Ron Paul Wants to Legalize Marijuana . . . And I Support Him!

*Sorry for the departure from my normal topics.  I try to refrain from political discussions because they just quite frankly anger me, but I feel this must be said.

First off, I owe you an apology. Like Ron Paul's opponents, I've written a sensationalized title to grab your attention. Now that I have it, let me also offer an admission. If you were previously unaware of this fact, let me assure you that I am not a raging drug-head. As a matter of fact, I've never even been tempted to consume a single drug. I was 20 before I tasted alcohol for the first time – watched over by my friend's parents – & have never once been inebriated. So, if I'm not a partaker of drugs – & quite frankly find their use & abuse to be idiotic – why in the world would I support an effort to legalize marijuana? For liberty's sake, that's why.

Let's get one thing straight. Ron Paul has not – I repeat, NOT – introduced a bill to legalize marijuana. Oh, that's what you'll see in the headlines (imagine – propaganda from the media!), but that's more than a little disingenuous & misleading. Ron Paul, along with other members of the House, has put forth a bill to "end state/federal conflicts over marijuana policy, reprioritize federal resources, and provide more room for states to do what is best for their own citizens."  In other words, these representatives desire to follow the Constitution by stripping the federal government of misappropriated power & properly restoring that power to the states.

Why is this so important? Aside from the fact that it honors the Constitution? Well, you also have the fact that the "War on Drugs" has officially been declared a failure & is yet one more drain on our already bankrupt country. Then you have the fact that it's yet another freedom that the federal government has taken away from American citizens. I can hear those wheels turning; I know what you're thinking, & the answer is an emphatic "No"! I am not advocating the use of marijuana or any other drug. That's not the point, & we completely fail to see the real issue when we get caught up in inflammatory accusations & pat answers. The crux of the issue is this: the Constitution clearly gives the power of such decisions to the states, not the federal government. Ron Paul doesn't want to legalize marijuana; he wants the states to make that decision one by one & for the federal government to get their grubby paws out of our personal lives. I, for one, agree.

The ramifications for this kind of thinking are far-reaching. The list of areas into which the federal government has unconstitutionally spread its power is too long to list. We already have regulations that restrict our choices in dairy, childbirth, speech, light bulbs, education, produce, religious practices, healthcare, housing, bearing arms, & private property. And don't get me started on money! Our "leaders" have decided for us how much money we can make, how much of that must go to the public (via the unconstitutional federal income tax), & how much we must pay into Social Security (which was supposed to be temporary, & from which most of us will never see payments). I'm sure you can think of more examples. Personally, I could go on & on, but I'm going to exhibit some control here, lest I stray from my point. Which is this: the Constitution gave power to sovereign states to decide what was best for their citizens. That power was never granted to the federal government, but over the years, we have acquiesced to an increasingly enlarged bureaucracy. As a result, we have an out-of-control federal government that strives to micromanage every portion of our private lives. This has to stop. In my humble opinion, Ron Paul is the only person possessing the integrity, knowledge of history, & proven record – as well as the utter disdain for seeking out popularity through votes & verbal quips – to put a stop to these intrusions. That's why we supported him in 2008. That's why we support him now.