I've always wondered how that interstate commerce thing works. Sure, congress has the right to regulate it, but what does that mean and how can the government regulate a form of commerce that officially can not exist because they banned it? Penumbras and eminations of law?
The Commerce Clause was designed to prevent states from taxing each other to death with protectionist tariffs and import/export quotas. In effect turning the entirety of the nation into one giant free trade zone. It was not designed as a backdoor for Congress to regulate anything that has a dollar value, for which they have used it.
The government's job is not to save me from myself but from my neighbors foreign and domestic.
You keep saying that alcohol is acceptable because it's been used by man for thousands of years. Marijuana is not acceptable for the same reasons. Sure, 'Western' people knew nothing of this plant's euphoric properties because of their climate. Cannabis will grow anywhere except in the most northern latitudes and is found naturally in Europe and North America. The big difference is that when it's grown in warmer temperatures it produces much more cannabinoids than in the cold. Grown nearer the equator and it'll get you high. Grown in the British Isles it'll make a nice fiber for paper or clothing, but won't do much for your party.
Thee: I've always wondered how that interstate commerce thing works. Sure, congress has the right to regulate it, but what does that mean and how can the government regulate a form of commerce that officially can not exist because they banned it? Penumbras and eminations of law? >>
Me: Regulation ultimately involves making something available, or less available, based on circumstances as set by the Government. Banning is a form of regulation, which is obvious on its face.
However, Marijuana, being a natural plant and not a chemical requiring manufacturing facilities, is regulated like this: 1) You grow it by farming. 2) Federal law says you cannot farm it or possess it without a license. 3) The federal government never (well, hardly ever) issues a license to grow and possess the stuff. Voila! It's banned. All legal, all constitutional, end of story.
Thee: The Commerce Clause was designed to prevent states from taxing each other to death with protectionist tariffs and import/export quotas. In effect turning the entirety of the nation into one giant free trade zone. It was not designed as a backdoor for Congress to regulate anything that has a dollar value, for which they have used it.
The government's job is not to save me from myself but from my neighbors foreign and domestic.>>>
Me: Au contraire, it was SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED to allow Congress to establish itself as the preeminent regulator of interstate trade. That's been settled since the days of the old Interstate Commerce Commission in the 1880s. As for your opinion about government's job is "not to save me from myself", again, you show your ignorance. Of course that is precisely the Government's job, otherwise you could get crack at the local pharmacy. And besides, selling drugs of any sort, pot included, includes externalities--dangers and negative side effects involving innocent people completely uninvolved in the transaction. Like, oh, say, my three friends killed in various accidents. Or the three year old girl killed by a stray bullet from a drug deal gone wrong.
Thee: You keep saying that alcohol is acceptable because it's been used by man for thousands of years. Marijuana is not acceptable for the same reasons. Sure, 'Western' people knew nothing of this plant's euphoric properties because of their climate. Cannabis will grow anywhere except in the most northern latitudes and is found naturally in Europe and North America. The big difference is that when it's grown in warmer temperatures it produces much more cannabinoids than in the cold. Grown nearer the equator and it'll get you high. Grown in the British Isles it'll make a nice fiber for paper or clothing, but won't do much for your party.>>
Me: Bingo. If this were China you might have an argument. It ain't, so deal with it.