29 Dec 09
Originally posted by USArmyParatrooperYes, it's an awkward artifact of FPtP systems that voting for one candidate can help another.
But I'm talking about the US political climate. We've had two big parties for so long most of the country already has a line drawn in the sand. And people who identify with left or right tend to view the other side with disdain. So most people refuse to vote for an alternate ticket for fear of the "other guy" winning.
If not for the Bush factor ...[text shortened]... en a lot more votes. And I hate to say it, but thank God for Bush because Nader is an idiot.
29 Dec 09
Originally posted by monster truckOne would hope that decriminalisation/legalisation would see a switch of resources towards education (which would not need to be be hamstrung by the requirement to parrot the simplistic 'drugs are bad, m'kay?' line, but could become something altogether more realistic and useful) and rehabilitation (for those for whom drug use is not purely recreational). I'd wager that there could be enormous cost savings to be made by diverting funds from the 'war on drugs' as presently fought (in what I take to be an advertisment for hubris and all manner of folly) towards policies that might actually work...
I would hope that education would have some affect on usage.
29 Dec 09
Originally posted by USArmyParatrooperI totally agree.
Obviously legalization would dismantle them instantly. I'm definitely for legalizing marijuana and I lean toward keeping the hard stuff illegal. If I could be sold that legalizing the hard drugs would not increase usage I'd be for that as well.
However, this alone will not get rid of the drug cartels, especially considering they'd still be dealing cocaine.
Also, there's no point in fighting the cartels if you don't fight corruption as well, latin america is haven for the cartels (and criminals in general) because they can get away with anything if they pay the right people.
29 Dec 09
2 edits
Man...I hate these bastards who are ruining Mexico. What do you do?
Send your family to some hidden first world country while you begin the suicide hunt?
There are some crimes for which I feel torture may be the right punishment for deterrance value. Maybe the State and the People need to get medieval on their asses!
Of course, you all know me, I'm all for legalization...but you cannot excuse the horribleness of these people by blaming drug prohibition. They're like the Taliban with their beheadings and bombing of girls' schools - they need to be eradicated, shunned and humiliated.
If all they did was shoot police, it would be one thing - not good, but reasonable from the perspective of a guerrilla fighter who is being hunted by The Man unjustly. But to go after his family?
This needs to be stopped. NOW!
I'm glad I was born on this side of the border.
30 Dec 09
many good ideas focussing on decriminalization, legalization, and punishment.
Following email rumors on swine flu and drugs, will it hurt drug sales from Mexico at all that drug users may tend to have a higher likelihood of dying if they also catch swine flu, considering the internet rumors that people fear and the havoc drugs do to people's health?
Should the US allow drugs to pass through the Caribean a bit more to let the Colombians regain the upper hand vis a vis the Mexican Cartels as some have suggested?
Is the expansion of rehab centers a major key and if so should there be better security?
How do you fix Ciudad Juarez?
30 Dec 09
Originally posted by eljefejesusEven Tony Mantana suggested legalisation.
The drug war has rattled the cage of the cartels: drug seizures are up, cartel leaders like Beltran-Leyva are getting killed off, cartels are getting fractured into smaller cartels as was done to the Columbian cartels... and they are responding with violence.
What would you do to dismantle such cartels as would murder the family of a Navy officer in ...[text shortened]... uggestions have been made so far including legalizing marijuana. Details?
Other suggestions?
It's all about destroying the profit margins. No profit, nobody's gonna bother selling the stuff...
30 Dec 09
Originally posted by eljefejesusProbably not. Given that most habitual hard drug users are already aware that their proclivities are likely shortening their lifespans, adding another variable probably won't have much of an effect.
Following email rumors on swine flu and drugs, will it hurt drug sales from Mexico at all that drug users may tend to have a higher likelihood of dying if they also catch swine flu, considering the internet rumors that people fear and the havoc drugs do to people's health?
Here in Scotland, a batch of heroin contaminated with anthrax (!!) has claimed a third life over the festive period (with five more users in treatment). It's easy enough for those of us who don't have a smack habit to say, 'well, I'd stop using heroin, then', but I doubt that's the mindset of most addicts (or at least seven, so far...)
30 Dec 09
Originally posted by DrKFSwitching resources from the 'war on drugs' towards education certainly wouldn't be any worse than the situation we have now.
One would hope that decriminalisation/legalisation would see a switch of resources towards education (which would not need to be be hamstrung by the requirement to parrot the simplistic 'drugs are bad, m'kay?' line, but could become something altogether more realistic and useful) and rehabilitation (for those for whom drug use is not purely recreational). I'd w ...[text shortened]... ertisment for hubris and all manner of folly) towards policies that might actually work...
However, Mr. Mackey's catch phrase must remain!😀 M'Kay?
30 Dec 09
1 edit
Originally posted by monster truckExactly so - the 'war on drugs' as it has been waged has been comprehensively lost. Its corollary has been a 'drugs education programme' not worthy of the name (m'kay...), that misinforms as much as it informs and has an equally abysmal record by reference to its own goals.
Switching resources from the 'war on drugs' towards education certainly wouldn't be any worse than the situation we have now.
However, Mr. Mackey's catch phrase must remain!😀 M'Kay?
Fresh thinking is what is needed, not the same-old same-old. As you say, I find it hard to imagine how a more realistic drugs education policy (potentially massively funded through savings on the 'war on drugs' as presently waged) could achieve worse outcomes...
Equally, some of that money could be pumped in to inner-city regeneration, alongside education programmes. Again, overall such a move could be fiscally 'neutral' (insofar as funds were diverted from TWOD) and could hardy fare worse than current policy.
EDIT- we can, of course, keep the catchphrase. And Mr Slave.
04 Jan 10
Originally posted by DrKFYou may be right, but maybe at least some would find a different source if they suspect their heroin is coming from that country?
Probably not. Given that most habitual hard drug users are already aware that their proclivities are likely shortening their lifespans, adding another variable probably won't have much of an effect.
Here in Scotland, a batch of heroin contaminated with anthrax (!!) has claimed a third life over the festive period (with five more users in treatment). It's eas ...[text shortened]... oin, then', but I doubt that's the mindset of most addicts (or at least seven, so far...)
UPDATE: Beltran-Leyva's brother was captured, despite the cartel's bloody retaliation, now only one of the Beltran-Leyva's brothers remains at large, Hector, who is believed to be the low-key brains behind the operation.
04 Jan 10
Originally posted by eljefejesusdeclare full-scale war on the cartels, with an immediate callup, start or increase conscription, and rotate the military immediately around the country, to break illicit cartel links.
The drug war has rattled the cage of the cartels: drug seizures are up, cartel leaders like Beltran-Leyva are getting killed off, cartels are getting fractured into smaller cartels as was done to the Columbian cartels... and they are responding with violence.
What would you do to dismantle such cartels as would murder the family of a Navy officer in ...[text shortened]... uggestions have been made so far including legalizing marijuana. Details?
Other suggestions?
e.g., if you immediately transferred the garrisons from Sinaloa into Tamaulipas and vice versa, you might get much better performance.