Pot Wars!

[bhsup]

Nebraska and Oklahoma sue Colorado over legal marijuana

Nebraska and Oklahoma have asked the US Supreme Court to nullify a 2012 law that made marijuana legal in the US state of Colorado.

The two states allege that Colorado's law is in violation of federal law.

They say that they are suing just Colorado, and not Washington state where marijuana is also legal, because they do not share a border with Washington.

Colorado's attorney general said their suit was without merit.

"Federal law undisputedly prohibits the production and sale of marijuana," said Nebraska attorney general Jon Bruning in a press release.

The war on drugs just got interesting. Because it is state vs state, it goes straight to the Supreme Court. No working its way up the food chain with this one. Personally, I hope Colorado wins.

"But B, I thought you were a law and order guy!"

Well I am, and pot is against federal law, but I don't see anything in the Consititution that gives the federalies the right to legislate mary jane.

"So then you agree with people that smoke pot now? They should be able to do it and frak the federalies?"

No, they're criminals. You will not find one instance of me advocating breaking the law because I happen to disagree with Supreme Court rulings that allow the feds oversight in areas where they don't belong. The S.C. is frequently wrong, but the way our system has evolved, they gave themselves the power to do this, so it sucks but there you go.

"That makes no sense, man! You're contradicting yourself."

Your mama's a contradiction. ( Worst your mama joke ever, amirite??)

 

[warpus]

So this is going to lead to a civil war? First one was over slaves, the second one is going to be about mary jane?

 

[bhsup]

If it does, you can bet Kansas Jayhawkers will begin terror raids into Colorado quicker than you can say, "And your little dog, too!"

 

[Wolfbeckett]

So this is going to lead to a civil war? First one was over slaves, the second one is going to be about mary jane?

Best case scenario, the rest of the states stay out of it and those 3 destroy themselves.

Seriously though, good luck Colorado, you're in the right on this one.

 

[Kennigit]

the suspense is killing me!

HOWS THE SUPREME COURT GOING TO PUNT THIS ONE?

 

[El_Machinae]

If I pull out popcorn to snack on while we watch this one, you're just going to accuse me of being on 'team pothead', right?

 

[sophie]

If I pull out popcorn to snack on while we watch this one, you're just going to accuse me of being on 'team pothead', right?

Hand's up: don't toke

 

[bhsup]

Personally, I hope Colorado wins.

If I pull out popcorn to snack on while we watch this one, you're just going to accuse me of being on 'team pothead', right?

Pass the salt. Yeah, though, feels weird...

 

[Zelig]

So this is going to lead to a civil war? First one was over slaves, the second one is going to be about mary jane?

Well I doubt even bhsup would advocate against slaves running away because it's against the law.

 

[bhsup]

Correct. Slavery is indefensible and unethical. It's pretty much the poster boy for those. Laws against pot are not in any way comparable. My issue with pot laws lies in the realm of federalism, not that they are unethical or indefensible.

 

[Zelig]

Correct. Slavery is indefensible and unethical. It's pretty much the poster boy for those. Laws against pot are not in any way comparable. My issue with pot laws lies in the realm of federalism, not that they are unethical or indefensible.

They're comparable in that they sit somewhere on the same slippery slope, however distant.

 

[bhsup]

"We want to legislate behavior" vs "we want to be able to enslave you because of your skin color (or any other reason for that matter)" are not in any way on the same slope. That said, please, please, let's veer away from slavery here. This is about States and the wacky weed. Course, it's not RD so continue it if you really feel you must, but I'd personally rather we didn't.

 

[Zelig]

Well my point isn't really about either slavery or pot - it's about how laws span a continuum* of subjective defensibility and ethicalness.

I'm using "continuum" in the strict technical sense, for the sake of brevity of argument (excepting this explanation): "a set of elements such that between any two of them there is a third element."

 

[Evie]

They're comparable in that they sit somewhere on the same slippery slope, however distant.

Slippery slopes arguments are however rarely valid.

 

[Farm Boy]

Yes and no. Once you break the prohibition line you've pierced the veil. Once you get the liberals on board with the religious authoritarians you get pretty much the same result be it alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, or seat belt laws.

 

[warpus]

Hasn't America learned that prohibition of soft drugs like alcohol or mary jane doesn't work?

 

[Farm Boy]

Nope. They're working on adding nicotine to it, there's just a lot of inertia for the 21st century prohibitionists to overcome so the moralizing busybodies have a lot to chew on. Which I suppose is nice, it'll keep them partially occupied for a while before they move onto whatever's next. See, it's not the substance but the dance of control.

 

[warpus]

So this is like footloose, but instead of feet we have bongs?

 

[Wolfbeckett]

Prohibition period doesn't work, soft drugs or otherwise. The whole exercise has been a monumental failure. Unless someone is in the camp that thinks it was all done on purpose to prosecute minorities or enrich prison owners, in which case I guess they'd see it as an unqualified success.

 

[onejayhawk]

The states are completely correct. The best way to handle it is to end the stupid federal law.

Prohibition period doesn't work, soft drugs or otherwise. The whole exercise has been a monumental failure. Unless someone is in the camp that thinks it was all done on purpose to prosecute minorities or enrich prison owners, in which case I guess they'd see it as an unqualified success.

While I generally agree, this is too strong. Prohibition does work if the public condemnation is strong. For example, date rape drugs.

J