Source
r/Ohio•
2roo

Enough with the issue 3 astroturfing already.

There is a really suspicious amount of posts that offer nothing but political spin soundbytes..

"Vote no on issue 2 if you like democracy"

"Vote yes on issue 3 if you want to end the drug war"

It's all just a little bit too on-message, too much political spin, and too much echo chamber. There never any nuanced discussion in these initial posts and replies, just hard-line messages written to appeal to your emotions.

Yeah, I want to legalize it too. I may vote for issue 3 anyway despite the asinine restrictions on home grow. But jfc enough with the astroturfing.

We know the "green 10" investors have millions riding on this. We know they are paying for fliers and ads and canvassers to go "educate" folks on how to vote. It stands to reason they could pay a couple doofs to sit here and repost their message over and over again until we get it.

We do get it. Enough is enough.

Someone in another sub suggested that all issue 2/3 posts be contained to one mega thread. Mods, how about it?

Posted Oct 21, 2015, 10:10 PM UTC

051
thefuckingsafetyguy•

Astroturfing? I really don't think so. I for one have no connection to RO or any other legalization organization.

I do think that the prospect of legalized marijuana (in Ohio!!!!) - and the ability to grow 4 flowering plants, have 8oz at home and carry 1oz pretty gets the populace excited.

I know I am. No on #2, Yes on #3 for legal weed.

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2rooOP•

You know you can't just grow. You have to get approval from some entity they haven't even defined yet.

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thefuckingsafetyguy•

Yep - I also can't "just drive", or "just fish" or "just hunt", or...........

12
2rooOP•

You apparently have a lot of faith that the government will hand out home grow licenses with the same freedom as a fishing license.

The RO amendment took the Oregon model for home grow and added the license and registration language.

Who knows how ridiculous and expensive that process will be. Meanwhile if you want to grow but can't afford the process of getting licensed and your site properly registered with the authorities, you're back to having committed a crime.

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EmAreDubsColumbus•

What do you think, the police are going to start knocking on every door to check to see if you're growing weed, and if so, ask to see your permit? License or not, I bet lots of people will start home growing if Issue 3 passes.

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thefuckingsafetyguy•

Imagine getting pulled over with with an ounce of weed right now. The police could take your car.

Imagine getting pulled over with an ounce of weed when you are headed out on a family vacation. The police could deem you an unfit parent.

Imagine getting pulled over with an ounce of weed. I would loose my license - and my job.

How is any of this better than legalization?

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AyesukuDayton•

Who knows how ridiculous and expensive that process will be. Meanwhile if you want to grow but can't afford the process of getting licensed and your site properly registered with the authorities, you're back to having committed a crime.

You know, if you'd read the amendment...

Regulatory rules shall not prohibit the operation of marijuana establishments or home growing, either expressly or through regulations that make their operation unreasonably impracticable. Such regulations shall include, but not be limited to: procedures for the application for, and the issuance, renewal, transfer, suspension, and revocation of, a license to operate a marijuana establishment or marijuana testing facility or qualify as a caregiver;

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mikeincolumbus•

But the rules for what it takes to drive are pretty week defined, the rules to grow and the registration rules, including the sharing of that information, are not.

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thefuckingsafetyguy•

I'm OK with them figuring out the rules after we get past it being 100% illegal. No more fear of rolling around with a small baggie of weed in my pocket to and from a friends house to watch a game.

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drunkcyclist•

I actually took the time to read and understand the amendment. You should try it. The licenses are defined as "shall issue" in 90 days. This is the same for driver's license and CCW.

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Jared_JonesColumbus•

sure I can. I guarantee you that I could have 3 or 4 plants growing in the far corner of my backyard, amongst my other plants and nobody would be none the wiser. Shit, most people wouldn't even know what they were looking at even if they got up close.

1
redditor01020•

Someone in another sub suggested that all issue 2/3 posts be contained to one mega thread. Mods, how about it?

Please no. Deal with it for 2 more weeks.

But I do think some of the articles that get posted don't really contain much new information or analysis. Since we have so many articles being posted on Issues 2 & 3, I think it is a good idea for everyone to consider this criteria when deciding to post, and downvote articles that don't really add anything new.

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2rooOP•

The only reason to advocate for allowing this sort of spam is to keep the sub "on point". It's a lot easier to astroturf when you can keep "resetting the message" with new posts.

One megathread with all the debate in one place would be far superior for someone to read and consider all opinions.

