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Libertarians should show us where, exactly, the US Constitution says that drug fiends, due to their addictions, have rights to commit so many different crimes against other Americans. They steal, murder, consume far more than their share of tax revenues, entice kids to join them, violate families in several ways...all because of their drug-addled nature. The list of their crimes against the rights of law-abiding Americans is long.
As for “legislating morality,” the Constitution itself legislates morality. So it is with the laws of the states: the laws that are most often used to put drug zombies in prisons. Our legislatures should pass laws to execute them.
Tancredo’s right...time to legalize it...it will bring the prices down leading to less crime (fewer break-ins and robberies by addicts) and put the narco-terrorists out of business..oh yeah, also generate some taxes
Buy that doesn't mean you legalize them, you change the way you are fighting the war. Look into 19th century China, when about 1/2 the population was addicted to opium. Not a pretty picture.
Tancredo has done some nutty things in the past. Add another inane statement to the tally.
I agree with him.
There should be laws against forcing or tricking someone to take drugs, and laws against giving drugs to minors. There also should be strict laws against driving under the influence, etc., and drug addiction shouldn't be considered an excuse for committing a crime.
But, spending billions to save people - who are willingly buying and taking the drugs - from themselves doesn't make much sense.
Plus, economists point out that the WOD has led to harder drugs on the streets because it's far easier to sneak some powder across the border and around the streets than bags of marijuana, for example, and a smaller amount of powder can yield more money.
Ending the prohibition on pot would hurt the two segments of our population that want to keep it illegal: 1) the black market players (growers/smuggler/sellers) that will lose profits if legal product was commercially available and 2) the law enforement agencies that would lose funding from the government and from property siezures and who would have to lay off thousands of officers because of the lack of work.
The rest of the country would benefit by reduction in prison populations, less expensive product negating criminal activity to fund a drug habit (prostitution, burglary,etc) and a government with a new revenue stream via pot taxes.
Of course it’s a failure, at least to its public stated purpose. However to some, it is a necessary failure.
I always wondered what allows people to have the illogical idea that alcohol, a drug, should be legal but “drugs” should be illegal. Especially a drug like pot, which is nowhere near as dangerous as booze.
At least someone who is also for alcohol prohibition is being intellectually consistent.
I’m with Tancredo on this, the war on drugs is a monumental failure. It has actually increased the number of people using drugs - absolutely does not work.
Apathy or cynicism about failing to control the Southern border. What next, amnesty?
No.
He’s right. It’s a massive drain on resources and grows the federal government.
Legalization is the conservative position.