[eleni121]

an innocent man like ed rosenthal

Innocent? How so? He admitted he was growing cannabis which is an illegal drug for good reason. It is addictive and harms people! Thank God for the federal law that can override the stupidity of California "jurors".

[bvw]

What is the constitutional basis for that federal law?

[supercat]

Innocent? How so? He admitted he was growing cannabis which is an illegal drug for good reason. It is addictive and harms people! Thank God for the federal law that can override the stupidity of California "jurors".

The relevant part of Article I section 8 of the U.S. Constitution reads:

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

If Congress was supposed to be able to pass all manner of restrictions of commerce even within a state, why add all the unnecessary verbiage underlined above? The only reasonable presumption is that the underlined text was supposed to mean something.

In particular, the reason Congress is given power over interstate commerce is specifically that, with few exceptions, states only have power over what happens within their borders. Since states do not have power over interstate commerce, Congress gets that power. On the other hand, there is no good reason for Congress to have power over commerce within a state since, if the people of the state want to restrict something, they can just as well do it themselves.

[Mike4Freedom]

which is an illegal drug for good reason

No it is not illegal for good reason. We have already heard all the comparisons with alcohol and tobacco and certainly you would not believe anyone on its medical benefits, since they are well established.

What should be disposative for any conservative is the tenth amendment. It is outside of the jurisdiction of the federal government to ban random substances, no matter what the excuse. Doubly so if that substance is produced within the state where it is possessed or used. This is what our FEDERAL system means and conservatives are all for it most of the time. But when you'all suspect that someone may be having a little unautherized fun, you forget your basic principles. Mr.Rosenthal was innocent of all charges since his state specifically legalized the medical use of MJ and the Feds have absolutely no authority to pass any such laws. The jurors were, in fact, duty bound to acquit.

The other interesting point was the Federal law, passed by our intelligent congresspersons, proclaiming that MJ has no medical uses. This was the judges excuse to block any testimony about medical necessity from the trial. Legislative bodies do not legislate scientific facts. This reminds me of a state legislature that once decreed, by law, that the value of pi was to be 3 rather than the more correct 22/7. Despite their law, the ratio of the circumference to the diameter of a circle did not change, nor did the medical usefullness of MJ go away because congress said so.

[freepatriot32]

Innocent in that he broke no califonia laws the california law allowed him to grow it and that the goverment of california ask him to grow it for them this isnt really any different than if a state cop came up to you and ask you to go undercover for them and help them solve a crime and when you got all the evidence for them the feds arrested you for conspiricy and racketeering and the judge wouldnt allow the defence to let the jury know that you were working for the cops legally and you got convicted and sent to federal prison its practically the same thing

[ActionNewsBill]

It is addictive and harms people!

Alcohol is addictive and harms people. Tobacco is addictive and harms people.