Voters in Oregon’s populous Multnomah County, Portlanders’ home, overwhelmingly endorsed a measure legalizing recreational marijuana, allowing the initiative to overcome statewide opposition in sparsely populated eastern and southern sections of the state.

Fifty-four percent of all Oregonian registered voters said yes, but legalization doesn’t formally begin until July 1, 2015.  On Tuesday, Oregon joined Alaska and the District of Columbia where voters decided they would not sit by and “just say no.”  Two years ago, Colorado and Washington legalized marijuana possession.

In addition, by a 2 to 1 margin, California voters turned down a statewide proposition that would have ended a 29-year-long cap on pain-and-suffering awards.  Since limiting pain-and-suffering liability in 1975 to $250,000, California doctors have enjoyed one of the lowest insurance rates in the country.

The initiative originally focused on random drug tests for doctors, but it soon became apparent the vote would raise maximum liability for pain and suffering to $1.1 million.  A nonpartisan Legislative Analysts’ Office estimated if the initiative was passed, government health care costs “would increase from the tens of millions of dollars to several hundred million dollars annually.”

With the entire country appearing to shift toward the right, Oregon’s legislative body actually turned more Democratic.  Perhaps the national trend of this election is to see gridlock end, rather than enhance polarization.  Only wizards know the future.  For us mere mortals, time will tell.