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Strange Priorities

by TChris

Joseph Califano Jr. misses the point when he claims, “If you don’t reduce the use of marijuana, you can't possibly reduce illegal drug use because marijuana is far and away the most used drug.” Of course it is. It is among the safest of illicit drugs, and millions of world-wide tokers have learned that responsible use will not adversely affect their lives. Not only is it possible to “reduce illegal drug use” while largely ignoring marijuana use, it should be the government’s priority to help individuals reduce their reliance on drugs that have the greatest potential for dangerous abuse.

John Walters, the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, makes the same mistake when he tells reporters: “The issue here is not meth or marijuana. We’re concerned about substance abuse generally.” If we’re to take our drug policy seriously, shouldn’t reduction efforts be most closely targeted to the most dangerous drugs?

Focusing resources on marijuana users is wasteful. Between snacking and napping, pot smokers have little time (and even less energy) to rip apart the social fabric. If the government were serious in its desire to address actual (rather than imagined) social harm, it would direct its attention to predatory lenders.

Across the country, dishonest payday loan stores, rent-to-own centers, check cashing stores, sub-prime home mortgage companies and other "predatory lenders" are taking thousands of dollars out of the pockets of poor people in clear view of the law. They are wreaking havoc on the country's working class, often driving grandmothers into foreclosure, military soldiers into debt and depression, and school teachers into personal bankruptcy.

The government sends men and women to prison because they grow and distribute a plant. Lenders make “millions upon millions” in exorbitant interest and fees levied upon the most vulnerable members of society, and government looks the other way.

Surprisingly, no national politician is holding a primetime national press conference to discuss this epidemic. In an era in which steroid use and Terry Schiavo have taken center stage in politics and the media, it is noteworthy that no senator is threatening a filibuster, and no elected official has suggested a hunger campaign to protest the injustice of predatory lending.

Where is Jimmy Stewart's courageous character from the 1939 movie, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," when you need him?

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    Re: Strange Priorities (none / 0) (#1)
    by Jack on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 02:02:32 PM EST
    Where is Jimmy Stewart's courageous character from the 1939 movie, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," when you need him? Such a character could not win a primary, much less an election. Either he would be overpowered with money used to smear him with lies, or the good people of america would reject him in favor of the "lesser evil" they are told "can win" against the "greater evil." "Morals" "goodness" "Accountability" "reason" -- these have no place in American politics.

    Re: Strange Priorities (none / 0) (#2)
    by Domino on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 02:02:32 PM EST
    Of course, you are right. Because pot smoke is so easily detected, American drug policy has practically forced folks to take other drugs that end up causing aggressive behavior. The Denver Post is freaking out today that Denver arrests are down, not for violent crimes, but for other crimes. Gee, kids, I wonder what they mean by that? It would be nice if we returned to the priorities of my youth in the seventies, when police pretty much ignored pot smoking. Would we then need to multiply the size of our city jail? I think not!

    Re: Strange Priorities (none / 0) (#3)
    by DawesFred60 on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 02:02:32 PM EST
    Well, Jack is right, "where is someone with any kind of Character in our non government".

    Re: Strange Priorities (none / 0) (#4)
    by aahpat on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 02:02:32 PM EST
    Focusing on pot smokers is the litmus test for right wing conformity in America. That has been the case since Nixon, in collusion with the Wallace right wing of the Democrats, created the drug war in 1970 to neutralize and subvert electoral empowerment effects of the Voter Rights Act and the 26st Amendment. Americans who decide to use an illicit intoxicant are not only questioning the status quo laws of America but they are acting on that cynicism. Such Americans must be criminalized, marginalized and disenfranchised. The Jim Crow right wing of the Democrats, all of those prosecutor Democrats like Kerry, Clinton, Feinstein, Biden and others, know that they would have less political viability within the moral sphere of the traditional Democratic values of respect for human rights, civil liberties and social justice if they have to go up against the -activists- who -act- on their cynicism about Jim Crow status quo policies and laws. These right wingers, in both parties, who subvert our democracy with drug war, will continue to take masses of Americans from urban America to fill rural GOP dominated prison districts where they are counted for apportionment without having a franchise. Please see my note yesterday: Krugman right plus 13,000,000 and counting on my LeftIndependent blog that is linked on my name below.

