Why are you deflecting? Who said anything about the federal government, I'm talking about State laws, laws which libertarians ALSO oppose. (Oh look, There went your "State's rights" claim right out the window).
No I didn't. The platform is quite clear that libertarians oppose not only Federal Drug Laws, but also STATE drug laws. They are not for "State's Rights". I'll be honest with you, I am pretty strong on State's Rights myself. If California wanted to turn itself into holland tommorow I really wouldn't care. HOWEVER, libertines, just like liberals are really not in favor of State's rights. Not only do they want California to turn itself into holland, they want to force Alabama to do so as well.
I have to agree with the person you're trying to argue with (but since it wasn't directed to him, I can't refer to him directly). I don't know a single libertarian who actually smokes dope or takes drugs. But the fact that we oppose the criminalization has nothing to do with whether or not we take drugs. Do some people who claim to be L/libertarians do so simply because of the LP opposition to the WOD? You bet! The best example of such a person would be that idiot Bill Mahr. He claims to be a "libertarian," but as soon as you start looking at what he says and believes in, you realize that he's a big government leftist who only claims to be a libertarian because of the LP's stance on illegal drugs.
Thank you for your concession.
The fact is that while the LP stands for the decriminalization of what are now illegal drugs, they also stand for personal responsibility. Meaning that if you ruin your life using drugs recreationally, then it's up to you, your family, and or charities to try to put your life back together.
But you are not for State's Rights to criminalize illegal drugs if the people of that State so choose.
Have you noticed that as government has grown in every aspect of life, people have grown both more complacent and dependant on the government? A good example of this is with Social Security. When most people didn't survive long enough to receive social security payments, a family was expected to provide for the needs of the elderly parents. As social security has grown, and made it easier for families to fragment, we've seen the breakup of the family become more and more common.
I am in favor of privatizing Social Security. So are many Republicans.
1) Because according to the Consitution, the federal government has no authority to do so.
Whose talking about the Federal Government? You guys oppose STATE drug laws as well.
2) Because it infringes on the G-d given right that everyone has to be dumber than hell, and cause themselves all sorts of grief - But don't expect the rest of us to clean up your mess.
You forget that when libertines get cracked out, they do things that affect the rest of us.
3) By taking the profit motive out of the illegal drug trade, criminal activity surrounding the drug trade will dry up. After all, how many bloody turf wars have you seen in the news lately, regarding illegal liquor sales? More importantly, have you noticed that there have been increasing crimes in regards to moving "illegal" cigarettes? When government makes a product that people want illegal, it cuts down on supply, driving up the cost. That increased cost will eventually drive a profit margin high enough to be worth breaking the law. And often, that profit will be great enough for shootouts - Look at Nuevo Laredo as an example, or prohibition Chicago and NY.
This is a fantasy libertine utopia. To use your alcohol example, How many people use alcohol now? How many crimes are committed that are alcohol related? How many people are killed by drunk drivers. Put Crack, Heroine, Meth, PCP out on the street and just watch that problem magnify infinitesimally.