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To: Dapper 26
So is the war on poverty.

I disagree. The war on poverty is over, and we won.

The "war on poverty" metaphor worked when there were millions of Americans without basic shelter, running water, sanitation and electricity, and malnutrition was commonplace. Today, America's "poor" have decent housing, most with cars and color TV, and their primary nutritional problem is obesity.

The problems today are caused by a lack of family and community, caused in no small measure by the government programs that were designed to -- and succeeded in -- solving yesterday's problems. The solution is not more of the same.

The War on (some) Drugs is a different animal, and was wrong-headed from the beginning. Addiction is first and foremost a public health problem, not a criminal justice problem. Treatment is far from perfect, but it's a damn sight more effective than imprisonment, and at a fraction of the cost.

Instead of attacking the demand side of the equation, the neoprohibitionists have spent more than half a century focusing solely on the supply. After untold trillions of dollars spent and lives ruined by thoughtless "zero tolerance" policies and mandatory sentences, the drug warriors are still getting bitch-slapped by the Invisible Hand. There is no reason to believe that any amount of money, manpower or legislation will fill that bottomless pit, and yet we keep shoveling.

20 posted on 05/21/2009 11:09:52 PM PDT by ReignOfError
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To: ReignOfError

“Addiction is first and foremost a -——— PRIVATE-—— health problem, not a criminal justice problem.”

There! Fixed it.

Oldplayer


21 posted on 05/21/2009 11:15:34 PM PDT by oldplayer
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To: ReignOfError

There’s too much money involved. Each doper in jail is 20,000+ out of the tax payer’s pocket. Not to mention all the government and corporate bureaucracy that the war on drugs brings in on your dime. Add no knock warrents etc... and the war on drugs is too good a scam to quit.


51 posted on 05/22/2009 1:58:30 AM PDT by ketsu (ItÂ’s not a campaign. ItÂ’s a taxpayer-funded farewell tour.)
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