Barnett speech at BSC

VC blogger and law prof Randy Barnett came down here to BSC to give a talk yesterday on “Medical Cannabis, The Commerce Clause & Arguing in the Supreme Court.” Barnett, of course, was lead counsel in Ashcroft v. Raich, which is ostensibly about medical marijuana, but which is really about whether there can be any limits to federal power under the commerce clause. (He is also one of the most important libertarian legal theorists – if you haven’t read The Structure of Liberty yet, you should.) I’m pleased, and not at all surprised, to report that his talk went very well – exciting and engaging, and also very helpful in terms of enhancing undergrads’ understanding of both the legal issues involved in this case and constitutional argumentation generally. (Not just the undergrads, either – I learned something about those as well.)