wideglide@harley.com
09-21-2007, 11:46 AM
moveon.org is having a poll to determine who they
will endorse for the Democratic candidate for
President. You have to register to vote, but
whoever gets the most votes in the poll will get
the support of their "Political Action Comittee".
Dennis Kucinich is calling for radical reform.
Here is what he says about the drug war.
I have no affiliation with either moveon or
Kucinich. I am interested in change however. If
you think that America is in good hands please
disregard this message.
Kucinich on the drug war:
June 24, 2003
A safe, free and just America is undermined, not
bolstered, by the costly and ineffective War on
Drugs. While well-intentioned, this misguided
policy -- which emphasizes criminalization over
treatment -- has led to increased violent crime,
misdirected resources of law enforcement and
restricted Constitutional liberties.
Despite billions spent yearly on the drug war,
addiction is up. Our country must rethink a policy
that produces many casualties, but benefits only
the prison-industrial complex. Non-violent drug
offenders often receive Draconian sentences,
tearing apart families.
Racial bias in the enforcement of drug laws is
pervasive. According to a Human Rights Watch
report based on FBI statistics, blacks were
arrested on drug charges at nearly five times the
rate of whites. Drug use is consistent across
racial and socioeconomic lines -- yet in the state
of New York, for example, 94 percent of
incarcerated drug offenders are Latino or
African-American, mostly from poor communities.
Countries in Europe and elsewhere are turning away
from failed policies. They are treating addiction
as a medical problem and are seeing significant
reductions in crime and violence -- with fewer
young people becoming involved with addictive
drugs in the first place. In our country, due to
misplaced priorities and resources, only one bed
exists
for every ten people who apply for drug treatment.
Addiction is a medical and moral problem that
should be treated by professionals, not dumped on
the criminal justice system
Most Americans believe that medical marijuana
should be available to help relieve the suffering
of seriously ill patients, and eight states have
passed laws to allow it. But the Bush
administration has harassed medical marijuana
patients in an effort to assert federal authority.
This is another aspect of the drug war that should
be ended.
http://www.kucinich.us/issues/issue_drugwar.htm
will endorse for the Democratic candidate for
President. You have to register to vote, but
whoever gets the most votes in the poll will get
the support of their "Political Action Comittee".
Dennis Kucinich is calling for radical reform.
Here is what he says about the drug war.
I have no affiliation with either moveon or
Kucinich. I am interested in change however. If
you think that America is in good hands please
disregard this message.
Kucinich on the drug war:
June 24, 2003
A safe, free and just America is undermined, not
bolstered, by the costly and ineffective War on
Drugs. While well-intentioned, this misguided
policy -- which emphasizes criminalization over
treatment -- has led to increased violent crime,
misdirected resources of law enforcement and
restricted Constitutional liberties.
Despite billions spent yearly on the drug war,
addiction is up. Our country must rethink a policy
that produces many casualties, but benefits only
the prison-industrial complex. Non-violent drug
offenders often receive Draconian sentences,
tearing apart families.
Racial bias in the enforcement of drug laws is
pervasive. According to a Human Rights Watch
report based on FBI statistics, blacks were
arrested on drug charges at nearly five times the
rate of whites. Drug use is consistent across
racial and socioeconomic lines -- yet in the state
of New York, for example, 94 percent of
incarcerated drug offenders are Latino or
African-American, mostly from poor communities.
Countries in Europe and elsewhere are turning away
from failed policies. They are treating addiction
as a medical problem and are seeing significant
reductions in crime and violence -- with fewer
young people becoming involved with addictive
drugs in the first place. In our country, due to
misplaced priorities and resources, only one bed
exists
for every ten people who apply for drug treatment.
Addiction is a medical and moral problem that
should be treated by professionals, not dumped on
the criminal justice system
Most Americans believe that medical marijuana
should be available to help relieve the suffering
of seriously ill patients, and eight states have
passed laws to allow it. But the Bush
administration has harassed medical marijuana
patients in an effort to assert federal authority.
This is another aspect of the drug war that should
be ended.
http://www.kucinich.us/issues/issue_drugwar.htm