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States Rights vs. Federal Power- Medical Marijuana Illegal
SactoDan Blog | June 6, 2005 | Sacto Dan

Posted on 06/06/2005 7:36:18 PM PDT by sactodan

The Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision ruled today that Federal Agents may arrest medical marijuana users in States that allow marijuana to be prescribed by a physician. The decision was not based on the marijuana debate, is it harmful or beneficial? The Federal Government claimed it has the right to regulate interstate commerce.

Ten states presently have laws on the books that allow Medical Marijuana, California being one of them. California voters approved Proposition 215 in November of 1996 in a 55.6% to 44.4% vote.

Do you agree with the ruling because you are against illegal drug use, or are you against it because the Court appears to be using the Interstate Commerce ruling to extend the reach of the Federal Government?

As a conservative, I am going with State's Rights. Medical marijuana, like it or not was legalized in California by initiative. The will of the people is being subverted by activist judges, once again.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: federalpower; marijuana; statesrights
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1 posted on 06/06/2005 7:36:25 PM PDT by sactodan
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To: sactodan

Clarence Thomas had it absolutely right.


2 posted on 06/06/2005 7:37:46 PM PDT by wingnutx (Seabees Can Do!)
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To: wingnutx

What did Thomas say?

The Supremes blew it on this one big time.


3 posted on 06/06/2005 7:38:50 PM PDT by Recovering Ex-hippie (Everything I need to know about Islam I learned on 9-11!)
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To: sactodan

If the weed is produced within a state and used within a state, the fedz should have nothing to say about it


4 posted on 06/06/2005 7:42:55 PM PDT by agitator (...And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark)
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To: sactodan

The interesting this is that the "drug" libs now are in a poisition of support strict constitutionalism.


5 posted on 06/06/2005 7:47:24 PM PDT by ProudVet77 (Warning: Occasional intelligent posts hidden by sarcasm.)
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To: ProudVet77

You know what they say about stopped clocks. But of course the anti-federalist coalition is much more powerful than either the Republicans or the Democrats. Both parties arrogate more federal power (and less federal responsibility) as a matter of policy.


6 posted on 06/06/2005 7:52:19 PM PDT by thoughtomator (The U.S. Constitution poses no serious threat to our form of government)
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To: Recovering Ex-hippie

Clarence Thomas: "If Congress can regulate this under the Commerce Clause, then it can regulate virtually anything--and the Federal Government is no longer one of limited and enumerated powers."


7 posted on 06/06/2005 7:53:41 PM PDT by wingnutx (Seabees Can Do!)
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To: wingnutx

Judge Thomas is correct.


8 posted on 06/06/2005 7:54:59 PM PDT by shellshocked (They're undocumented Border Patrol agents, not vigilantes.)
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To: shellshocked

I was surprised that Scalia didn't dissent as well, he's usually a hardline state's rights kinda guy.
I still don't understand how the commerce clause allows for the black market to play into 'commerce'.


9 posted on 06/06/2005 8:02:27 PM PDT by Nipplemancer
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To: wingnutx; Recovering Ex-hippie
For those who haven't seen it, here's the first paragraph of Thomas' dissent...

Respondents Diane Monson and Angel Raich use marijuana that has never been bought or sold, that has never crossed state lines, and that has had no demonstrable effect on the national market for marijuana. If Congress can regulate this under the Commerce Clause, then it can regulate virtually anything–and the Federal Government is no longer one of limited and enumerated powers.


10 posted on 06/06/2005 8:03:00 PM PDT by zeugma (Come to the Dark Side...... We have cookies!)
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To: Nipplemancer

Time to hit the reset button and re-boot.


11 posted on 06/06/2005 8:04:30 PM PDT by Hunble (U.S. Army for 20 years)
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To: sactodan

Shame to have to waste a perfectly good States' Rights argument on this issue. MJ has no value even if it's believers think it does.


12 posted on 06/06/2005 8:04:55 PM PDT by muawiyah (q)
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To: muawiyah

Quite a paradox.


13 posted on 06/06/2005 8:06:45 PM PDT by sactodan
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To: agitator

The way I understand the SCOTUS decision is that since there is no interstate commerce involved, that has an effect/impact on interstate commerce.

"The Congress shall have Power to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes"

I'm confused.


14 posted on 06/06/2005 8:07:54 PM PDT by Poniolo (The true barriers of our liberty in this country are our state governments... Thomas Jefferson)
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To: Nipplemancer

"I was surprised that Scalia didn't dissent as well, he's usually a hardline state's rights kinda guy."

Yeah, me and one of the attys at work are keen to read his reasoning on this. Hopefully he spelled it out.

Seems like just another judicial fiat. The law is what we'd like it to be at any given moment, on any given subject, on any capricious whim.

NOT GOOD.


15 posted on 06/06/2005 8:11:07 PM PDT by jocon307
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To: Poniolo

You're not confused, they're propping up a bunch of people on federal welfare programs like the Injustice Dept., the FBI, the ATF, the ......


16 posted on 06/06/2005 8:35:33 PM PDT by agitator (...And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark)
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To: muawiyah

So only drugs produced by major drug companies have value?


17 posted on 06/06/2005 8:38:16 PM PDT by VRing
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To: wingnutx

Thank you.


18 posted on 06/06/2005 8:41:48 PM PDT by Recovering Ex-hippie (Everything I need to know about Islam I learned on 9-11!)
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To: zeugma

Thank you.


19 posted on 06/06/2005 8:43:20 PM PDT by Recovering Ex-hippie (Everything I need to know about Islam I learned on 9-11!)
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To: ProudVet77

That's right: That is part of what is so interesting about this decision, today. SCOTUS is as a girl? Allowed to change her mind and rules at whim?


20 posted on 06/06/2005 8:48:45 PM PDT by Alia
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