He didn't go on to say that all non-angelic behavior should be punished by government - and he certainly gave no such sweeping authority to the federal government, nor even the authority to regulate intrastate growing, distributing, selling, buying, or using of any drug.
Our government's anti-drug laws have reflected the values most Americans hold to.
Nonsense - polls show more Americans favor than oppose legalizing pot.
You don't get how destructive drugs are.
I'm well aware of how destructive drugs can be to irresponsible users - a family member has been laid waste by use of the drug alcohol.
you see dope as a fine recreational activity for responsible adults.
I've nver said it's "fine" - it is one they must as free-willed individuals be at liberty to do.
The reality is it's a plague on our society regardless of whether it is worse than alcohol or not.
If, like pot, they're not worse than alcohol, with which our society is coping quite well, then they're not a plague on our society.
it's impossible to go back and say you're only talking about pot. Because you've made it clear that you'd be okay with legalizing all drugs.
If I were king, I would not legalize any other drug until after having legalized pot and taken a good few years to assess the impact - at which point I predict that the weight of the evidence will support answering 'should we legalize other drugs?' with a 'yes.'
The point about Madison is that he believed we needed government because men are not angels. You may not realize it but the drugs you are keen for were not available when Madison was writing. You probably don't realize it but most Americans would never believe that the Founding Fathers would have been keen for legalizing pot or the other drugs.
I agree that more Americans are shifting to pro-pot laws. Yet only two states are in the pot bag so far. So the truth is that historically and presently most Americans do not share your pro-pot views.
I know you say you're personally opposed to pot but in favor of everyone using it if they want, but that's just more sophistry, like the Democrat claptrap on abortion.
How do you believe that our society copes well with alcohol yet you've lost a family member to it? No cognitive dissonance with your pro-drug stand and the personal consequences in your family? And with both pot and alcohol legal are you unaware of what that will mean to people who use both drugs? http://www.businessinsider.com/what-happens-when-stoned-and-drunk-2014-3
If you were king, you'd not want a besotted, doped up, stoned nation of dolts. But I could be wrong.