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In Massachusetts they did: https://www.wamc.org/news/2024-04-04/massachusetts-governors-council-unanimously-approves-sweeping-pardons-for-all-marijuana-possession-convictions-prior-to-march-2024
Few governors have unilateral pardon power. Most states require a board to approve pardons, and often the pardon power in a state is limited in scope and/or timing.
It’s likely they don’t have enough internal support from the people who’d be signing off on it. Same kinda reason having a Dem president hasn’t amounted to a ton (things have to go through congress).
cuz then all the guards would have to go on unemployment.
How about we do a switcharoo and swap the nonviolent drug offenders rotting away in prison for some corrupt politicians who are walking free for some reason
$$$
For the most part it just may be as simple as it not being a very popular action in the state as a whole, and most Governors, even democrats, are mainly concerned with their next reelection. If they go and pardon a bunch of "criminals" their next opponent with use that against them in the next election. Marijuana legalization may be very popular in a lot of cities, but in a lot of rural and conservative parts of a lot of states it is not, and Governors, unlike mayors, have to appeal to the whole states not just the cities.
88% of the country approves of legalizing marijuana. The decriminalization percentage would almost be unanimous. The main reason would be that the jails and prisons would become bare, causing many to go jobless. Many pay their mortgages by babysitting potheads.
I agree but 88% of people don't vote especially in local elections, so people running for state wide governments have to appeal to people who do vote, which are many times older, white, evangelical and conservative.
The Republicans are still steadfastly holding on to keeping marijuana illegal issue for political reasons.
They scream to their base how awful it would be if marijuana was legalized.
This way they don’t have to address real issues like healthcare cost, exorbitant charges for medicine like insulin, negotiating drug prices with big Pharma and the list goes on.
There are very few low-level marijuana offenders at the state level - and the ones that do exist are often in on affiliated charges (like in states where it is legal, failing to pay taxes or have the proper license).
There are often plea bargains so somone is accused of a conspiracy involving organized crime, but pleads to a marijuana related crime. Well, if that person is pardoned it may lead to an outcry.
Anyway, a lot of pardons have been issued in general and a lot of laws have been changed.
Because democrats are incompetent.
Because politicians* are incompetent.
Fixed that for you.
Well yeah, but being an outsider looking at the state of things in the US, it's clear that republicans are trying to set up fascism, and democrats are too incompetent to do anything about it.
“It’s the fault of the non-fascists that the actual fascists are fascisting!”
That's not at all what I said, but sure.
The Democrats never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity to do something right.