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In Seattle Politics, Is Pot Decriminalization the New Civil Unions? Bobby Forch Seems to Think So.
This post has been updated to include Maurice Claussen's response to Forch's blog post (see below).
For Council candidates in culturally libertarian-progressive Seattle, is advocating for marijuana decriminalization -- but not full legalization -- a smart political move, demonstrating that the candidate shares the city's values without coming across as too radical or countercultural? Or is it a craven halfway measure that exemplifies the spinelessness of a certain type of well-heeled, don't-rock-the-boat-too-much liberal politician already overrepresented on the current Council? (In that sense, akin to the way that national Democratic politicians, including the president, have latched to supporting civil unions rather than gay marriage as a way of seeming pro-gay without seeming too pro-gay)?
Seattle City Council candidate Bobby Forch certainly subscribes to the latter view. In the battle to try to unseat City Councilmember Jean Godden, Forch came out swinging yesterday against incumbent Jean Godden and rival challenger Maurice Claussen over the issue of marijuana legalization.
In a blog post on his campaign web site titled "A Time for Political Courage..." Forch promises, if elected, to be a "loud voice" in favor of full marijuana legalization, including the statewide legalization measure that is expected to go to the ballot next year. "In Washington, we don’t need to wait for the Federal Government to change it’s policies. We don’t need to come up with legal maneuvers. We need our candidates and elected officials to stand up and get behind the statewide movement for legalization. I will be that voice on our next city Council," he writes.
And he takes a clear shot at Claussen (though not mentioning him by name), writing, "It’s also concerning that one of my opponents thinks there is a legal maneuver to allow decriminalization but then says it’s not time for legalization. This is not a time for wishy-washy legal maneuvering and incrementalism."
Forch was referencing a recent Publicola interview, in which Claussen said that legalization "is eventually where we go," but added that, “I don’t know that we’re ready yet for a full regulatory scheme of legalization. I don’t know if we know where that goes yet. I think it’s safer to take time and decriminalize it first.” Claussen, a King County Deputy Prosecutor making his first bid for City Council, has proposed creating a licensing scheme to limit co-ops for growing and distributing medical marijuana to industrial areas of the city.
Forch, an Seattle Department of Transportation employee, is making his second bid for the Council.
Godden, who is widely viewed as perhaps the most vulnerable of the five Council incumbents up for reelection, is also an advocate for decriminalizing marijuana, according to a statement Godden campaign consultant Cathy Allen issued to the Seattle Times criticizing Claussen's licensing proposal. "Jean has been a strong advocate for decriminalizing marijuana for years... She believes in medical marijuana and decriminalization..." Allen wrote.
Allen pointed out that Godden recently signed a letter, along with three other Councilmembers, urging Governor Gregoire not to veto a bill, backed by marijuana reform advocates, to regulate sales of medical marijuana. Gregoire eventually vetoed portions of the bill.
Forch's move to highlight his opponents' incrementalist approach on pot is strikes me as an interesting political play. In the battle between these three candidates (a fourth candidate, Michael Taylor-Judd is also running for this seat, but has not generated much traction so far), only two will move on to the general election. Assuming Godden is one, Forst's decision to strike a bold pose on legalization helps to differentiate himself Claussen's more nuanced views on marijuana reform. While the primary election likely won't be decided on pot policy, Forch's attempt to present himself as the bolder progressive could pay electoral dividends in September.
UPDATE: Maurice Claussen e-mailed a response to Forch's criticisms which reads as follows: "My opponent's position on this issue draws as sharp of a distinction as possible in this race, but not in the way he would hope. We both support legalization of marijuana (I have never said otherwise), but where I am proposing a realistic solution for Seattle citizens in response to a failure in state law that considers law enforcement and marijuana advocates, he responds with simple political rhetoric leaving citizens without a solution. Council members are responsible for the welfare of the people of the city and should focus on presenting well-reasoned policy solutions for the issues that face us. All candidates have policy stances for the state and federal system beyond our policy proposals, the question is who actually has those policy proposals in the first place. Empty statements and commentaries about felony prosecutions, which the city does not handle, do not fix the problems facing our city regarding medical marijuana."
