Free Republic

America's war on drugs is actually a Raid on Taxpayers. The war costs an estimated $70 billion a year to prosecute, and the drugs keep pouring in. But while the War on Drugs may have failed its official mission, it is a great success as a job-creation program. Thousands of drug agents, police, detectives, prosecutors, judges, anti-drug activists, prison guards and their support staffs can thank the program for their daily bread and health benefits. The American people are clearly not ready to decriminalize cocaine, heroine or other hard drugs, but they're well on their way to easing up on...

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger may have reversed course on several issues since taking office in 2003, but on one key concern he has been unwavering: the need to do everything possible to help the state's economy thrive in a 21st century that will be marked by enormous competition. “California is already on the leading edge of the global economy and it's changing and growing by leaps and bounds. And yet we will let this advantage slip from our fingers if we don't make the long-term investment in our ports, our roads, our schools, our information systems – and all the other...