The Friday File: For the first time, a majority of Democrats, 72%, Republicans, 51%, and independents, 67%, support legalizing recreational marijuana. Collectively, 64% of the population backs legalization. As recently as 2004, only 35% of Democrats, 20% of Republicans and 47% of Independents supported legal weed. Support crossed 50% for the first time in 2012. The very recent DOJ decision to crackdown on legal pot is a last gasp effort.