This wasn't about Federal Medical Marijuana Subsidies (which I'm guessing do not exist). This was about California (and a dozen other States) who went against Federal policy on the issue.planekT: There are pesky little details of which the "State" knows; but most citizens appear not to: For example: If you, a private school, privately owned on private lands, covering health care, lawsuit liability ins, etc. take ONE PENNY of Federal "largess" to "cover" your school -- you are then subject to the entire leviathan of FEDERAL RULES.
However, *if* that particular "private" household.. was using a fed/state health system, like Medicaid/Medicare. Or was receiving a food "subsidy"; or a welfarian "gift" of the Feds.. they can be subject to FEDERAL LAWS -- all of 'em. Just ask any subsidized farmer, for example.
Just ask homeschooling families. They know the tricks the pro-NEA types play. Even tho homeschooling is legal in CA, for example, pub ed district administrators tried playing games (or were simply ignorant of the laws): They tried telling parents that they, the parents, since they were homeschooling were going to be visited by a bevy of "bureacrats". That is, fire inspection, Health Inspection, ADA inspectors (I'm not joshing you).. etc. While it wasn't true; and it certainly wasn't enforceable, what people don't know is gamed by government bureacracies trying to grow their own "legion".
If you wish to smoke pot in CA, for medical reasons say, simply ENSURE you do not take a penny -- not a penny -- of Federal subsidy. Not in your health care. Not in your children's schools, not in your housing.
That's the way STATE RIGHTS WORKS BEST.
I would posit, however, that if you did statistical analysis of the "states" who hate President Bush's "No Child Left Behind Act", you'd find schools in that state heavily reliant upon FEDERAL dollars for operation.
And there, IMHO, is the rightful truth behind all the bashing of "No Child Left Behind". Before this act, schools took Fed Subsidies at will -- and there was NO ACCOUNTABILITY. Instead, those "dissenters" chose to attack why and how the "act" wasn't productive for their "particular" culture (location) of school. The point is; Federal law has other requirements besides "every child can read".. and this is what royally peeved misguided liberal TEACHERS, on the subject of "No Child Left Behind".
My solution? What I've continued to suggest, over the years, to those teachers, private citizens, etc., who hate the "NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT" -- petition your schools to HALT any Federal Funding.
The sheer magnitude of whining, and whiplash I've received in response to my simple suggestion has made me grateful that I have a flexible spine; and the ability to "let go" when dealing with people who "refuse to see".
On another subject; there are socialist groups working very hard to undermine how States Rights and Federal Law work together to balance, not only the budget, but to hold the Union of the United States of America together. Story for another time.
A very thoughtful post. Thanks.
I home schooled my two kids this year. Texas has some of the most sensible law regarding that of any of the States, but it would not be so if it were not for groups like HDLSA.
They say what you say. If you are going to homeschool, they do not recommend that you take one thing offered from your district if you don't absolutely have to. If you do, you open yourself up to Government intrusion, and they (HDLSA) may not be able to help you.
Our school district (which as you might surmise since my kids aren't in there, I am not a big fan of them) also gripe about NCLB. I heard it from plenty of teachers. "We have to spend too much time teaching the test". Now my kids never had any trouble passing those tests, yet, both of them were dubbed with a learning disability. ADHD for my son, and though they could never quite pin an acronym on my daughter, she was also labeled as having a learning disability (guess they don't have one for strong will and sense of right and wrong, yet!).
I took my son out and we enrolled him in a private Christian school. No more damn pills. He did fine without them (put some needed weight on too). In sixth grade his reading comprehension tested at 11th grade level. Wow, he sure is learning disabled isn't he? What a joke. My daughter is extremely bright as well.
It's all about money. I called up a gentleman who used to have a gun store for a while here before his wife got sick. Just called him up out of the blue to see how things had been going since I hadn't seem him in a while. As the conversation turned to my kiddo's, he related a story to me of a friend of his who was hired to diagnose children at a public school for ADD and ADHD. He was only confirming about 1/4 of the kids they sent to him for evaluation, and I guess that just wasn't enough, because they fired him. I certainly did not find that story very hard to believe.
I think I remember reading about one school district (might have been in Utah) who did decide to stop taking federal dollars. It can be done, but I can imagine the look of disbelief on the faces of those you have spoke to who have had their hand in that "free" lunch bucket for so long that they can't imagine that there never, ever, is such a thing as a free lunch.
Parents are starting to find that out though. I hope that more parents will wake up to the fact (as I did) that the public school system, while having a zero tolerance on illegal drugs, actively promotes legal drugs through their policies. The worst thing about it is the monetary incentive for them to label children as learning disabled who are not. There is way to much of that going around.
I think you're right. If we want to be free, then we are just going to have to start saying no to a lot things, because in the long run they are proving to be harmful to us. That is unacceptable.