Hold Your Nose and Vote for the Other Guy? No way.

Near the end of the Republican nominating process in 2012, I heard a lot of people commanding that Ron Paul supporters simply “hold their collective noses, and get in line to vote for Romney (or McCain) to prevent some Democrat (who’s policy plans are identical in all but size) from claiming the White-house and ending life as we know it.

It always surprises me how many people fall for this rhetorical trick to get their assent for people who they would not support in normal conditions. So in a few cases, you had people otherwise not in favor of socialized medicine, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, corporate welfare, high levels of welfare spending, etc…voting for Romney, a candidate in one measure or another in favor of all those positions, just to prevent another candidate who was also in favor of those things.

I thought I might be able to use this same technique to ask a much easier assent. In my home state of Oregon we have a very controversial law – the death with dignity law. This policy allows terminally ill patients to get medical assistance to end their own lives. I know this law ranges on different peoples morality filters from abhorrent to benevolent. I’m sure in many states (probably a vast majority) this law would never have been enacted. However in Oregon, with its unique blend of extreme modern liberal and right libertarian constituencies,  the law has fairly strong support. This is yet another instance of Oregon nullification (add it to gold contracts during the civil war to nullify the greenbacks, Controls on federal drone usage in the state, and medical marijuana,)  These are state policies that forces the other 49 states to hold their collective noses and let it be.

For people in states that are not in favor of these policies (or policies from other states that are reserved powers) I would challenge you to hold your nose, and resist the urge to control. For thing that do not effect us, we need to collectively resist the urge to control. Individual states having unique systems of law is part of our system of federalism. Maybe Washington state finally recognizes her citizens right to control what he/she consumes or smokes, maybe Illinois has ridiculous gun control laws, Maybe Georgia has different curriculum for their schools. Maybe some states believe in every possible evil thing on your morality filter. Unless you live there you must assume that the law is satisfactory to those who selected the leaders who passed it. And we must remember that those who exist in that framework are the best prepared to judge for themselves the value or lack of value offered by these laws, and if they justify relocation, or a greater role in the distasteful political process.

Bottom line here the message I am trying to send is hold your nose and let things be that don’t concern you.The worst things in America result when we try to get the Feds to intercede in these areas, and usurp undelgated powers.