Hot Button Issues

As well as voting for President, Americans were also asked to decide various hot button issues during the election. Here's just some of the issues they decided:

Abortion

No real surprise that this issued popped up again. California voted not curtail abortion rights. South Dakota voted against an abortion ban two years ago. This time around they had a watered down version of the abortion ban to consider. They rejected this proposal too. Maybe it's time to stop putting it on the ballot, and leave the law alone?

Colorado had a religious based law proposed that would define what constitutes human life, and would have later led to abortion being legally considered murder. They rejected the idea.

Assisted Suicide

Washington state joined Oregon as the second state in the union to allow terminally ill people to commit suicide with the help of a physician.

Marijuana

Massachusetts will decriminalize possession of marijuana. If you are caught with less than an ounce you will be fined $100, and have it seized, but that will be the end of the matter.

Michigan changed the law to allow medical use of marijuana. Registered patients can grow their own and smoke it without risk of prosecution.

It's nice to see some sensible moves in this direction. Let's face it, we waste a fortune on the war on drugs. I'd much rather see police busting meth labs, than arresting someone who is smoking a little pot.

Prostitution

San Francisco was going to take the sensible step of decriminalizing prostitution. However, this move was rejected. Opponents to the proposal argued that the move would embolden pimps and make it harder to prevent sex trafficking.

Marriage / Gay Marriage

California, who had gay marriage, voted to take the right away again.

Arizona and Florida voted to define marriage as one man and one woman, joining 27 states that discriminate against gay couples in this manner.

Arkansas decided that unwed couples were not allowed to adopt or become foster parents.

Stem Cell Research

Michigan voted to allow people to donate embryos that were produced during fertility treatment for use in stem cell research.