    Re: Strange Priorities (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 02:02:33 PM EST
    All these statements about marijuana being the most-used drug or the gateway drug are even more true of alcohol, but alcohol is perfectly legal. If marijuana were legalized, then the obsession could move to something else.

    Re: Strange Priorities (none / 0) (#6)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 02:02:33 PM EST
    Between snacking and napping, pot smokers have little time (and even less energy) to rip apart the social fabric. Nice stereotyping there. Why don't you just kiss DEA's a**es too. I'm too busy being a single parent, caring for my disabled ex, running my business, attending peace vigils, shopping, cleaning, shuttling my kid and his friends, making dinner, teaching at the local community college and blogging (MY downtime activity). Jesus Christ you people are stupid sometimes!

    Re: Strange Priorities (none / 0) (#7)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 02:02:33 PM EST
    Our social fabric needs shredding.

    Re: Strange Priorities (none / 0) (#8)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 02:02:33 PM EST
    But first I need to get stoned.

    Re: Strange Priorities (none / 0) (#9)
    by coralreef on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 02:02:33 PM EST
    You cannot totaly reduce the crime rate in America without reducing jay-walking as jay-walking is so prevalent. True. You cannot totaly reduce foreign oil dependency unless you reduce the use of plastic drinking straws as drinking straws are so prevalent. True. You cannot totaly reduce water pollution without stopping folks from peeing in the river as peeing in the river is so prevalent. True. You will have only statistics to show for an anti Jay-Walking, Drinking Straw and Pee agenda as there will be no meaningful effect on the lives of Americans at all. Jay-walking vs DUI? You pick it. Drinking Straws vs Better CAFÉ standards? You pick it. Pee Guards vs serious prosecution of corporate pollution of our waterways? You pick it. Pot vs Cocaine? Etc.

    Re: Strange Priorities (none / 0) (#10)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 02:02:33 PM EST
    "it should be the government’s priority to help individuals reduce their reliance on drugs that have the greatest potential for dangerous abuse." The hell it should be. It shouldn't even be a gvt endeavour, never mind one with priority.

    Re: Strange Priorities (none / 0) (#11)
    by Dadler on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 02:02:33 PM EST
    Che is right on in his anger at the stereotyping. Is everyone who drinks a lush sitting in a dive bar all day? Of course not. Painting all mj smokers with such a cartoonish brush only helps the right. I expect better on this sit. Willie Nelson seems to get plenty done with his weed, as did Louis Armstrong -- to name a couple of famous creative tokers who come to mind. How about simply keeping focused on the facts. Which are heavily weighted on the side of legalization. Not bad sentences from a hophead, eh?

    Re: Strange Priorities (none / 0) (#12)
    by TChris on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 02:02:33 PM EST
    My point is that the typical byproducts of pot smoking do not induce anti-social behavior. The offending sentence was intended as a joke, not as a slam at pot smokers. I extend my apologies.

    Re: Strange Priorities (none / 0) (#15)
    by Che's Lounge on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 02:02:33 PM EST
    TChris, And I apologize if I was heavy handed in my response

    Re: Strange Priorities (none / 0) (#16)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 02:02:33 PM EST
    If it were not so easy to grow it would be legal. The Canadian manufacture of Sativex 'cannabis spray' for prescription use is a cruel joke. An expensive product worse less effective that something you can grow for free. If it were not so easy to grow the lumber industry would not lobby against hemp. If it were not so lucrative to the gazillion dollar WOD/prison industry no one would care about it except those who like to use it. It is all Politics and $. Think of our poor and vulnerable schoolchildren, especially the ones in jail.

    Re: Strange Priorities (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 02:02:35 PM EST
    Posted by Che's Lounge at August 20, 2005 01:35 PM TChris, And I apologize if I was heavy handed in my response
    Che, you have no reason to apologize ... and as soon as I recover from this alcohol hangover I'll tell you why;-)

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