They were worded like a mandate! Besides, now I have "Beezer's 5 steps" to contend with as well. Hers I can agree with 100%. But hers do not include legalizing drugs! :D
You live in San Bernardino, California. Did you know your state legalized drugs last year?
Sigh.
Yes, "Beezer's Five Steps We Need Now" are great!
:)
Rub! Rub!
Seriously, it doesn't have anything to do with being liberal or conservative, it's about common sense and being fair and decent. The War on Drugs is none of that, and I think you know it. The War on Drugs is a nonsensical, failed exertion of inappropriate authoritarian power with no purpose, no end game, no benefits and no results.
Roseanne Connor: "I get you have such a big heart and want everyone to have free healthcare but you can't do simple math"!
If I knew that, I would agree with you.Quote:
Originally Posted by Judy
I'll try another. You want to save money by decriminalization of drugs. Saves money! But you want to tax the hell out of the then legalized drugs to support all the drug treatment and rehabilitation that will be, and is needed. NO MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY WE SPEND, YOU CANNOT UNDO MANY ADDICTIONS. To quote an old sage, Benjamin Franklin, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."Quote:
Originally Posted by Judy
The "War On Drug" is failing because it is a slogan. If they actually do war, it would not be a problem. But with politicians like Boehner and Gardner, who will do anything for a buck and votes, running our government, there is no real war. If we declare murder and robbery no longer crimes, the statistics would show a drop in crime. But things would not be better. Problems don't go away just because you say they are no longer a problem.
It's not just about the money, it's about the people whose lives you are ruining with arrests, records, incarcerations and the crimes and dangers of a foreign, illegal, unsafe, unregulated drug trade.
The train has left the station and it's rollin', rollin', rollin'. The War on Weed is over. It's up to the states, which wasn't my plan, but I'm fine with it. When I developed my plan, the states hadn't legalized so we needed a federal plan, now that they have, that's the best way to handle it, let each state handle their own situation. For those who don't want to legalize, fine, their choice.
Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. Most people don't have arrest records. In many instances they can get diversion and keep first time small crimes off of their records. But if we give up, the majority of our society will be addicted to some drug.
The lives are ruined by the environment they grow up in. Allowing them escapism through drugs will not get them out of their poverty.
As for foreign, illegal, unsafe, unregulated drug trade, you want domestic, unsafe, unregulated drug trade. "Buy American."
The Fat Lady hasn't sung yet!Quote:
Originally Posted by Judy
I saw a news story last night on cosmetics. Now there are high end products, but also economy priced makeup. Yet people are buying counterfeit products that have dangerous chemicals in them causing medical problems. Where pot is legal, there are crime syndicates engineering variations to create a market for their special pot. And if you tax it, there will be black markets to undercut those prices. It is a fantasy to think crime syndicates will just go away if you legalize pot, or any other drug.
I don't care if there's a black market. I could care less. In states where it's legal, people have a choice to buy the legal products, that are regulated, safer and better than what's available to them now and make their purchases in nice safe stores dealing with nice business people instead of vicious gun-toting criminals. You haven't stopped a user, you haven't stopped a dealer, you haven't stopped the cartels, you haven't stopped the illegal immigration associated with it, you haven't stopped the loss of money supply or money laundering, and you haven't stopped the addiction. All you've done with your War on Drugs during the past 45 years is ruin the lives of over 60 million Americans that you arrested and charged with non-violent drug charges, many of whom ended up in prison, most of them black Americans.
The Fat Lady has not only sung, she's farted and flown out the window. It's over.
God Bless Donald J Trump.
That seems apparent.
They have the choice to pay a commercial price with taxes added on. How may currently go for the lower price of generic knockoffs right now. You are correct, they will have a choice. But that will not curb the availability of designer drugs available through pushers.Quote:
Originally Posted by Judy
If our current enforcement has cut in half the number who would have become addicted, that is worth a lot.Quote:
Originally Posted by Judy
The users and dealers would be reduced if availability was reduced.
As for the cartels, like I said we haven't gone to war. If we build a wall and give Border Patrol authority to shoot crossers, that also would be reduced. If we withheld money to the Mexican government unless they dismantle the cartels or give our Special Forces authority to take them out, that problem would be solved.
That's like blaming the prosecution for putting a murderer in jail, taking him away from his wife and children. Those 60 million criminal Americans violated the laws that the other 430 million obeyed. That was their choice. The number affected by those drugs might have been double or triple that amount if there weren't those evil laws keeping them safe. But you want to take all that away because you feel sympathetic to the lawbreakers.Quote:
Originally Posted by Judy