Big Drug War News (Congressman Dan Burton on the drug war)

The Agitator ^ | 17 December 2002 | Radley Balko

[truenospinzone]

I was going to correct you, but then I figured you really meant "heroine" and were implying that women were evil and addictive and caused all sorts of bad things to happen, and suddenly I didn't think you needed to be corrected anymore.

[Texaggie79]

Oh, bull#$#$. Cut with the "gubment" crap. They didn't sit there rubbing their hands together wondering how they can CONTROL us more.

They were being hounded by their constituents to FIX the problem of drug addiction that was plaguing the nation.

[Texaggie79]

I know people that have used it. I don't need stats to tell me that crack offers a MUCH more intense high than regular cocaine.

Are you going to tell me that Double Expressos don't sell very well at StarBuck's?

[MrLeRoy]

They were being hounded by their constituents to FIX the problem

Provide evidence for your claim.

[kidd]

I've proposed to Freepers that all drugs be licensed.

You would need a license to purchase and use any recreational drug (alcohol and tobacco included). Much the same as you need a license to operate a car.

To obtain a license, you would be required to have health insurance. This puts the health burden on the user, not the common citizen.

You would be required to read the latest literature regarding the known dangers of the drug and sign a release form. This puts the legal responsibility on the user.

All employers and health insurers of the user would be notified. Thus the financial burden is on the user. Employers would have to make their policy known for each type of drug before the user applies for a license though. The employer would have the right to continue the user's employment or not, based upon previously stated policy.

The license applicant would then pay some small administrative fee to process the application (like what is done for a drivers license). The benefit to the user is that he would be able to go to a licensed dealer, purchase the drugs for much less than the cost from an illegal dealer, with better quality, and without fear of prosecution.

The restrictions of the license may vary from drug to drug. Some of the harder drugs may restrict usage to personal residences only. Tobacco may have the fewest restrictions - just don't give it to minors.

Violation of the license would be a felony.

Why a license? Responsible users will have no problem with this. The burden of use will be all theirs. Problem users will be locked away for a long time. The illegal market then dries up.

[Texaggie79]

LMAO!

[Texaggie79]

Read some friggin history. JEEZ. If I say that we stormed Normandy in WWII are you going to ask me to provide evidence for my claim?

[MrLeRoy]

I don't need stats to tell me that crack offers a MUCH more intense high than regular cocaine.

I was challenging your other four claims:

• People don't buy crack just because if the economics of it.
• They buy crack because NOTHING else gives them that rush.
• They would still buy crack over powdered cocaine even if both were legal.
• Hell, if only powdered cocaine were legal, they'd make their own crack.

[MrLeRoy]

Read some friggin history.

Sorry, I'm not doing your homework for you. When YOU make a claim, the burden is on YOU to provide evidence.

[MrLeRoy]

If I say that we stormed Normandy in WWII are you going to ask me to provide evidence for my claim?

If I did ask you, you could easily provide it and I'd be left looking foolish.

[MrLeRoy]

Cut with the "gubment" crap. They didn't sit there rubbing their hands together wondering how they can CONTROL us more.

Typical liberal, singing the government-is-our-friend tune.

[Texaggie79]

Um..... let's see. If your theory is true, that crack users would rather use powdered coke, then there would be no such thing as a rich person using crack, right?

Daryl Strawberry is a figment of our imagination. Hollywood doesn't REALLY exist. Robert Downey Jr is all fiction........

[BlazingArizona]

So, while you may have remedied the supply side, killing off the cartels and giving the job of production over to corporations, you INCREASE the motivation of users and non users to use MORE. I don't see that as a good thing.

I think it would be: Uncle Chuck Darwin's way of cleaning out that ring around the gene pool.

[Texaggie79]

Typical Libertarian singing the government-is-full-of-evil-boogie-men-who-just-want-to-control-us tune.

I am quite aware of how your thinking can get so skewed when you only hang around with militia rednex....

[MrLeRoy]

crack users would rather use powdered coke

I never said that. Beat your straw men somewhere else.

[Texaggie79]

All this is moot. Find you a state with enough milita freak Libertarians that would be ignorant enough to vote to legalize all drugs, and you can live your dream.

I am quite happy living where I do. Sure, I will vote to legalize pot, every time the issue comes up, but if the majority of my fellow statesmen see too much risk in it, then we shall remain a state with laws against pot.

[MrLeRoy]

Typical Libertarian singing the government-is-full-of-evil-boogie-men-who-just-want-to-control-us tune.

Conservatives don't mistrust government?

I am quite aware of how your thinking can get so skewed when you only hang around with militia rednex....

I know no militia members---but your need to descend to personal insults is duly noted.

[jmc813]

Hi CJ. I'll pose to you the same question I posed to Dane - Are you willing to accuse Dan Burton of being a "George Soros loving liberdopian" on this public forum? If not, why do you insist on calling other non-drug users who express similar opinions to Burton's names like that?

[Protagoras]

When it get's down to the state level, communities can set limits on the risks they are willing to take.

All things are Ok if they are done on the state level. It's OK to use heroin or not, depending on what the state says. Or murder for that matter. Fill in the blank.

[Protagoras]

If not, why do you insist on calling other non-drug users who express similar opinions to Burton's names like that?

Because he's nuts.