marijuana. That’s the way to stop making criminals out of otherwise law-abiding citizens at the expenses of taxpayers. Yes, that pen and piece of paper is a powerful thing.

Now, go. Vote. And like any other vote you cast— just know that you don’t have to tell anyone about it if you don’t want to.

 

Sources:

  1. https://theminutemanblog.com/2018/11/01/where-we-stand-on-north-dakotas-ballot-measures1/
  2. https://theminutemanblog.com/2018/09/08/can-legalize-nd-beat-a-fear-campaign-against-legalizing-marijuana/
  3. https://www.freedomleaf.com/north-dakota-marijuana-legalization/
  4. https://theminutemanblog.com/tag/marijuana/
  5. https://theminutemanblog.com/2018/09/08/can-legalize-nd-beat-a-fear-campaign-against-legalizing-marijuana/
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About T. Arthur Mason 883 Articles
T. Arthur Mason is a native North Dakotan who has spent nearly all of his life in the Peace Garden State. As the third of four children in Western North Dakota, Mason grew to appreciate family and the outdoors. Some of his fondest memories are annual deer hunts with family and friends. In his early teenage years, faith became a central part of T. Arthur Mason's life. He and the majority of his family attend church together on a weekly basis and find this a fulfilling aspect of their lives. Through the influence of his father, T. Arthur Mason became intrigued with politics. As a boy, he attended political events with his father and enjoyed the friendships that resulted as a byproduct of those political associations. As Mason grew older, he became convinced that the quote often attributed to Thomas Jefferson was true, "That government is best which governs least." Today, T. Arthur Mason enjoys time with his wife and children, an occasional hunt, and an increasingly active life on the political scene. This blog is the fulfillment of a dream to design a web site in the realm of politics and to advocate for the principles of Liberty and constitutionally limited government. On behalf of all those that contribute to The Minuteman, we hope you enjoy your time on the site and will share the message with others.

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