Election 2016

Pot, Death, and Minimum Wage: 6 Things to Pay Attention to This Election

There's more to this election than Trump and Clinton.


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There's more on the ballot in 2016 than the giant trainwreck on national television. Let's stop rubbernecking for a minute and take a look at 6 other important things at stake on November 8th.

Pot is on the ballot in 9 states, which means some form of legalized marijuana could potentially exist in 29 different states. That could be a tipping point for reform, as public approval for marijuana is at an all time high.

Maine is tired of having a governor that more people voted against than for, so they came up with Question 5, which would implement ranked choice voting in the state. It's a system designed to remove the third party spoiler effect, with voters ranking their candidates and dropping last place finishers until someone has a majority.

Minimum wage hikes are on the ballot in four states, but one to watch is South Dakota, which seems to have realized the negative effect a higher minimum wage has on youth employment, and might decrease the minimum wage for workers under the age of 18.

While three states grapple with putting convicted criminals to death, Colorado might legalize killing yourself. Prop 106 would allow assisted suicide for those who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and have less than six months to live, pushing the government out of end-of-life decisions.

California Prop 61 would prohibit state agencies from paying more for a prescription drug than what the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs pays. No one knows for sure what the outcome of that would be, but it just might be like that time in 1990 when Congress tried to do the exact same thing with Medicaid. Back then, drug companies responded by raising prices on drugs sold to the VA, and soon enough Congress repealed the mandate. But in defiance of history, economics, and opposition campaigns outspending supporters by around 100 Million Dollars, polls indicate that the measure will probably pass.

One big question on election day will be how many votes can Gary Johnson pull in? If he hits the 5% threshold, the Libertarian party would be classified as a "minor party," and be eligible for matching public election funds. Now, will they take Government money with strings attached?

Produced by Austin Bragg. Narrated by Nick Gillespie.

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