… on how not to handle drug policy.
A good article: Ottawa’s drug problem: The penalty doesn’t fit the crime by Edward Greenspan and Anthony Doob.
…the answer to offending “does not lie in simply building more prisons and getting more police. If that were true, then the United States would be the safest place on Earth.†[…]
Imprisonment is very costly and, if it’s being justified as a means to address drug problems or achieve public safety, the government needs to demonstrate that imprisonment is the most cost-effective way of achieving reduction in drug use, production and trafficking. It won’t be able to do this. Interestingly, it never tried. […]
By addressing sentencing for drug offences in an unprincipled and incoherent manner and by suggesting that its new set of drug sentences will help address Canada’s drug problem, the government is doomed to failure on two counts: It will not address Canada’s drug problems, and it will make sentences less coherent than they are at the moment.
It’s fascinating to see our disaster through outside eyes. Fortunately, there are some that can see what should be obvious to all.
Harper and his ilk don’t see a disaster. They see where they want to go. While these policies have been a disaster for the people of this country, especially people of color, the neocons got just what they wanted. Of course, what they really want has nothing at all to do with ending drug use…
I agree darkcycle. They know exactly where it is going and do not care because it has no adverse effect upon the truly wealthy corporate ruling-class or most of their wealthy friends either. The war on drugs and any increase in the fascist laws that support it is a competitive edge for the fascists. As long as they make life more difficult for certain truly freedom-loving Americans and those Americans can do nothing but rant about it otherwise they get punished more, they aren’t worried.
After all the real political competition is in prison, if a major war breaks out, they can just kill everyone in their cells before they can join the fight.
The present American corporate ruling-class is the enemy of the people, whether the people realize it or not.
People like Harper don’t see the Drug War as a tool for good governance. They see it as a political tool to make people think that something is being done to make them safer. It’s what happens when 90% of the populace makes absolutely no effort to educate themselves about public policy.
right on Ben! .. Harper and his minions want to privatize the Canadian prison system, presumably because he sees what a success it’s been in the states .. he also wants to de-regulate the Canadian banking system..again I’m guessing he see’s how successful its been for obscenely wealthy Americans ..and he also wants to build military bases in foreign countries .. maybe he feels left out of that whole terrorist attack thing..Harper is uncle sams obedient little lap-dog.. he is totally on board with Americas phony failed ‘drug-war’ … he’s an idiot.
Canada’s Harper like having Bush Redux idiots they reelected him.
Imprisonment is very costly?
Depends if you’re a Harpo cronie.
Every buck spent is a buck earned…
Got Koch eh? Mexamericanada, G-20, Earth
Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do…
Canada’s Supremes Cower Under DEAth Threats
Ontario Judge Rules Canada’s Marijuana Laws Unconstitutional
Slave Labor Means Big Bucks For
U.S.Canadian CorporationsUS Government denied Marc Emery his transfer back to Canada. There is little we can do at this point beyond diplomatic pressure and spreading the word about this grave injustice. Please share this on Facebook to help let the world know about Marc’s situation.
DEA Release Admits Marc Emery Extradition Politically Motivated
March 4 2006 The US Drug Enforcement Administration admitted on the day of Marc Emery’s arrest that his investigation and extradition were politically motivated, designed to target the Marijuana Legalization organization that Emery spearheaded and ran for over a decade in Canada.
Google the following terms:
Harper Versailles France 2003
just that, nothing more. Again, there’s no front-loading, no hint of skullduggery…but what you’ll see will go a long way towards explaining why reform is such an uphill battle, with us carrying the prohibs on our backs, with them beating us on the head and kicking and screaming all the way. Because sitting on top of them are the banksters.
Harper met with the same banksters that caused the world economy to teeter on the edge of the abyss. The same banksters that got filthy rich off of laundering illegal drug money. The same ones that Bush Too met with in 1999. The same ones that Obama met with in 2008. See a pattern?
This is the real reason why we have to fight so very g-d-ed hard to reform the laws. Because of who they ultimately benefit. Harper is the hand-picked tool of those ultimate beneficiaries, as was Lil’ Georgie, as is Obama. As will be Perry (he met with them in Istanbul in 2007).
Follow the money, children; always follow the money. The real drug kingpins of this world reside in the boardrooms of banks, not some cave in A-stan or jungle in SE Asia.