Posted on 12/04/2004 3:06:34 AM PST by Snapple
BOGOTA, Colombia - Drug kingpin Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela, wearing handcuffs and a bulletproof vest, flew late Friday aboard U.S. government plane for trial in the United States, becoming the most powerful Colombian trafficker to ever be extradited to the United States.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
The drug business has a very distorting effect on a lot of businesses. For example, if the drug dealer owns a shoe store as a front, he can affort to sell his shoes cheaper and still make money.
When he sells the shoes cheaper, it drives the honest shoe stores out of business. Pretty soon, many business people have to become involved in the narcotics trade or go out of business.
What is the point of the vest? All somebody has to do is make a headshot if they want to take him out.
Shhhh... we gotta at least make it *look* like we were trying to protect him. ;)
The vest is for appearance sake. The "plates" are probably made of styrofoam ;-)
We spent millions to bring him here for a trial. The vest is real.
I get sick of all the people just posting sarcasic jokes at Free Republic. Could we please have an intelligent discussion?
Sarcasm peaks at age 15. After that, people have to discuss problems instead of just complaining about how stupid the grownups are.
The drug business has a very distorting effect on a lot of businesses. For example, if the drug dealer owns a shoe store as a front, he can affort to sell his shoes cheaper and still make money.This of course is one of the problems that legalization would fix rather quickly.When he sells the shoes cheaper, it drives the honest shoe stores out of business. Pretty soon, many business people have to become involved in the narcotics trade or go out of business.
-Eric
Thank you for posting a thought instead of a dumb joke.
Legalization?
How do you think this would affect my health insurance costs?
Do you think legalization would make it harder or easier for kids to get cocaine?
I am worried that legalization would make more addicts and I would have to pay the costs.
What does the research say?
Exactly....
Here is a problem I see with legalizing drugs that was mentioned on another thread.
Many athletes are using drugs. The steroids are unhealthy, but athletes who use them have the advantage.
This tempts everyone to use the steroids.
I think athletes who use drugs should not be allowed to compete, but testing everyone is very expensive.
I think even high school kids get these steroids. Are we going to have constant drug tests for school children? Maybe even their dads get them the stuff.
Judy Garland was given drugs as a kid by her competitive mother, doctor and studio.
I don't want to see drugs legal, but perhaps more should be spent on treating people in prisons that have more of a hospital/rehabilitation setting.
Drugs are really messing kids up.
why even bother to bring the guy to US? For a show trial?
The only thing that's going to happen is that another ruthless but smart guy is going to take over the drug trade in Columbia. The only way to win the drug war is to decrease the demand for drugs, and I don't see that happening soon.
We tried alcohol prohibition, and it caused more problems than it solved. Many of the problems were similar, including the one you mention. We decided that was a losing battle and ended it. Very few people think we should go back.
Lots of things can potentially affect health insurance costs. Smoking, eating fatty foods, not getting enough exercise, riding motorcycles, owning guns, etc..... Should these all be banned by law?
-Eric
Legalization of drugs will only create more problems for the society. More drug addiction, more health problems, more stupid people who have fried their brains, etc...Fighting a real "war on drugs" would require repealing key parts of the Bill of Rights. The half-ast one we are fighting now is corrupting our institutions and empowering the most ruthless people among us while not doing much of anything to prevent those who want these drugs from getting them.
Legalization would cause new problems to be sure. It would also, IMO, get rid of more serious ones. The best approach would be to start with pot, learn what works best, and apply that to other drugs.
-Eric
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