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Thursday, October 21, 2010

Reason: Video: Kennedy: Prop 19: Will California Legalize Marijuana?

If you're a true believer in limited government and a true disbeliever in big government then you're for Prop 19, the legalization and regulation of marijuana in California. If the Tea Party movement is a true libertarian movement, (about which I have my doubts) as  described by the mainstream media,  then they would be for Prop 19 in because they believe in limited government. But as far as I know, a lot of their members haven't taken a position on Prop 19 so it will be interesting to see what they do on election day in November. 

As I've said before I'm a Liberal because I agree with the Libertarian economist Milton Friedman who said "Maximize freedom and responsibility for the individual".  People have the right to live their own lives as they see fit, as long as they're not hurting anyone else with their freedom.  They are responsible for their decisions, good and bad and can decide for themselves whether or not they should use marijuana.

Personally I would never use marijuana because its a drug and I'm not comfortable letting drugs control who I am.  You can make the same case for alcohol and tobacco, both legal but regulated drugs in america with much greater health costs than marijuana.  I don't drink alcohol or smoke tobacco either because of the negative health effects that come with them.  But I do not believe that  government should regulate what 
people do to their own bodies.  I believe in the maximization of freedom.  If people know all the options, they'll generally make the best decisions for themselves and their families.  We don't need big government to make these decisions for us. 

Alcohol prohibition proved that if people want to do something badly enough, drinking for example, they'll find a way to do it whether it's legal or not and to hell with the consequences.  Alcohol prohibition was reversed. Prohibiting something doesn't make it go away.  It just means that it's done in hiding where there's no control over its use.  With legalization and regulation you have control.  Alcohol and tobacco are cases in point.  Laws should be written to protect people from the behavior off others, not themselves.

We are adults here. We can make these decisions for ourselves. 

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John F. Kennedy Liberal Democrat

John F. Kennedy Liberal Democrat
Source: U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy in 1960