Posted on 08/13/2008 6:30:00 PM PDT by microgood
Doesn't anyone remember the idea of a Republic, or the Founder's idea of the "laboratories of democracy" anymore? Why is it people automatically assume that whatever the solution to a particular problem is, it has the be the same solution for everyone?
Perhaps, but it doesn't make any difference anyway. This is appropriately a state matter, and the writer, who's probably a pothead, is perfectly correct in nailing McCain for hypocritically failing to take a federalist position.
This is the way any federal trial goes. Did you or did you not sell MJ? Anything else is not allowed unless it is evidence that you did NOT sell MJ. Your reasons why don’t matter, and there is no discussion of mitigating circumstances until sentencing.
Also, in fed trials I have watched, the defense can only bring up topics the prosecution brings up, defense can’t bring up a new topic. So the cancer patient was not allowed to bring up a new topic.
Sentencing itself is constrained by mandated point systems- so many points (or levels) for this and so many for that, minus points for mitigating circumstances- so (I’m making up the numbers because I don’t have the guidelines open), four levels for possession, eight levels for possessing more than five ounces, ten levels for possession with intent to sell, ten levels for actual sale, and minus five levels because you pled guilty adds up to seventeen levels which translates to X months in Club Fed. The mandated system came about because people on both sides were screaming about too harsh or too lenient decisions from judges, so they developed a rigorous setup of levels and points that pretty much ties judge’s discretion.
Want legal or decriminalized pot? Stop voting for Drug Warrior candidates. As long as being tough on pot gets votes, and being soft on pot loses elections, we will get more and better Drug Warriors who will pass laws and appoint judges so that we get more Drug War.
If you want drug warriors, elect them at the state level and let them do it there. We need to get the federal government out of it. The abuse of the Commerce Clause is out of control, and we can't stop it we're complicit in it.
No, but even in the heavily-controlled environment called prison "the problem" is not solved. People ruin their lives and careers over all sorts of stupid things (Edwards, and one could hope for Redfriend and Strident).
I'm not as notoriously libertarian as W.F. Buckley though I've subscribed to his magazine for more years than I have digits but... this solution is not only not working, it's fueling other political/social elements even more poisonous to and destructive of our culture.
Legalization has its problems. It's fair to say that one boundary on the extent of the issue was set in China in the 1900s with the ban on opium.
“We need to get the federal government out of it. “
Stop electing Federal Drug Warriors!
I’ll bet that all of the presidential candidates with the exception of the Libertarians and maybe Peace and Freedom would be Warriors, at least on paper.
And Senate candidates usually are, even Boxer and DiFi vote for tough laws.
When a candidate loses because of his tough stance on pot laws, the next dozen candidates will have changed their minds.
Bottom line is, we have the laws we have because a majority of Americans want it that way and support politicians who promise to keep it that way.
Otherwise they simply would not get elected.
As long as it's about the pot, instead of about the Constitution it will probably stay that way.
Do they not understand or not care what the cost is in terms of damage to republic as an institution, and corrosion to the balance of powers?
The Constitution is written on it.
DuPont and King Cotton didn't care much for it.
Ask Anslinger about it turning you into a homicidal maniac.. Just lookit all the people Willie Nelson has murdered.
Heh. Is this a joke?
The questions answers itself.
Marijuana has no valid medical use. Narcotics do.
and they do not take heroin and make it into a useful drug.
They make opiate derived drugs from opium, or they manufacture a totally synthetic equivalent thereof.
I don’t care what anyone ingests or does as long as it doesn’t affect me.
That means people can do all the drugs they like as long as they can fulfil their obligations - job, family, etc.
I don’t want to hear about “education,” “treatment,” “I’m sick,” etc. If they can’t support their kids, take ‘em and adopt them out.
/rant
I never thought any of the kids that smoked in high school would be the kind of people to get far in life. Maybe I’ll actually go to my reunion just to see if thats true or not.
Do they understand? Look at how people vote, who they vote for.
“It slipped the leash long go. We no longer live under the system of government bequeathed to us by the Founders, IMHO.”
Actually since 1865.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States leads the world in rates of experimenting with marijuana and cocaine despite strict drug laws, World Health Organization researchers said on Tuesday.
Countries with looser drug laws have lower rates of abuse, the researchers report in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Medicine.
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN0125478320080701
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“It slipped the leash long go. We no longer live under the system of government bequeathed to us by the Founders, IMHO.”
Actually since 1865.
OTOH, medical marijuana has won nearly every time it has been put before voters.
Okay. Yet they seem to understand that Clarence Thomas is a conservative. Why do they have this "blind spot" that makes them seemingly oblivious to what he's saying?
Will you personally pay the difference in price between pot and Marinol for those who need to use one or the other? If not, I'd say price is a perfectly legitimate reason for people to prefer pot.
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