Posted on 05/16/2002 11:22:07 AM PDT by Reagan Man
I think Jim Robinson has as good an answer as anyone with the Free Republic mission statement.
The answer is to return the Federal government to its constitutionally mandated functions and let each State deal with domestic issues, in accordance with the Tenth Amendment.
Those States that pursue destructive policies will be seen for the failures they are, while those States that govern wisely will thrive and their ideas will spread.
I believe this would have a beneficial effect on the drug problem as well as other domestic problems.
I see that sentiment was viewed as too radical for the thread.
My post was deleted. ;^)
Of course, that may have been because I was unduly blunt.
Conservativism "worships the law"?!! Bwaahahahahahaha! :-) That's hilarious!
"The Law" in the United States is the Constitution. The 10th Amendment to the Constitution absolutely forbids federal regulation of any drug. (That's why a Constitutional amendment was required to regulate alcohol.)
Conservatives shamelessly ignore The Law when they support federal criminalization of ANY drug (absent a Constitutional amendment).
Legalization of ALL drugs (at least at the federal level)...it's The Law. (Elected/appointed) conservatives certainly don't "worship" The Law. They don't even follow it! And conservatives among The People certainly don't insist that the people they elect follow The Law. If they did, they'd vote Libertarian (at the federal level, at minimum).
The worst thing about marijuana is that, like tobacco or other "legal" smokable herbs, consumption past a certain level can significantly worsen one's cancer risk. (On the other hand, a typical marijuana user's usage levels are lower than the tobacco usage of a typical smoker.)
I have never had any marijuana and if its Federal ban were ever repealed, I would probably still never have any. I think smoking, especially, is icky and would only try it as a desperate "medicinal" measure where no other way of administration were possible. But I don't run from it crying "wolf! wolf!"
Meanwhile you have drunk drivers killing over five times as many people as died on 9/11, but nobody cares, because hey! it's alcohol, it doesn't hurt anybody!
According to the accounts from the Congressional Record I've read, when the original bill to prohibit marijuana came up for debate, the Speaker of the House, Sam Rayburn was asked what it was about. He replied ""I don't know. It has something to do with a thing called marijuana. I think it is a narcotic of some kind." Does this sound like marijuana prohibition was the result of some great public demand? Most of the information about marijuana that was available to the media came from Harry Anslinger's Bureau of Narcotics. You seem absolutely sure there was no attempt by the government to influence public opinion on the subject by misinformation. Do you think the material and Congressional testimony by Mr. Anslinger that can be found on the web will support that assertion?
Alcohol IS a narcotic. (From the root "narco"...numbing.)
From Dictionary.com: An addictive drug, such as opium, that reduces pain, alters mood and behavior, and usually induces sleep or stupor.
During the Civil War, alcohol was consumed prior to surgery, precisely because of its narcotic effect. Timeline for alcohol use in America...see 1862
From what I've seen (from volunteering my time at a local Drug & Alcohol Treatment Center) that only works for the likes Dionne Warwick and friends, not your average joe.
Prohibition also created a huge black market demand for alcohol and directly led to a new era in organized crime. In my opinion that would make alcohol prohibition a failure.
"There is strong arugment for substance control policy being a states rights issue. Although, I don't agree with it, I respect such reasonable and sensible logic."
Why shouldn't legalization be a states' rights issue? A whole host of other criminal justice issues are left to the states so why not this one? The only constitutional argument that can possibly be made for any federal drug law is under the purview of foreign commerce. Under the Constitution, the federal government has every right to regulate the importation of drugs from foreign countries. However, a marijuana plant grown in the backyard would strictly be a state issue.
Let's be careful with using the "It's for the children" argument popularized by the left. If we really wanted to protect the children we would push for a ban on fatty foods, require everyone to wear non-flammable padded clothing, and set a national speed limit of 10 mph. Think of all the lives that could be saved! Of course, that would never fly. An abuse of constitutional boundaries is an abuse of constitutional boundaries, whether we are talking about drugs, food, clothing or speed limits.
I say treat drug ABUSE as a health problem - thats what it is.
Recreational drug USE should be fine, same as alcohol is now.
The only people who should be incarcerated are violent criminals, thieves, etc..., NOT drug users/abusers.
Also it will (or already has) lead to complexities such as we have with gun laws. What is perfectly legal here in Tennessee will get you serious jail time in California or Maryland or Massachusetts. Remember the old oil company PR ads? "The is no simple solution, only intelligent responses" or something to that effect....
Yes, but MY point is that The Law IS the Constitution. (Not the #@$% that Republicans and Democrats dish out.) Article 6 of the Constitution very clearly states:
This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land;...
It is simply NOT possible to say that one supports following The Law, unless one supports following the Constitution. And FEDERAL regulation of ANY drug violates the Constitution, under the 10th Amendment:
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
EVERY SINGLE federal "law" regarding any drug is NOT made "persuant to the Constitution"...and therefore every single federal law on any drug is illegitimate (illegal). That's why conservatives are NOT following The Law when the vote for/enforce federal laws or regulations on drugs; they are VIOLATING The Law.
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