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To: JTN
As a Libetarian, I still wrestle with the drug position.

I have no problem disagreeing with the way the Federal government danced around the Constituion to create drug laws, but I also have no problem banning hard drugs.

In a perfect world without statism - my freedoms are still limited (I can't murder my boss) and I can't force others to do my bidding and visa versa.

The individual's freedom is sacrificed by the drug user when he drives a car or requires public funds for survival or treatment.

I can therefore justify drug laws by putting them into the crime category - in other words.....if you use drugs - OK - but if you step on the toes of others - it's a crime. How's that for a compromise?

"A social system is a code of laws which men observe in order to live together. Such a code must have a basic principle, a starting point, or it cannot be devised. The starting point is the question: Is the power of society limited or unlimited?

"Individualism answers: The power of society is limited by the inalienable, individual rights of man. Society may make only such laws as do not violate these rights.

"Collectivism answers: The power of society is unlimited. Society may make any laws it wishes, and force them upon anyone in any manner it wishes."

-- Ayn Rand, Textbook of Americanism"


176 posted on 11/26/2005 7:55:08 AM PST by The Raven
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To: The Raven
The individual's freedom is sacrificed by the drug user when he drives a car or requires public funds for survival or treatment.

You might not have had time to read the whole thread yet, but I posted this link earlier - DUI Marijuana: Does Marijuana Impair Driving? Also, very few drug users are ever going to require any public money for survival or treatment. It happens, but it's relatively rare.

I can therefore justify drug laws by putting them into the crime category - in other words.....if you use drugs - OK - but if you step on the toes of others - it's a crime. How's that for a compromise?

You've pretty much staked out the libertarian position here. Or I should say, the libertarian position is that drug use cannot be used as a defense.

180 posted on 11/26/2005 8:05:46 AM PST by JTN ("We must win the War on Drugs by 2003." - Dennis Hastert, Feb. 25 1999)
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To: The Raven
The individual's freedom is sacrificed by the drug user when he drives a car

I support punishing DUI.

or requires public funds for survival or treatment.

It's government ... not the drug, alcohol, or cheeseburger abuser ... who steals "public" funds from their rightful owners.

232 posted on 11/26/2005 4:58:04 PM PST by Know your rights (The modern enlightened liberal doesn't care what you believe as long as you don't really believe it.)
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