Libertarians Advocate Drug Legalization: Recipe For Escalating Societal Decay

GOPUSA.COM ^ | May.16,2002 | Carol Devine-Molin

[Roscoe]

Clearly, the Libertarian viewpoint on drugs is patently wrong-headed, and would have a profoundly pernicious effect upon our culture.

Bump

[Impeach98]

Why are we trashing Liberterians? As a party and movement they fight for Americans to have all rights that don't directly harm others. I am not a Liberterian but I respect them and agree with a lot of what they say. I am sympathetic to their arguments on drug legalization. If someone finds usage of what are now controlled substances to be "wrongheaded" then they shouldn't be used.

[SunStar]

I'm glad that drugs are illegal. If they weren't, people would probably use them.

[Roscoe]

...they fight for Americans...

No.

[gdani]

Does anybody who *wants* to do drugs reeaaalllly not do them just because they are illegal?

[Liberal Classic]

This entire essay could equally be used against alcohol. Delete all the bits with "drugs" in it, and replace it with "liquor" and you're done.

[BikerNYC]

For me, it's just a question of money. I'm tired of paying to lock drug users and sellers up, and I'm tired of using government inefficiency to solve this problem.

If people care so deeply about it, they will contribute to responsible charities that will help get out the message that drugs are bad, and will help those on drugs to come clean.

[Windsong]

Old News. They have been whining about drugs this and drugs that for what seems like centuries now. If they want to get high and erronously think that they are not "harming anyone else", then let them do it in a country that tolerates it. LSD, Cocaine, Heroin, PCP (God only knows what they will be harping about in 20 yrs) is OFF LIMITS to my kids. Permanently. If the Libertarians/Liberal athiests and anarchists dont like it, tough. Get the HELL out of the U.S. and start your own damn country. Then you can get high as long as you like. This country has ENOUGH problems without legalizing this filth.

[weikel]

Thats my biggest problem with the WOD too.

"social Conservatives in particular are not purists regarding government intervention, especially when they perceive a threat to the greater good of the citizenry."

Is it a wonder I don't consider them conservatives at all.

[Liberal Classic]

For example:

Legalization of spiritous liquors would increase alcohol abuse, especially among youth, and would cause social pathologies to flourish to an even greater extent than they are flourishing now. Government programs to address the societal problems, spawned by the growing alcohol abuse culture, would augment the size of the public sector and reliance on taxpayer monies. In effect, liquor legalization would spur negative consequences across the societal spectrum.

Clearly, the Libertarian viewpoint on alcohol is patently wrong-headed, and would have a profoundly pernicious effect upon our culture. But beyond the question of alcohol legalization, we as a society must make it a priority to inculcate values in our youth, and help them build character, so that they can be equipped to resist the temptation of alcohol usage under any circumstances.

This is just a silly example, perhaps, but my point is that people who oppose or even have reservations about the current prohibition are not all the same. Someone who has problems with the so-called "war on drugs" does not necessarily believe in the total legalization of all drugs.

[dpwiener]

Although Conservatives as a group generally espouse a Libertarian bent, social Conservatives in particular are not purists regarding government intervention, especially when they perceive a threat to the greater good of the citizenry.

Social Conservatives don't seem to care much about the Constitution, either. It required passage of a Constitutional Amendment to grant the Federal Government the authority to enact alchohol Prohibition. So where's the Constitutional Amendment which grants the Federal Government the authority to prohibit drugs?

But then it's so inconvenient to allow a silly little thing like the Constitution to get in the way of "government intervention, especially when they perceive a threat to the greater good of the citizenry."

[ActionNewsBill]

I'm glad that drugs are illegal. If they weren't, people would probably use them.

People use them now, and they are illegal. How could it be any worse?

[gdani]

I'm glad that drugs are illegal. If they weren't, people would probably use them.

People use them now, and they are illegal. How could it be any worse?

*** ZOOM *** (making flying over head motion w/hand)

[WhiteGuy]

Propaganda from GOPUSA......

well stated arguments.....

I would suggest that the "war on drugs" has been a huge failure and a giant waste of money.....

[swarthyguy]

Social Statists. Freedom is fine unless someone does something we don't like.

[Reagan Man]

For me, it's just a question of money. I'm tired of paying to lock [up] drug users and sellers up murderers and killers, and I'm tired of using government inefficiency to solve this problem.

Convoluted reasoning can be applied to any circumstance you want, BikerNYC.

There are many ways to employ the English language, Liberal Classic. However, in this case, we are talking about illicit drug use in America and the desire for a small group of American's, known as libertarians, to see harmful substances, such as heroin, cocaine and yes, marijuana, be legalized.

[Impeach98]

"This entire essay could equally be used against alcohol. Delete all the bits with "drugs" in it, and replace it with "liquor" and you're done."

Or cigarettes.
Or caffeine.
Or Zoloft.
Or Prozac.

Okay, I am sounding like Bill Maher so I'll stop, but you get the point.

[seanc623]

Why are we trashing Liberterians? As a party and movement they fight for Americans to have all rights that don't directly harm others. I am not a Liberterian but I respect them and agree with a lot of what they say. I am sympathetic to their arguments on drug legalization. If someone finds usage of what are now controlled substances to be "wrongheaded" then they shouldn't be used.

As a proud Libertarian I want to thank you for your respectful comments. I find it interesting that ReaganMan concludes his post by saying how important it is to inculcate family values in children. A libertarian society is exactly the way to accomplish this; families will have the time to spend with their children when we end the War On Drugs and the taxes that support it. Mothers will be able to stay home with their children and teach them these values; study after study shows the benefit of 2-parent households. We can't have many of those by stealing money from both parents, thus forcing both to work outside the home.

[Dakmar]

Legalization of drugs would increase substance abuse, especially among youth

Is there a big problem with liquor store clerks pushing whiskey on juveniles where this lady lives? She claims to be a Republican, yet doesn't have the faintest clue about licensing and regulation.