Here’s the local news report on the raid:

Notice the newscaster says the the DEA claims Federal Law supersedes State law. Even though the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Feds on this issue DOES NOT make them right.

In reality, our Founding Fathers did everything they could to prevent the centralization of power in the nations capitol. There is no mention in the US Constitution of the US Government being able to restrict what substances people may ingest, whether it be for medicinal or recreational purposes. The biggest thing that I think everyone ignores is the 9th and 10th Amendment.

Amendment IX

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Often referred to as the forgotten Amendments, these would seem to me to protect such self evident rights as deciding how to medicate yourself, or what you choose to ingest, whether it be food, or intoxicants. Even if you don’t want to go as far as to say these rights were retained by the people, then surely they should be decided by the local State level, rather than in DC.

One other thing that people often forget is that they had to pass a Constitutional Amendment (the 18th)to enact the Prohibition, what is the difference with the war on drugs?

Some people point to the Commerce Clause in Article One, Section 8 of the Constitution as the place where such authority is derived:

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

Probably one of the most abused sections of the Constitution, as far as it has been used by the Congress to power grab and justify legislating activities clearly not included in Congress’s enumerated privileges. But in reality, the medical marijuana distributed in California is grown here, and sold here, and doesn’t have a thing to do with interstate commerce, no matter how liberal you are in the application of the term.

If the Constitution doesn’t grant the Government a job, then they have no right to do it. Unfortunately this idea has been greatly overlooked, especially since the early part of the 20th Century, with such programs such as the New Deal, and the Federal Reserve being implemented.

Nowadays Congress simply rights a law declaring new powers for itself, and people simply accept it. This is unacceptable in a free society. The Government is our servant, it’s sole purpose in existing is to protect our rights as sovereign individuals. I believe it’s safe to say we’ve strayed pretty far from this ideal. That doesn’t mean it has to be that way.

One thing we can do is elect a true statesman in 2008, a true champion of liberty. That man’s name is Dr. Ron Paul.