I have surrendered. I used to believe congress' commerce power was too expansive, but now I've accepted that in the modern era it is beyond contest. I accept that the courts are the interpreters of the constitution and that they have rendered their judgment about what congress may do. In the modern era, I think it makes sense, and the courts' nearly impenetrable consensus that it makes sense is forever beyond reproach, perhaps with the exception of some new future reach by congress.
Separate but equal was fundamentally wrong because it permitted people to be unequally treated, and anything like that is undoubtedly going to be reversed, eventually. There is no right or wrong answer about congress' commerce power, no necessity that it ever be reined in again. Ultimately it is convenient in the modern era to read the constitution to give congress substantial power under the commerce clause, and that convenience will not now be defeated.
first off tokeprep i just want 2make sure u know that i absolutely appreciate our conversation here and your willingness to take the time to express your understanding in this area even if our conclusions about what where and how we go forward from here are worlds apart
even when considering the example u use above 'discrimination' is the operative word (though u did not use that word)...but the word does mean something in court and was used just recently again in the 'same sex' issues that have been litigated...so from your perspective why not then at least file a discrimination type suit rather than surrender to such?
obviously that is not my choice for course of action, but why wouldnt it be yours?
my choice would b along these line that i wrote for another thread:
"in at least 9 fed district courts from coast2coast and north2south we simultaneously file for injunctive relief based on the poll question turned into a statement and a cause of action linked to the 9th amen...
such would force media coverage if done right and then possibly shift the public 'debate' or question from being simply about 'legalization' through legislation/regulation or not and is there 'a right to grow cannabis' or not to the more appropriate question is there 'a right to grow plants' etc...and imo the majority of the public would vote as the majority has here so far...even more than the 55% polling for 'legalization' at the moment...
such cases would also be written up and hopefully spoken about as human rights cases which would also hopefully penetrate and morph the current frame work of the status quot public debate etc...
the litigation would hopefully force more then summary dismissals but even if that were the case it would open many peoples eyes to exactly where we r at in these times etc..
of course i've hardly scratched the surface of what such an effort would look like etc, but its totally doable...
further, it could be done with the folks here at RIU, theres plenty of talent creativity and passion etc researchers who live to prove others wrong etc lol...just saying even sock puppets could do this deal if need be, it just needs to get done b4 our standing becomes any more eroded through legislation/regulation etc..."
I would choose this path for many reasons but one of the most outstanding of those would be the potential for re-framing the public debate surrounding this issue by simply re-framing the question being asked in court etc...