This War Is Worth Fighting

The Washington Post ^ | June 16, 2005 | George F. Will

[aynrandfreak]

I'll take Milton Friedman or William Buckley's view on the War on Drugs before this Disney 'Conservative'.

[Phocion]

Of the 19 million users, 7 million are drug-dependent.

So 63% of drug users don't get addicted? Gee, users are always addicts in the commercials.

[freedom44]

War on drugs is an inefficent, ineffective war similar to prohibition.

Legalize it - tax it, regulate it, teach kids it's wrong, etc.

[SittinYonder]

And he thinks indifference to drug abuse, which debilitates the individual's capacity to flourish in freedom, mocks the nation's premises.

A couple of contradictions here.

First, the War on Drugs also, for 450,000 people on any given day in 2003, also debilitates an individual's capacity to flourish in freedom.

Second, a war not on drugs but the citizens of the nation who use them also mocks the nation's premises.

Eventually, this is going to have to stop. Clarence Thomas made the point that the WOD has already given the federal government the authority to regulate all things. The feds have seized too, too, too much power and authority in the name of the WOD.

[NO_2_CORZINE]

Agreed. So many teens do it do go against the establishment...to break the law...makes them feel like "rebels" Legalize it and teens will drastically decline in use.

[John Locke]

Me too. For that matter, exactly where in the Enumerated Powers granted to Congress by the Constitution is the power to dictate what I shall or shall not ingest into my own body?

BTW, I take no drug stronger than aspirin, but I'm fighting mad over a system that puts pot growers in jail while muggers and gangbangers can walk the streets as and when they please.

[joesnuffy]

Must be working they got Mena moved south of the US border

[aynrandfreak]

Yeah, I just saw you're in Singapore, with drug laws that make us look like Amsterdam, but at least they have a lot more economic freedom.

[SittinYonder]

Legalize it and teens will drastically decline in use.

In addition to that, there can be honest dialogue about the potential harmful effects of drugs. As it stands, the government's warnings about addiction and other harmful effects amount to propaganda that can't be trusted.

[neverdem]

Border Police Chief Only Latest Casualty In Mexico Drug War

[GLDNGUN]

So many teens do it do go against the establishment...to break the law...makes them feel like "rebels" Legalize it and teens will drastically decline in use.

So, not only do you want drugs legal, you want them legal for kids? Brilliant.

[WOSG]

"Legalize it and teens will drastically decline in use."

ROFL - that's a good one.

I'll put you down under "just got off of turnip truck".

[John Locke]

Yep, the drug laws here are pretty strict. If you take the stuff, stay home.

But - as you've guessed - I value economic and personal freedom a lot higher. Highest tax rate is 20% and I can walk the streets at 3 AM in perfect safety. Though, we did have one protest against the police at a public housing project a few years back. They were protesting the proposed closure of the local police station.

[freepatriot32]

ping

[freepatriot32]

Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here

[doberville]

Nope. That's not what he said. And it certainly isn't what he meant. (But me thinks you already know that.)

So, you think teens aren't already using pot right now? Really? Riiiiiiiiiiight.

[Larry Lucido]

After 18 years as a cop, the only effects I can see from the war on (some) drugs are:

Bloodier turf wars between dealers

Militarization of our police departments, with more commando-wannabes joining the forces.

More and more "dynamic entries" of residences, often at the wrong addresses, where any rational armed law-abiding person would be (or should be) taking up a defensive posture and shooting back and the (unknown and unidentified) intruders.

I just don't see it as a plus for society.

[Larry Lucido]

shooting back and the = shooting back AT the