Federalism in the News

Read: http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/75212

Should the federal government be able to force people to buy health insurance?

I don't think the federal government should be able to force people to buy health insurance. However, I do think that it is the government's responsibility to make sure that the citizens have options for health insurance. I believe that everyone should have health insurance, but I don't know that forcing it on Americans is the best system. Having the availability to health insurance is an important and basic right that every citizen should have. If people aren't willing to go and buy their own, the government should provide an option for them.

Read: http://reason.com/archives/2010/09/24/federalism-and-medical-marijua

Should the federal government tell states what drugs are illegal?

Initially I would have to say no-- the federal government should not tell states what drugs are illegal. However, when I really thought about this question, I changed my mind. If each state had the power to determine what drugs were illegal, there would be major issues regarding medications. For instance, let's say Florida declares marijuana illegal but California declares marijuana legal. If a doctor prescribes marijuana to a cancer patient in an unauthorized state, there might be legal problems and difficulties in obtaining the drug. This discrepancy could ultimately hurt the patient's health. The federal government should tell states what drugs are illegal just to make sure that medical prescription availability is universal. The last thing we want is a sick patient to be a criminal.