FC: Free-market.net's roundup of state ballot wins and losses

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

1- OR rejects government-controlled health care
----------
Salt Lake Tribune
    Warned of drastically higher taxes, voters in Oregon on
    Tuesday rejected a proposal to create the nation's first
    completely government-dominated, single-payer health
    care plan. (11/06/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/865138445.html


2- MA barely keeps state income tax
----------
Boston Globe
    Massachusetts voters defeated a referendum to abolish the
    Bay State's personal income tax. Opposed by all major
    politicians, the Libertarian-sponsored measure still
    pulled 47% of the vote. (11/06/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/893070035.html


3- AZ rejects loosened marijuana law
----------
Arizona Republic
    Arizonans defeated a ballot proposition liberalizing
    marijuana laws. The measure stirred controversy by
    requiring the state to give away marijuana for free.
    They also passed another measure toughening penalties.
    (11/06/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/852317666.html


4- OH voters say no to drug treatment instead of jail
----------
CNS
    By a 2 to 1 margin, Ohio voters defeated a proposed state
    constitutional amendment that would required judges to
    prescribe treatment instead of jail time for drug
    possession offenses. (11/06/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/854457735.html


5- NV voters reject legalizing marijuana
----------
Las Vegas Review-Journal
    The drive to make Nevada the first state with legal
    marijuana failed overwhelmingly as 61% of voters
    rejected the ballot's Question 9. (11/06/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/859268140.html


6- NV ban on gay marriage passes
----------
Las Vegas Sun
    Nevada voters showed their conservative side at the polls,
    voting to add a ban on gay marriages to the state's
    constitution. (11/06/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/862858276.html


7- FL approves workplace smoking ban
----------
Minneapolis Star-Tribune
    Florida voters approved a sweeping ban on smoking in
    restaurants and virtually all other workplaces.
    (11/06/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/882489284.html


8- Tenacious Thompson out but not down
----------
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
    Ed Thompson, the Libertarian candidate for governor of
    Wisconsin, didn't make it to the governor's office --
    but he had the best third-party showing in 60 years,
    with 10% of the vote. (11/06/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/885339508.html


9- Jury nullification loses in SD
----------
The Argus Leader
    A measure that would allow criminal defendants to ask the
    jury to judge the merits of the law was rejected by
    South Dakota voters by 77% to 23%. (11/06/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/891149903.html


10- As many as 8 state legislatures could get minor party lawmakers
----------
USA Today
    Candidates from the Green, Libertarian, Constitution,
    Progressive, Working Families, Independence and Mountain
    parties were running strong races for state House and
    Senate seats from Maine to Oregon. (11/06/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/870348676.html


11- New campaign restrictions and legal battles start
----------
Washington Post
    In the wake of the election, the speech restrictions in a
    campaign finance "reform" act take effect, and the
    battle begins in court over the law's First Amendment
    ramifications. (11/06/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/875128936.html


12- Justices hear challenge to three-strikes law
----------
Washington Post
    The Supreme Court hears arguments over a California law
    that mandates long prison terms for repeat offenders --
    even if the trigger is a petty offense. (11/06/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/878989114.html


13- The FBI has bugged our public libraries
----------
Hartford Courant
    "The Federal Bureau of Investigation has bugged the
    computers at the Hartford Public Library. And it's
    probable that other libraries around the state have also
    been bugged." (11/06/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/896200167.html


14- Pool of unemployed hardly stagnant
----------
Washington Post
    A new Labor Department survey shows that the labor market,
    described in recent months by many economists and
    policymakers as stagnant, instead features change, with
    millions of people each month getting hired and fired.
    (11/06/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/887939606.html


15- U.S. may set up domestic spy agency
----------
Telegraph
    America is contemplating a radical overhaul of the FBI and
    the creation of a domestic spying organization modelled
    on Britain's MI5, according to U.S. intelligence sources.
    Ridge will be holding talks with upper-level M15
    personnel. (10/31/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/222665377.html


16- War views split along generation gap
----------
Christian Science Monitor
    National surveys find young Americans most supportive of
    military action. Older citizens are skeptical. (11/06/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/902460642.html


17- Carving up of Iraqi oil riches begins
----------
Guardian
    The leader of the London-based Iraqi National Congress met
    executives of three U.S. oil multinational companies to
    negotiate the carve-up of Iraq's massive oil reserves
    post-Saddam. (11/03/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/226305840.html


18- San Francisco backs city marijuana distribution
----------
San Francisco Chronicle
    San Francisco voters approved a measure to have the city
    study growing and dispensing marijuana for medical
    purposes in response to federal crackdowns on
    medical-cannabis clubs. (11/06/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/899450471.html


19- Politically correct coffee loses in Berkeley
----------
San Francisco Chronicle
    An initiative that would have required all cups of coffee
    sold in Berkeley, California to be "fair trade,'' shade-grown
    or organic was overwhelmingly rejected.  (11/06/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/926532673.html


20- Honk if you want a ticket
----------
San Antonio Express
    Honking for peace during the "No War In Iraq" march in
    downtown San Antonio on Saturday resulted in a retired
    military man receiving a ticket. Others who also honked
    were not cited. He plans to contest the ticket.
    (10/31/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/466407355.html


21- Cannabis drugs pass testing milestone in UK
----------
News Scientist
    Cannabis-based drugs could be prescribed in the UK as early
    as 2003, following successful final-stage trials in
    patients with multiple sclerosis. Compared with standard
    treatments alone, the drugs significantly improved
    symptoms of MS and reduced pain caused by other types of
    nerve damage. (11/05/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/472807786.html


22- French prostitutes protest crackdown
----------
Yahoo
    Wearing white masks with tears painted on them, hundreds of
    prostitutes rallied in front of the French Senate to
    protest a high-profile government crackdown on their
    livelihood. (11/05/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/758266270.html


23- Surgeon says cash for organs only way to solve shortage
----------
Reuters
by Ned Stafford
    "The number of organs donated for transplantation is only a
    fraction of what is needed to meet growing demands,
    making it necessary to implement financial incentives to
    encourage people to donate organs, according to a German
    transplant surgeon." (10/31/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/228196040.html


24- China tracks internet use with swipe IDs
----------
The Register
    People in the central Chinese province of Jiangxi who use
    cybercafes are having their online activities monitored
    by police via internet ID cards containing personal
    details. (11/06/02)
http://www.free-market.net/rd/900730553.html




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