Michael Ramirez for August 14, 2013

  1. Cylonb
    Mephistopheles  over 10 years ago

    I think the war on drugs has been an epic failure!!!!It has been expensive, unnecessary, and ruined countless lives by criminalizing a behavior that MIGHT lead further crime:

    The war on drugs decimated communities, left families fatherless, motherless and in poverty, helped bankrupt the country with all the money we spent on interdiction, prosecution and incarceration.

    That being said – I think Eric Holder is doing it wrong. He should be lobbying congress to change the laws and not just unilaterally decide he won’t enforce them because that is NOT the job of the executive branch.

    I rarely like his positions but on this one I applaud him for trying to do something. I just think it is the wrong thing.

    Lobby your congressmen people. Decriminalize much of the drug trade. Embrace freedom (including the freedom to do something as stupid as using drugs) and stay out of your neighbors business.

    For those of you who will spout the evils of drugs. Let me remind you that the world didn’t fall apart when we enacted the 21st amendment. Imagine all the money we would save if we could Half the number of prosecutions and incarcerations. Imagine the money we would save if we didn’t need enormous coast guard cutters running up and down the coast harassing fishermen and dayboaters. Imagine the growth in the economy if those that are incarcerated were allowed to be fully productive rather then languishing in a cell.

     •  Reply
  2. Missing large
    ARodney  over 10 years ago

    Since the GOP house is incapable of passing laws, all governing now has to come from courts, the president, the EPA, the Fed, and Eric Holder. There are too many non-violent criminals in jail, and it costs $80 billion a year. If the GOP actually wanted to solve this problem, they could pass a law changing mandatory sentencing. Or raise taxes to keep the criminals locked away at our expense. Either course requires governing, which the GOP is incapable of doing, so good on Eric Holder for taking action.

     •  Reply
  3. U joes mint logo rs 192x204
    Uncle Joe Premium Member over 10 years ago

    “It always ends up “Not enforce the law” for Holder.”You realize he’s deciding whether or not to prosecute George Zimmerman for for hate crimes…

     •  Reply
  4. Cylonb
    Mephistopheles  over 10 years ago

    @DGF999 – I concede that excessive use of drugs have brought about the demise of some people and families; but so have many other activities.

    If we can agree the goal of the government is to help families and communities (as opposed to harm them) and either path (intercede or ignore) can lead to harm then I argue the Government should take the least obtrusive path.

    What you are seeing is the ultimate outcome of the nanny state. The government can’t win at prohibition – Why do you think we have the 21st amendment?

    Not only do I not want my government unnecessarily trodding on the rights of my neighbors. I don’t want them using my tax dollars to do it.

     •  Reply
  5. U joes mint logo rs 192x204
    Uncle Joe Premium Member over 10 years ago

    “If the tax payers complain ,they must be racists.”When you put it like that, I can’t help but agree. Whatever your point is, you’d be more convincing if you brought up facts instead of racist stereotypes. Rural whites rely on most of the same programs in equal numbers as urban blacks. Are they just sitting around getting drunk & high, too?

     •  Reply
  6. Cylonb
    Mephistopheles  over 10 years ago

    @Wrathkin – Yes, those drugs are illegal and using them contitutes a crime in this country. That doesn’t make the law right.

    You are right – Those aren’t bunnys and rainbows coming up from the south – Though I doubt heroine is coming from the south (Made from Afghanisan Poppys and all). Personally I wouldn’t use the product but that doesn’t mean I want to restrict access to them from others.

    We are fooling ourselves if we think we can prohibit them out of existance.

     •  Reply
  7. Birthcontrol
    Dtroutma  over 10 years ago

    The “war on drugs” was the only Reagan policy we should have “just say no” to, a long time ago with regard to marijuana and non-violent criminals, which is what Holder is saying.

    REAL narcotics (which marijuana is NOT, despite the federal listing) laws SHOULD be enforced, especially all the over-produced PRESCRIPTION drugs the companies know full well they’re producing far in excess of “legitimate” demand. That is what leaves the black market so open and profitable.

    Lest I be declared a “bleeding heart liberal” again, my view on heroin, meth, cocaine, and other potentially lethal and destructive drugs and narcotics is to make the seller consume whatever they have in their supply, on the spot of arrest, and book them into the morgue, not jail. Save us some money. BUT, they also need to go up the ladder to get the “big guys” behind the trade, not just the street merchants. Of course, those “big guys” have state and federal officials in their pockets, so worry not much about prosecution.

    BTW, setting up Noriega, Ed Meese III and North were among the biggest drug dealers in U.S. history, but as Paul Harvey would have said, that is the REST of the story, that was hidden from the public.

     •  Reply
Sign in to comment

More From Michael Ramirez