[Sparta]

"insist the Federal Government provide money for drug treatment and education."

I don't believe the Feds should pay for either. I think that Al-Qaeda and other trash would use drug money to finance operations if drugs were regulated and legal. As for the Interstate Commerce clause, all that this means is that the states will not place tariffs and other undue restrictions on goods from other states. As for dopers recieving welfare, I think welfare should be denied to dopers and eventually abolished for all.

BTW: This isn't a drug thread, so can we agree to disagree?

[JRandomFreeper]

welfare should be denied to dopers and eventually abolished for all.

I can agree with that. Welfare should be a societal function. Not a government function. For too many years people have confused government with society.

Governments are good a building big things, and breaking big things. Government is the wrong tool to use to provide assistance to the truly needy. Churches are better at that function.

/john

[Neets]

The nice part about ATRW is the fact that we can agree to disagree and no-one holds any grudges...it is one of the few places on FR where you can have reasoned debates without name calling or any hard-feelings afterwards.

And on that note, I am going home and back to bed.

[Chairman_December_19th_Society]

As for the Interstate Commerce clause, all that this means is that the states will not place tariffs and other undue restrictions on goods from other states.

The Interstate Commerce Clause, in its entirety:

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

The clause does not speak only to tariffs or a proscription upon the states on restricting goods from other states. It says "regulate Commerce ... among the several states."

This clause exists, in my mind, due to the Federal nature of our country, that it was meant to be a union of several autonomous states. For this to be true, then there has to be an arbitrar since this means the states are not allowed to make treaties between themselves (in fact, it is expressly forbidden for states to make interstate agreements without the consent of Congress). In this vein, it falls to Congress to address this gap that would otherwise exist in the relationships between the states.

This is an abbreviated version as I'm about to head on off to a holiday party. I could write much longer on this subject, but am sadly constrained.