For Council candidates in culturally libertarian-progressive Seattle, is advocating for marijuana decriminalization -- but not full legalization -- a smart political move, demonstrating that the candidate shares the city's values without coming across as too radical or countercultural? Or is it a craven halfway measure that exemplifies the spinelessness of a certain type of well-heeled, don't-rock-the-boat-too-much liberal politician already overrepresented on the current Council? (In that sense, akin to the way that national Democratic politicians, including the president, have latched to supporting civil unions rather than gay marriage as a way of seeming pro-gay without seeming too pro-gay)?
Seattle City Council candidate Bobby Forch certainly subscribes to the latter view. In the battle to try to unseat City Councilmember Jean Godden, Forch came out swinging yesterday against incumbent Jean Godden and rival challenger Maurice Claussen over the issue of marijuana legalization.
In a blog post on his campaign web site titled "A Time for Political Courage..." Forch promises, if elected, to be a "loud voice" in favor of full marijuana legalization, including the statewide legalization measure that is expected to go to the ballot next year. "In Washington, we don’t need to wait for the Federal Government to change it’s policies. We don’t need to come up with legal maneuvers. We need our candidates and elected officials to stand up and get behind the statewide movement for legalization. I will be that voice on our next city Council," he writes.
And he takes a clear shot at Claussen (though not mentioning him by name), writing, "It’s also concerning that one of my opponents thinks there is a legal maneuver to allow decriminalization but then says it’s not time for legalization. This is not a time for wishy-washy legal maneuvering and incrementalism."
Forch was referencing a recent Publicola interview, in which Claussen said that legalization "is eventually where we go," but added that, “I don’t know that we’re ready yet for a full regulatory scheme of legalization. I don’t know if we know where that goes yet. I think it’s safer to take time and decriminalize it first.” Claussen, a King County Deputy Prosecutor making his first bid for City Council, has proposed creating a licensing scheme to limit co-ops for growing and distributing medical marijuana to industrial areas of the city.
Forch, an Seattle Department of Transportation employee, is making his second bid for the Council.
Godden, who is widely viewed as perhaps the most vulnerable of the five Council incumbents up for reelection, is also an advocate for decriminalizing marijuana, according to a statement Godden campaign consultant Cathy Allen issued to the Seattle Times criticizing Claussen's licensing proposal. "Jean has been a strong advocate for decriminalizing marijuana for years... She believes in medical marijuana and decriminalization..." Allen wrote.
Allen pointed out that Godden recently signed a letter, along with three other Councilmembers, urging Governor Gregoire not to veto a bill, backed by marijuana reform advocates, to regulate sales of medical marijuana. Gregoire eventually vetoed portions of the bill.
Forch's move to highlight his opponents' incrementalist approach on pot is strikes me as an interesting political play. In the battle between these three candidates (a fourth candidate, Michael Taylor-Judd is also running for this seat, but has not generated much traction so far), only two will move on to the general election. Assuming Godden is one, Forst's decision to strike a bold pose on legalization helps to differentiate himself Claussen's more nuanced views on marijuana reform. While the primary election likely won't be decided on pot policy, Forch's attempt to present himself as the bolder progressive could pay electoral dividends in September.
UPDATE: Maurice Claussen e-mailed a response to Forch's criticisms which reads as follows: "My opponent's position on this issue draws as sharp of a distinction as possible in this race, but not in the way he would hope. We both support legalization of marijuana (I have never said otherwise), but where I am proposing a realistic solution for Seattle citizens in response to a failure in state law that considers law enforcement and marijuana advocates, he responds with simple political rhetoric leaving citizens without a solution. Council members are responsible for the welfare of the people of the city and should focus on presenting well-reasoned policy solutions for the issues that face us. All candidates have policy stances for the state and federal system beyond our policy proposals, the question is who actually has those policy proposals in the first place. Empty statements and commentaries about felony prosecutions, which the city does not handle, do not fix the problems facing our city regarding medical marijuana."
