The one constant at both gatherings — a deep and abiding respect for their service.

For more, view the audio slideshow inside.

For pot proponents, 13 proved to be a lucky number.

Michigan became the 13th state to legalize physician-supervised possession and use of cannabis. When the Mitten State law takes effect in December, almost one-quarter of Americans will live in a state that allows the use of medical marijuana.

Massachusetts voters also approved decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana on Tuesday, making it the 13th state to take this step.

Colorado voters didn’t make any decisions on marijuana policy during this election. They legalized medical marijuana with Amendment 20 in 2000, and possession of small amounts was decriminalized by Denver voters in 2005. A 2007 ballot measure to extend Denver’s law statewide went down in defeat.

The lion’s share (78 percent) of the increased tax revenue from higher limits will be pumped into the Colorado community college system. Of the balance, 12 percent will go to Gilpin and Teller counties to help deal with impacts of increased gaming and 10 percent will to the towns where gambling takes place.

According to a fiscal impact statement put together by the Colorado Legislative Council staff, if voters in all three cities agree to raise bets to the $100 maximum, the increase in revenue should amount to about $300 million in the first five years.

Local elections have not yet been scheduled. Michael Hirsch, general manager of Gold Rush in Cripple Creek, told Marketwatch that any changes to the Gaming Act will not go into effective until July 1, 2009 or later.

Many Colorado casinos, like this one in Central City, reference the traditional architecture and historic nature of old mining towns. (Photo/Bob Spencer)

Amendment 50 would allow the gambling communities of Cripple Creek, Blackhawk and Central City to raise betting limits to $100, expand casino hours of operation, and introduce craps and roulette. Community colleges would get 78 percent of the increased tax revenue, with the balance going to the cities and counties where gaming takes place.

With a bursting statewide ballot this year, the measure hasn’t drawn as much attention as the more fever-pitched proposals — including anti-affirmative action, egg-as-a-person or a plethora of labor/business-related amendments. But anyone with a television and a Colorado address has seen the ads promoting this amendment. They feature a woman walking through a field, speaking in comforting tones about how it will benefit our community college system.

Colorado’s casinos are growing, even without the higher gambling limits proposed by Amendment 50. (Photo/Bob Spencer)

In all, more than $7.5 million has been raised by the proponents of Amendment 50. The opposition, on the other hand, is making do with a couple of guys, a KeepVegasOut.com website and $0.

Jon Anderson and Scott Yates are the two-man team working diligently in opposition to Amendment 50.

“The television ads are misleading,” says Anderson. “This dramatically changes gambling in Colorado.”

“If they were trying to change the limits from $5 to $20 we probably wouldn’t have gotten involved,” he continues, “but increasing bets to $100, allowing casinos to stay open 24/7, and allowing craps and roulette, that’s too much. Most people who read what the amendment does, agree.”

Anderson worries that the increased stakes could have a negative impact on bankruptcies and suicides in the state.

He’s also concerned that tying funding for community colleges to gambling money is a bad idea.

“What if the casinos have a bad year?” he asks.

Tony Niehaus, poker tournament manager at the Gilpin Casino in Blackhawk, views things a little differently. He hopes the measure passes and will be a boon to his casino.

“It’ll be nice to get some new juice into town,” Niehaus says. “A lot of people feel like the game is tired and played out with $5 limits.”

Jeremy, who works as a cook in a Blackhawk casino and gave only his first name, also supports the measure. “It’ll bring a lot of money in,” he says.

On a recent trip to old mountain mining towns just west of Denver, gamblers walking from casino to casino echoed similar support. A recent Rocky Mountain News/CBS4 poll has 64 percent of Colorado voters supporting the proposal.

(Photo/Bob Barr for President, Flickr)

Barr, an attorney from Georgia and former Republican congressman for the state’s7th District, leapt onto the national stage as the first lawmaker to call for the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.

He lost his congressional seat in 2002 and switched his affiliation to Libertarian in 2006.

While Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain spend millions on commercials to attack each other’s ideologies, Barr claims they’re both essentially the same. His latest video asserts there isn’t a dimes worth of difference between the two, asserting that they both want more government, more bailouts and more intervention to buy up bad loans.

It’s a message that may be resonating with more and more Colorado voters. Not only did Denver host this year’s Libertarian National Convention, it was also the third most generous metro area for Barr, contributing $19,590 to his campaign coffers.

Travis Nicks, chairman of the Libertarian Party of Colorado, believes he knows why.

“Colorado is a Libertarian minded state,” he said. “Our Republicans and Democrats both have a Libertarian streak.”

He also claims that the top two parties are ignoring their constituents.

“The major politicians aren’t listening,” he said. “People see the Libertarian Party as a viable, valid third choice.”

Based on comments to Barr’s latest posting on Townhall.com, it seems many people see him as posing a threat, but not to win the election. They believe that, similar to Ross Perot in 1992, Barr could take enough conservative votes away from McCain to give Colorado to Obama. One commenter went so far as to say, “If you throw even a single state to Obama we will hunt you down with dogs.”

In response to this possibility, Nicks is dismissive.

“Barr can’t steal votes from McCain,” he said. “every vote is earned. If McCain can’t earn people’s votes, that reflects on McCain, not Bob Barr.”

Colorado College political science professor Bob Loevy agrees. “In a really close election a third party might appear to swing the vote, but there is really no way to know where those votes would have gone,” he said.

He also sees no indication that Barr could make much of a difference based on the polling numbers in Colorado.

“In order to be a successful third-party candidate, you need money, a well-known public personaand a major issue to mobilize the vote,” said Loevy, “and I don’t think Barr has that.”

And as for those who might try to hunt him down with dogs, be forewarned. Barr is a former board member of the National Rifle Association, and the 12-gauge Mossberg Model 590A that was up for grabs on his Web site Wednesday has mysteriously disappeared.

AP news reports that, in a day that made the candidates of both major parties look lazy, independent candidate Ralph Nader delivered 255 minutes of speeches to 21 Massachusetts communities on Saturday.

This epic day of campaigning was enough to earn Nader the Guinness World Records title for most campaign speeches given in a single day.

The rules required Nader to give more than 150 minutes of speeches. Each speech had to last more than 10 minutes and be given to at least 10 people who didn’t arrive with the candidate.

I’m sure I should end this piece with a snarky dig about quantity over quality, but Nader is 74-years-old — two years older than his GOP presidential rival John McCain — and is polling in the single digits across the 45 states where he made the ballot.

For his persistence and enthusiasm alone I say, “Way to go, Ralph!”

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