Libertarianism

Raich and Torture

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Even though it would still not be just in a free society:

To ban marijuana, Congress should have amended the Constitution through the arduous process prescribed by the Framers, just as it did when it banned alcohol. Instead it has amended the Constitution through legislative assertion and judicial acquiescence.

Aand, I think a pretty strong case can be made that the alcohol ban was itself unconstitutional.
On a related note Radley Balko argues that the federal medical marijuana ban may in fact be torture.

Beyond Raich

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Why exactly are the drug terorists waging this war on supposedly free people? Dennis Perrin has a few thoughts in answer:

Still, it seems comical that at this late date we’re dealing with shit like this, esp given the larger and more pressing horrors of the world. But systems of control are self-perpetuating, as are the delusions that keep them humming. And criminalizing marijuana requires massive delusion and lying by those who seek control. To be expected. To paraphrase Bill Hicks, alcohol and cigarettes do nothing creative for you and accelerate your chances for death, yet they’re legal. Weed, on the other hand, opens a door in your mind and lets you see how you are getting royally fucked on a regular basis, yet it’s illegal. Coincidence . . .?

Go read the rest!
Via Arthur Silber.

Supreme Court Supports Federal Thugs

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In Gonzalez V. Raich the US supreme court ruled in favor of the federal thugs, justice department and congress, who would deny individuals living in the land of the supposedly free the authority to grow and use marijuana for medical purposes.
They had an opportunity to fix years of misapplication of the commerce clause and to reaffirm the concepts of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as they recently did in Lawrence. They failed.
There is more The Volokh Conspiracy, How Appealing, Scotus Blog and I’m sure all over the media and blogosphere as the day goes on. The full decision is here (PDF).
Update: Information on using so-called democratic means as called out in the opinion can be found at the Marijuana Policy Project site.
Update2: Zombyboy has a somewhat less radical reaction than the above and concludes with:

What we get today is two irrational decisions rolled up in one: the decision to expand commerce control over increasingly non-commercial endeavors and the decision to continue to insist that marijuana is a more dangerous drug than any of the opiates that are commonly prescribed to relieve pain. Sorry, but I just don

Indonesia Illigitimacy

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Indonesia demonstrates that, like most other modern governments, its laws, its government do not deserve the respect of its citizens or others around the world:

Accused Australian drug smuggler Schapelle Corby has been found guilty by an Indonesian court of importing marijuana into Bali.

Interfering with the consensual exchange of goods and services between individuals is not a legitimate governmental function.
In this case it looks like the victim might not even have been involved in the drug trade.

War Tax and Draft?

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In an interview at Antiwar.com author James Bamford, A Pretext for War, suggests that a war tax and a mandatory draft are a sure way to assure full public involvement in the war making process:

The key problem is massive public apathy and extremely poor press coverage. I think the only way to prevent such wars in the future would be to make every citizen an equal shareholder in the war