Pubdate: Thu, 19 Jan 2006
Source: Wisconsin State Journal (WI)
Copyright: 2006 Madison Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.madison.com/wsj/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/506
Author: Gary Storck

CONSTITUTION ERODED BY ROBERTS, NOW ALITO

The same Supreme Court justices who decided in June 2005 that 
terminally and seriously ill Americans cannot use cannabis to help 
them stay alive have now ruled that it's OK for Oregon physicians to 
prescribe drugs to help terminally ill people die. Ironically, if all 
the reefer madness lies were true and marijuana could be used to 
hasten death rather than manage suffering, it would, apparently, have 
the blessings of the Supreme Court justices.

The ruling by justices that the federal government overstepped its 
bounds in attempting to overturn Oregon's assisted suicide law is 
appropriate. But the dissenting rulings show that rather than 
consistently upholding the Constitution and traditional American 
values like compassion, the Supreme Court seems to be content to take 
a piecemeal approach that is neither constitutional nor compassionate.

Chief Justice John Roberts voted with the minority in the Oregon case 
and Bush's other choice, nominee Samuel Alito, would likely have done 
the same. With Alito apparently on the way to confirmation, Americans 
should get used to seeing what's left of our Constitution dwindle.

Gary Storck, Madison
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom