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The War on Drugs is Lost
National Review ^ | 7/1/96 | William F. Buckley et al

Posted on 07/30/2002 5:59:48 AM PDT by WindMinstrel

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To: WindMinstrel
Can someone please tell me why the mushmouthed idiots around here are unable to respond to the points raised in this article, and insist on attacking the authors instead?

I know, it's because they're stupid. Sorry, my mistake

They're smart enough to attack the author rather than say what they really think about the subject. They know socialists get shredded and stomped on here.

41 posted on 07/30/2002 6:50:34 AM PDT by tacticalogic
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To: Impeach the Boy
The point is that for YEARS now the LP have posted such long winded tripe, to NO AVAIL

Thats kind of the point here. It isn't only about the LP anymore. Your guys (Conservatives) are coming around to the insanity of fighting this "W"OD the way we are.

Once again, if you have problems with he points presented in the article why not debate them?

42 posted on 07/30/2002 6:52:53 AM PDT by realpatriot71
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To: WyldKard
What I realize is that we're facing a long and bitter fight against the druggies, but we'll prevail.
43 posted on 07/30/2002 6:54:17 AM PDT by Whilom
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To: Impeach the Boy
Whether they are members of the LP or not is NOT the point. The point is that for YEARS now the LP have posted such long winded tripe, to NO AVAIL...The LP cannot get out of single digits, and are becoming laughable. Buckley is a great mind, but this time he is wrong. It is a STUPID political, and social, idea to legalize drugs...My point is after what seems to be MILLIONS of words in these LONG WINDED postings, the LP has gained NO GROUND...and in fact, the last national elections show them losing ground, despite the propaganda claiming otherwise.

This might hold water, if it were just the LP fighting the issue. However, they are not alone. Do not confuse the issue, and think it is all that the Libertarian Party represents, or that this issue is only "owned" by the LP.

Of course, I'm sure the National Review is now just a "fringe Libertarian publication" in your eyes.

So instead of screaching and jumping up and down and saying "H4 H4 H4! 1 4m 133t! ph33r m1 133tness, fsukz0r!!", why don't you explain to us why the gentlemen in the article (it's more than just Buckley, you know) are wrong, on a point by point basis.

Oh wait..I forgot, it's easier to say "H4 h4! L1bertarians sux0r!" instead of..oh..I don't know..behaving like a rational, independantly thinking adult.
44 posted on 07/30/2002 6:55:09 AM PDT by WyldKard
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To: Whilom
What I realize is that we're facing a long and bitter fight against the druggies, but we'll prevail.

I'm sure if LBJ was still alive, he'd say the same thing about the "War on Poverty". Socialists of a feather really DO flock together...

Almost a hundred years and counting. Have we come close to winning yet? So was shredding the Constitution and States Rights enough, or do we need to completely get rid of all our freedoms?
45 posted on 07/30/2002 6:57:16 AM PDT by WyldKard
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To: realpatriot71
"Try debating the points in the article, smart guy" This is ALWAYS to game you boys play....Most (the GREAT majority) at this forum do not wish to stay in a perpetual circle jerk wasting time with such a SILLY argument as legalizing drugs, but this is the way your small band want to spend you time. Terrorist are arrested with plans to poison our water supply, but you boys want to talk about legalizind drugs. You boys have posted hundreds of LONG WINDED, detailed "arguments" for your side. They have been rejected, period. Many of the "evidences" you boys put forth are sky-is-falling red herring tripe, but those of us who live in the real world have better things to do than argue with people who want to legalize addiction.
46 posted on 07/30/2002 6:58:09 AM PDT by Moby Grape
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To: Impeach the Boy
in other words you're an intellectual coward. Why bother posting on this thread? You're a freaking seagull.
47 posted on 07/30/2002 6:59:28 AM PDT by WindMinstrel
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To: realpatriot71
I was dead set on beating GTA3 before school started, but it just didn't happen. I guess there is always Thanksgiving Break :-)

Yeah, I'm now playing it again on the PC. I imagine that my wedding in three weeks is going to interfere with my beating it a second time. *heh*

So how far did you get? It's good you are putting your schoolwork ahead of gameplaying though. Thank god this game didn't come out when I was in Grad School.
48 posted on 07/30/2002 7:00:23 AM PDT by WyldKard
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To: Impeach the Boy
Whether they are members of the LP or not is NOT the point.

Then why did you raise it? The LP was not mentioned ONCE in this article, and the word libertarian was only used three times.

The point is that for YEARS now the LP have posted such long winded tripe, to NO AVAIL...

Well, now Bill Buckley has picked up the canard. Seems to me, given the broad cross section of political thought represented by the seven writers in this article, that the issue has gone WAY beyond the LP.

The LP cannot get out of single digits, and are becoming laughable.

But state referenda that challenge federal drug policy get passed by wide margins. Seems to me, once again, that this issue has much broader appeal than you think.

Buckley is a great mind, but this time he is wrong. It is a STUPID political, and social, idea to legalize drugs...

That is your opinion. Maybe you could bother to back it up with facts that bolster your opinion. Oh, and a lot of the debate is NOT about blanket legalization, but instead seeking a better method to dealing with drug abuse than what we are doing now. Perhaps you should read the article and THEN start commenting. Or is the article too long-winded for you to bother doing such?

My point is after what seems to be MILLIONS of words in these LONG WINDED postings, the LP has gained NO GROUND... and in fact, the last national elections show them losing ground, despite the propaganda claiming otherwise.

The point of third parties is not always to win elections. Third parties have a long history of influencing policy in the two main political parties, even if they never win an election. And the LP seems to be succeeding in that regard, as more and more Americans are coming around to the notion that the current approaches in the drug war are wrong.

49 posted on 07/30/2002 7:01:05 AM PDT by dirtboy
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To: Impeach the Boy
those of us who live in the real world have better things to do than argue with people who want to legalize addiction.

Translastion: I will not debate this, because I cannot

I'm glad we cleared that up. Thank you for your time.

50 posted on 07/30/2002 7:04:51 AM PDT by realpatriot71
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To: WyldKard
Yeah, I know myself well enough to stay away form games that will take up a lot of time. I waited all year to get FFX, and then bought it after I sold back my books, with the book buy back money of course, and I was sorely disappointed. There hasn't been a real good final fantasy since 7 IMHO.
51 posted on 07/30/2002 7:06:38 AM PDT by realpatriot71
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To: WindMinstrel
WOD is responsible for our high crime statistics since over 60% of murder victims are criminals with a drug connection

these same statistics are being used to call for more amd more GUN CONTROL
52 posted on 07/30/2002 7:08:39 AM PDT by uncbob
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To: WindMinstrel
Prior to the drug prohibition, it was quite legal to purchase and use any type of drug you wanted. The power to prohibit drug use was properly given to each community, much as the sale of alcohol is now. It would be foolish to argue that the U.S. was destroyed by drug usage prior to the federal WOD.

It comes down to this. Are we a country of free men who are responsible for their fate or are we a country of irresponsible children who must have a nanny state to prevent us from harming ourselves. Sadly, too many choose the latter.
53 posted on 07/30/2002 7:08:59 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants
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To: Physicist
Here's to no more of that if-you-favor-drug-legalization-you're-not-a-real-conservative garbage.


Here's to the values of the united states going further down the drain.

54 posted on 07/30/2002 7:08:59 AM PDT by bok
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To: Impeach the Boy
Terrorist are arrested with plans to poison our water supply,

And where's our LEO's? Why, they're out in BFE pulling up acres of feral ditchweed hemp, while the local sheriff is counting them at $1,000 each for the commercials he's going to do for his re-election campaign, and wondering if the property owners have any nice cars or houses he can get.

55 posted on 07/30/2002 7:10:05 AM PDT by tacticalogic
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To: WindMinstrel
Compared to the other recent post, it's refreshing to read concise and well-thought arguments for legalization; one-sided, to be sure, but a reasoned response nonetheless.

But even then, there is no agreement as to the implementation of a drug legalization policy, and that's when everything falls apart. Buckley envisions a "federal drugstore" that offers drugs at the cost of production. This would, supposedly, lower the cost of crime, turning a $1000/week cocaine habit into a $20/week cocaine habit (they won't have to steal as much). With all due respect to Mr. Buckley, this is utter nonsense. A federal drug store chain run like the post office? Drugs at cost with no taxes added? All drugs legal? What is that guy smoking?

You've got to love Mr. Nadelmann's argument: " societies ... control and manage drug use through community discipline, including the establishment of powerful social norms."

He expects society to step in with community discipline, yet look at the communities where drugs are prevalent -- see any discipline? He expects society to set up "powerful social norms" -- this from a society that de-stigmatizes out-of-wedlock pregnancy? In your dreams.

Mr. Schmoke is included in this essay, yet he is not in favor of legalization, just treatment of habitual users. He is in direct confict with Mr. Buckley on the concept of the "federal drugstore".

And so the arguments go. This is why proponents of drug legalization can't be specific. When you get down to, "Just how will you implement legalization?", the real stupidity emerges. Legalization is a concept; 20 dopers have 20 different definitions. And it's a shame to see a powerhouse like Mr. Buckley weigh in the way he did.

56 posted on 07/30/2002 7:10:45 AM PDT by robertpaulsen
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To: bok
Here's to the values of the united states going further down the drain.

There isn't a single one of us here that does not see the scuples in most American values. We just don't think the Government should be coercing these values, and we do not cease to be people of moral character because of this.

57 posted on 07/30/2002 7:11:24 AM PDT by realpatriot71
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To: Impeach the Boy
..wasting time with such a SILLY argument as legalizing drugs

So why are you, according to your own post, wasting your time here?

Calling an argument a name doesn't refute it. Perhaps if you tire of 'refuting' the argument all the time, you can just point us to the same, devastating refuatation that you're so sure is out there. Post a link maybe. But you don't even do that.

All you have is ad hominems, insults, derision, snideness, elitism, etc.

None of those things are convincing, constructive, useful, or compelling. They are however, small minded, feeble, weak, and totally unconvincing.

58 posted on 07/30/2002 7:13:01 AM PDT by freedomcrusader
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To: Impeach the Boy
"Try debating the points in the article, smart guy" This is ALWAYS to game you boys play....

It's telling that you consider debating facts a game.

Most (the GREAT majority) at this forum do not wish to stay in a perpetual circle jerk wasting time with such a SILLY argument as legalizing drugs,

Once again, you are taking the tone of the article, which is a serious effort by people re-considering the current approaches to the drug war, and trying to instead make this into an LP issue about blanket drug legalization. That is called bait-and-switch, and is not the mark of an honest person.

but this is the way your small band want to spend you time. Terrorist are arrested with plans to poison our water supply, but you boys want to talk about legalizind drugs.

Some of us can handle more than one issue at a time.

You boys have posted hundreds of LONG WINDED, detailed "arguments" for your side. They have been rejected, period.

So you consider a referenda in California, mandating treatment instead of incarceration for 1st and 2nd time non-violent drug offenders, to be rejection? BLACK KNIGHT ALERT.

Many of the "evidences" you boys put forth are sky-is-falling red herring tripe,

I suppose, then, that you are one of those folks who think the WWF is real.

but those of us who live in the real world have better things to do than argue with people who want to legalize addiction.

So lame, yet so predictable. Stake the debate to the most extreme side, rather than address the issues in the middle. You may be capable of fooling yourself, but that is only a reflection upon you...

59 posted on 07/30/2002 7:14:26 AM PDT by dirtboy
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To: bok
Here's to the values of the united states going further down the drain.

Considering the drug war has all-but-flushed the Bill of Rights down the toilet, your point seems rather absurd...

60 posted on 07/30/2002 7:16:19 AM PDT by dirtboy
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