The American Constitution and Drug War Essay example

The consensus with regards to drug laws favors more stringent and draconian laws, with the attempt to stifle use and punish crime. There are many claims used against drug legalization, such as, moral degradation, crime, the destruction of inner cities; along with families, diseases, such as AIDS, and the corrupting of law enforcement. When one examines the effects of prohibition, one has to inquire: has the cost been worth it? Certainly, an argument for the abolition of prohibition doesn’t include the favoring of drug use, but merely recognizes the vain and utopian attempt to control individual choices. Along these lines, the unintended consequences of these attempts may preclude any benefits. Further, one has to wonder: are these laws—at†¦show more content†¦These four clauses have been very controversial to say the least. Scholars and polemicist’s have debated the meaning and understanding of these clauses since the outset of the Constitution. However, examining these clauses, only one meaning would seem ratifiable: what the people and states ratifying the Constitution would have understood the meaning of these clauses to be. Moreover, a clear understanding of these clauses will dictate faithful obeisance to its meaning, and not transgression; for if the life of the drug war hangs on a breach of the constitution, justice demands remediation. Understanding the Supremacy clause and its consequences would settle many disputes; however, we are only concerned with one issue: drug laws. Most people would claim that federal law trumps state law by citing the supremacy clause; yet this would be deceptive. The Supremacy clause says the Constitution and laws in pursuance thereof shall be the supreme law of the land (Mount, 2010). This is to say, the Constitution and constitutional laws shall be the supreme law of the land. It doesn’t say unconstitutional laws are the supreme law of the land; for an unconstitutional law, by its definition, is no law at all. Since no power was given to the federal government—without an amendment—to ban,Show MoreRelatedImpact of Vietnam War on American Culture1421 Words   |  6 PagesThe Vietnam War began in the year 1954, after the ascension to power of Ho Chi Minh, who was a communist leader in North Vietnam. The leader was spreading communism, and because the United States wanted to stop the spread, it sent military troops to aid South Vietnamese to stop this vice. The war saw about 3million people die with the inclusion of 58,000 American soldiers. About 150,000 people were wounded during the war. In 1975, South Vietnamese government surrendered the war after the communistRead MoreGun Control Persuasive Essay755 Words   |  4 Pages the Boston bombing. If not guns, then something else will be used. Furthermore removing guns hurts American more than it would help. Getting rid of guns would nearly remove 300,000 people from jobs. Clearly getting rid of guns wouldn’t accomplish anything, not to mention it also infringes on the constitution. Having the right to a gun is a part of the United States constitution. The Constitution is still in use today in many ways, made by our founding fathers with the intention to keep our governmentRead MoreThe Effects Of Government On Our Life Essay1653 Words   |  7 Pagesfederalist style, the way government affects you daily, the private sector, as well as what things our government is involved in I feel is unnecessary. First, the three spheres or levels of government in the American Democracy are National Government, State Government, and Local Government. Most American citizens have more contact with their local or state government than their federal government. Local government is what most people come into contact with in their daily life. Local government is dividedRead MoreOur Right to Drugs Essay example898 Words   |  4 PagesOur Right to Drugs You might be tempted to label Thomas Szasz, author of Our Right to Drugs, The Case for a Free Market, a counter-culture hippie. However, this analysis couldn’t be further from the truth. Szasz, a Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at the State University of New York Health Science Center in Syracuse, is a major supporter of civil liberties. He sees the so-called War on Drugs as one of the worst atrocities that the American Government has perpetrated on its people. SzaszRead MoreEssay about War on Drugs Causes the Viloation of Individual Rights827 Words   |  4 PagesJohnson, the Republican governor of New Mexico, who, despite pressure from power brokers at the top of his own party, has proclaimed that the emperor that is this countrys war on drugs is not only naked to the world, but that its body is festering with the sores of moral decay and corruption. In the governors own words, The drug problem is getting worse. Its not getting better ... It needs to get talked about, and one of the things thats going to get talked about is decriminalization. He continues:Read MoreContrary To Popular Belief, The War Doesn’T Target Big-Time1695 Words   |  7 Pagesthe war doesn’t target big-time dealers or â€Å"kingpins.† In fact, those who are arrested for non-serious offenses, such as the use of marijuana, account for the vast majority of drug arrests (Alexander). For example, four out of five drug arrest in 2005 were for possession, while only one out of five drug arrests were for sale. Furthermore, the majority of drug offenders in state prisons have no history of violence or notable selling activity (Mauer, King). Another myth is that the War on Drugs is mainlyRead MoreRacial Profiling And The United States1111 Words   |  5 Pagesissue that was dealt with back in the 1950’s, with the likes of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, etc., the issue lives on indefinitely. The issue remains due to the fact that crimes affiliated with certain races in recent times. These include the cartel drug deals in Mexico alo ng with the infamous 9/11 world trade center attacks. Events like these have led to police brutality on these individuals solely based on the ethnicity they possess. Racial profiling can be said to be synonymous with stereotypesRead MoreThe War On Drugs Should End934 Words   |  4 Pagesaccessibility of drugs in America. Aside from being remarkably expensive, drug task agencies have demonstrated racial discrimination and unequal anguish distressed by minority communities. Ultimately, it costs the government extreme amounts of taxpayer dollars to maintain this futile war while disregarding the rights of American citizens. â€Æ' Minority Target Since the birth of the United States, people of color have been the object of many societal injustices. For example, the â€Å"War on Drugs† has producedRead MoreThe Rise Of Drug Prohibition975 Words   |  4 PagesDrug prohibition is rarely viewed negatively by many Americans. The failure of drug prohibition has sparked some debate in the last fifty years, however, the ignorance about illegal substances has led to little discussion on alternatives to prohibition. Legalizing all drugs would be a better alternative than perpetuating the failed war on drugs. The drug war has negatively impacted many lives by demonizing users and corrupting public officials. Criminalizing alcohol did not work in the 1920s andRead MoreAnalyzing Mexico And United States:. History, Political1432 Words   |  6 PagesFederal republic through its Mexican Constitution(Mexican Constitution, 2010). Like all other countries’ constitutions there has been changes that have been made over time. Some where in between the formation and domination of the constitution the Mexican-American War took place and Texas moved to its own Republic. Texas seized to the United States of America through the establishment of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the war, and Texas moved separating itself