Cafferty Argues to Legalize Pot - Cafferty?!

[Danascot]

War on drugs is insane

Here's something to think about:

How many police officers and sheriff's deputies are involved in investigating and solving crimes involving illegal drugs? And arresting and transporting and interrogating and jailing the suspects?

How many prosecutors and their staffs spend time prosecuting drug cases? How many defense lawyers spend their time defending drug suspects?

How many hours of courtroom time are devoted to drug trials? How many judges, bailiffs, courtroom security officers, stenographers, etc., spend their time on drug trials?

How many prison cells are filled with drug offenders? And how many corrections officers does it take to guard them? How much food do these convicts consume?

And when they get out, how many parole and probation officers does it take to supervise their release? And how many ex-offenders turn right around and do it again?

So how's this war on drugs going?

<snip>

What do you suppose the total price tag is for this failed war on drugs? One senior Harvard economist estimates we spend $44 billion a year fighting the war on drugs. He says if they were legal, governments would realize about $33 billion a year in tax revenue. Net swing of $77 billion. Could we use that money today for something else? You bet your ass we could. Plus the cartels would be out of business. Instantly. Goodbye crime and violence.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/31/cafferty.legal.drugs/index.html

[Ian David]

1. Cafferty obviously needs to get stoned to deal with Blitzer. n/t

[tosh]

2. Cafferty is the best thing CNN's got.

[icnorth]

9. With one or two exceptions

Cafferty is about the only thing CNN's got.

[leftstreet]

3. K&R

[shireen]

4. good for him ....

personally, i'd love to see it legalized. Not because i use it, never have. But my inner horticulturist loves that plant! It's beautiful, complex, and mysterious. :D

But Cafferty is so right. If they're going after pot so aggressively, they should be pursuing alcohol with equal tenacity.

[cliffordu]

5. I love him more every day....

heh,....

[pacalo]

6. Makes a lot of sense to me.

[snappyturtle]

7. Thank you Cafferty! I like him because I think he makes Wolfie a

bit nervous from time to time. K&R

[Telly Savalas]

8. I'm not a fan of the guy, but it's certainly refreshing

that a very vocal representative of the curmudgeon demographic is acknowledging what a trainwreck our drug policy is.

[dmr]

10. In a round & about way, even Pat Buchanan!

I was floored when I read this in my local newspaper a few weeks ago.

I had to Google to find his column:

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=30966

- snip -
When Richard Nixon declared the War on Drugs in 1972, Milton, writing in Newsweek, objected on ethical grounds:

"On ethical grounds, do we have the right to use the machinery of government to prevent an individual from becoming an alcoholic or a drug addict? For children, almost everyone would answer at least a qualified yes. But for responsible adults, I, for one, would answer no. Reason with the potential addict, yes. Tell him the consequences, yes. Pray for and with him, yes. But I believe that we have no right to use force, directly or indirectly, to prevent a fellow man from committing suicide, let alone from drinking alcohol or taking drugs."

"Am I my brother's keeper?'" asked Milton, answering, "No."

Americans are never going to adopt the Maoist solution. For the users of drugs are all too often classmates, colleagues, friends, even family. Indeed, our last three presidents did not deny using drugs.

Once, a Christian America outlawed and punished homosexuality, abortion, alcohol, loan-sharking and gambling, all as criminal vice. Now, homosexuality and abortion are constitutional rights. Gambling and booze are a rich source of government revenue. And loan-sharking is done by credit-card companies, and not just the Corleones.

Will we raise the white flag in the drug war, as well?

Which is the greater evil? Legalized narcotics for America's young or a failed state of 110,000 million on our southern border?
- snip -

Like prohibition, the War on Drugs has spurned way too much violence, greedy seizure-control cops, an over-populated prison industry, and goodness knows what else. There certainly would be less victims - whether at the hands of dealers or the justice system.

Imagine how better off our country would be if the 5+ tons seized in Arizona this week had been regulated, taxed and sold to adult consumers.

[tritsofme]

11. I don't think a reasonable person can really argue in favor of marijuana prohibition.

At least I haven't heard the argument.

[proud patriot]

12. woa ..Cool .. makes sense

:think: