That's what we need to focus on changing, IMHO. In exchange for the SocialSecurity of an ever-expanding Federal Leviathan taking financial responsibility for our personal mistakes, we are apparently willing to forfeit our civil liberties to far too much of a degree than I am comfortable with. I'm almost 40 years old and have never been in an auto accident that was my fault, yet I choose to pay for auto insurance to protect my earnings from the other nutjobs on the road out there. I also tend to wear my seatbelt, despite the fact that it has never saved my life, but I reject the notion that I can be ticketed if I happen to slip it off fer a few minutes to grab my wallet or whatnot. That is my choice...how come I can't have the flexibility of making other choices in which I accept the responsibility for my own actions?
I believe Social Security is another thing that I should have the Right to Opt Out of...maybe I believe I can make the 15+% FICA tax go further towards my retirement than the Federales can...why can't I choose to do so instead of the Feds mandating that I use their retirement system? Same things with drugs, IMHO...pot may not work well for me, but I shouldn't be willing to give the FederalLeviathan the Power to imprison me if I get a wild hair some evening and smoke some weed that happens to be growing in my backyard!! And if I am allowed the freedom to smoke this weed, how can I--in good conscience--deny this FReedom to some 21-year-old dude who lives in the projects?
IMHO, the WarOnSomeDrugs is entirely indefensible and I respect yer ability as a debater to keep trying to do the impossible without resorting to the name-calling that usually results from these debates.
FReegards...MUD