Well, although healthcare is a local activity, Obamacare is now placing one-sixth of the world’s largest economy under the thumb of the central authority – authority to which liberals meekly acquiesce. The best liberals can do in support of freedom and self-government is to pass laws – wait for it – to legalize marijuana (e.g., in Colorado and Washington). Evidently, federalism looks good to voters in those states only when viewed through a smoky haze.

But wait, now the government of D.C. is set to also defy the feds by staying open during a federal shutdown. D.C. is a government rife with political corruption – from the scandals surrounding crack cocaine smoking Marion Barry, former mayor who still serves on D.C.’s city counsel, to those of the current administration. Evidently, corruption is an “essen-tial” service in D.C. So the one government that should close during a shutdown will stay open. You really can’t make this stuff up.