Advice for Carly Fiorina
The big issue in California is Prop. 19, the marijuana legalization initiative. All four of the major candidates (Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman for governor, Barbara Boxer and Carly Fiorina for senator) oppose the initiative. The question is what should happen if it passes.
Carly Fiorina has said she is a strong supporter of federalism. She said that in the context of Roe v. Wade and also prop. 23 (repealing CO2 limitations), but it has broader implications. If she applies that principle to prop. 19, then that would lead to the conclusion that the matter should be left to the states. That means the federal government should allow California to legalize marijuana and not use federal law to stop it.
The way Carly Fiorina could express that idea is: "Legalizing marijuana would be a mistake, but it should be California's mistake to make. The federal government shouldn't override the wishes of the state's voters, especially on intra-state matters."
Posted 2010/October/21