Federal Drug War Rethought

[5stringJeff]

Bob Barr, out with his opinion/policy statements on teh War on Drugs. Only silence on this issue from McCain and Obama.

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As both a U.S. Attorney and Member of Congress, I defended drug prohibition. But it has become increasingly clear to me, after much study, that our current strategy has not worked and will not work. The other candidates for president prefer not to address this issue, but ignoring the failure of existing policy exhibits both a poverty of thought and an absence of political courage. The federal government must turn the decision on drug policy back to the states and the citizens themselves.

Link

[Immanuel]

Bob Barr, out with his opinion/policy statements on teh War on Drugs. Only silence on this issue from McCain and Obama.

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As both a U.S. Attorney and Member of Congress, I defended drug prohibition. But it has become increasingly clear to me, after much study, that our current strategy has not worked and will not work. The other candidates for president prefer not to address this issue, but ignoring the failure of existing policy exhibits both a poverty of thought and an absence of political courage. The federal government must turn the decision on drug policy back to the states and the citizens themselves.

Link

As a non user and a never have used individual, I have to say that I think the War on Drugs is a failure, just as the War on Terrorism is going to be a failure.

First Terrorism, the idea of fighting terrorism is great, but, we can't stomp out terrorism and even when we do, we will never know if in fact we have actually defeated terrorism or if the next SOB with a bomb is right around the corner.

Second, Drugs, scanning Mr Barr's statement, I agree with him. The War on Drugs is a failure. Rethinking our methods would help a lot. Return the issue to the states and freedom to the people including the freedom to make stupid decisions. Then the states could allow certain drugs to be marketed and taxed taking the sale of drugs off the black market (which would reduce the cost and crime associated with it) and even more important allow people who are addicted to begin seeking help to break their addictions.

Immie

[5stringJeff]

Towards the end of the article, Barr nails it: "treating what is, at base, a moral, spiritual, and health problem as a matter of federal criminal law has solved nothing." People shouldn't use drugs, from a moral and a health standpoint. That doesn't mean the government should lock people up for getting high.

[MtnBiker]

Should the government attempt to lock people up that are involved in illegal economic activity?

[5stringJeff]

Should the government attempt to lock people up that are involved in illegal economic activity?

Such as what? Fraud? Bribery?

[MtnBiker]

Selling drugs, especially to children.

[theHawk]

Its always going to be ineffective as long as we have an open borders policy. We should also bomb the drug lords in South America.


And Immie, its only called the "War on Terror". Its really a War on Islamic Jihad. But you are right, we won't win until we get a leader and a nation behind him with the will to do what is necessary to win that war - and that would be to wipe out most of the Islamic countries.

[5stringJeff]

Its always going to be ineffective as long as we have an open borders policy. We should also bomb the drug lords in South America.


And Immie, its only called the "War on Terror". Its really a War on Islamic Jihad. But you are right, we won't win until we get a leader and a nation behind him with the will to do what is necessary to win that war - and that would be to wipe out most of the Islamic countries.

Is there anyone we shouldn't bomb? Have the Canadians pissed us off lately?

[avatar4321]

Is there anyone we shouldn't bomb? Have the Canadians pissed us off lately?

When dont they piss us off?