It is waged by the federal government in ways both irrational and cruel and fathomlessly stupid. I mean, of course, the war on medical marijuana. I know it's easy to laugh about pot-smoking, and laughter is certainly appropriate in many instances. But when the harmless substance is needed by the very sick, I don't find many reasons to laugh at a government's assault on the health of its own citizens. Here is yet another enraging instance of government over-reach. Even when states have sane policies on the matter - and, yes, I do believe that restricting access to medical marijuana has not a single, solitary rational reason behind it - the Bush administration seems determined to persecute the sick. If this is compassionate conservatism, then please give me the callous variety.