Edit to add: I didn't downvote you.

-1†
jt4Dayton•

One megathread with all the debate in one place would be far superior for someone to read and consider all opinions.

I think it depends on what's being posted. I believe new polling data deserves its own post. The problem with megathreads is that new information is often lost in the shuffle.

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uFLYiBUY•

No on 2. Yes on 3. Ha. In all seriousness, I have no idea why we would mess with Ohio's ballot initiative. It is very obvious how and why 2 came about. I think most Ohio voters are smart enough to vote down an issue if they are not happy with it. Why do we need the government holding our hand at the voting booth?

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mikeincolumbus•

Probably best bet is no on both, why mess with the ballot initiative and why ensconce special rights for a specific group into the constitution?

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xHellion444x•

Because it MAKES WEED LEGAL. All politics is compromise, you put up with the negatives to gain access to the positives.

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mikeincolumbus•

True, but you when you compromise you need to know the maximum you are willing to give up. For me this goes too far as a constitutional amendment.

2
Drenlo•

It is also almost all the same accounts spamming this subreddit with new links rehashing the same thing. I am all for conversations but when over half the front page and second page is issue 3 posts and one guy has submitted 14 of them in the last 8 days with no other history it is blatant astroturfing. I have seriously considered unsubbing because of all the spam it is ridiculous.

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jt4Dayton•

If it's the guy I think you're talking about, he's been on the site for 3 years and got 100k+ link karma. Apparently he owned a bot that reposted everything, and nuked his profile at some point. I don't know why an astroturf would be using a 3 year old account. I really think this is just some guy who wants to smoke weed legally in Ohio.

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[deleted]•

[deleted]

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seamonkeydoo2Akron•

You're probably talking about different guys. There are several all over these threads who have two month old accounts filled with nothing but RO.

Also, it's a little suspicious when anything that doesn't look great for RO, even simple quotes from news sources used as description of the debate, immediately get downvoted to oblivion with no responses. It's a pretty transparent effort.

-1†
moodyfloyd•

you are thinking of a mix of _repost_ and highonsloopy with the former posting everything and highonsloopy, well, yea its an account based on issue 3.

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Highonsloopy•

I can't post about Marijuana with my regular reddit account for fear of repercussion at my job. It's that fucking simple, so maybe try addressing my arguments instead of some ad hominem attack about shilling.

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[deleted]•

[deleted]

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circuitbomb•

You should tell us who is forcing you to read every ballot link and comment so we can deal with that problem first.

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2rooOP•

Dissenting opinions are a problem that need "dealt with" to you?

Also this is the only ballot issue I have ever debated, and this is the post I started, so I don't know what you are on about there.

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AngelaMotormanColumbus•

Dissenting opinions are a problem that need "dealt with" to you?

Whoa, there: this whole post is based on your demand that mods deal with what you define as a problem with dissenting opinions.

Why is it so hard to comprehend that the tide of opinion has turned? Last spring, there was a nearly unquestioned consensus here against Issue 3 and for Issue 2. Since then, thousands of voters have completely changed their opinion -- not a few of them through reading discussions here and elsewhere on reddit. It's not astroturfing. It's just how politics works.

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2rooOP•

Nice hyperbole. It was not a "demand."

I fully comprehend that there are differing opinions, but outside this subreddit, I haven't seen any tide turn. Don't get all high and mighty just because I am getting downvoted in one contentious thread.

Astroturfing is when a fake grass roots effort is made up to purposefully sway public opinion. I am not saying everyone here is a shill. I am posting because I honestly feel like there is an effort to astroturf here.

I agree, that IS how politics works.

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bernie16wb•

r/Ohio is a pretty small sub that probably contains similar demographics to the rest of reddit which means it's people that are likely predisposed to wanting legal weed.

I really doubt either the prohibitionists or RO people are spending much effort or funds to fake posts on r/Ohio. I think it's far more likely that there are just disagreements.

Does it not seem logical to you that for people that don't hold your objections to the bill that the prospect of legal marijuana might be exciting or important enough for them to want to post about? Probably a more exciting concept for them than the monopoly is for those that are opposed to it.

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circuitbomb•

Dissenting opinions are a problem that need "dealt with" to you?

No, not at all. But that wasn't what I was trying to imply. You're tired of shitposts. Welcome to the Internet where people post everything as news and incessantly force you to click and read it all.

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