First the socially “progressive” California liberals voted to keep Proposition 8, a proposition that did not recognize an individual’s right to freedom of association and freedom of contract (i.e., gay marriage). Remember that this was the same election that gave Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama a 2–1 victory over Republican Presidential candidate John McCain. Now these same socially “progressive” California liberals—who have just elected super-liberal Jerry Brown as Governor by a comfortable margin—do not recognize that an individual owns the property of his or her body (except, of course, when it comes to abortion). They have rejected Proposition 19 which would have made the personal use of marijuana legal.

I should point out that, from a libertarian point of view, some of Proposition 19 was atrocious. One of the reasons it was being promoted was to raise taxes for the State. Also, the legal smoking age was 21. Let’s see. On the one hand, the government recognizes your right to possibly harm your own body—and even possibly get killed—fighting for the government by being allowed to join the armed forces at age 18. On the other hand, the government does not recognize your right to possibly harm your own body—but certainly not get killed—by smoking marijuana until you are age 21. (I realize that I am comparing a Federal law with a State law, but I’m always amazed by this flip-flopping between age 18 and age 21 when bureaucrats try to forcibly determine at what age an individual is “allowed” to take possession of his or her own body.)