I wrote The PTSD Party a while back and today in conjunction with this Breitbart video it got me to thinking. Why did Bill Clinton double (with efforts still rising) Prohibition enforcement during his tenure? He was a “head” while he was in school. Even if he claims he “didn’t inhale”. So he should be sympathetic to the plight of pot heads and try to get the laws repealed. Double that for our current pResident. Why? Why would they act against the interests of the people voting for them?
Suppose we think of it differently. Think of it as a way to identify people very likely to have PTSD and to radicalize them. Bingo. The war on pot is a recruiting tool for the left. They can no more live without it than can the right (the right needs their recruiting tool – demons – which usually turn out to be empowered by the right – clever those demons – the right? – not so much). So that explains the continuing power of Drug Prohibition. Both Parties need it as a recruiting tool. The punished going left and the punishers to the right. With the hope that some day soon when they have acquired enough political power the punished will become the punishers. And they will be directed by the left (even though the left is in cahoots with the right on the matter).
Anybody happen to see what has become of our government lately?
Comments
5 responses to “It Has A Purpose”
I think there is a better explanation, even it it does unfortunately sound a bit too conspiratorial for some.
It is money, specifically monies being funneled by drug cartels towards governments (state and federal level), and monies being funneled from by the federal, state and local governments via asset forfeitures.
Alcohol prohibition collapsed due to the fact the general population as a whole actual did consume alcohol, and therefor it impacted a greater percentage of the population.
Additionally, drug prohibition has been to a great degree presented with many racial undertones.
Finally, drug prohibition has been around so long, especially as compared to alcohol prohibition, all the aforementioned money issues and the associated corruption issues have become much more deeply imbedded into government.
The bottom line is that drug prohibition is well bought and paid for at the most important level – the political one, and that won’t change easily.
Austin,
I don’t doubt what you say for a minute. I believe I have added another dimension.
I think maybe you added the dimension of ‘how they justify it to themselves’ – but I think Austin has the base motive down pat.
Why did Bill Clinton double (with efforts still rising) Prohibition enforcement during his tenure?
A simple explanation might be to conceal his own involvement.
As Hillary explained recently, there is a lot of money involved.
As to Obama, the DEA is very powerful. An entity unto itself, like the CIA. Why would Obama want to risk alienating such a valuable resource which can be used against enemies? Recent DEA attacks on Big Pharma set a fascinating precedent:
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-02-06/health/os-dea-cvs-controlled-substance-20120206_1_dea-s-miami-cvs-pharmacies-cvs-stores
Would I be too cynical if I speculated that this could easily translate into bigtime political contributions (especially for those accustomed to doing things the Chicago Way)?
Too much money involved indeed. Those Who Profit from the Drug War versus Those Who Profit from the Drug War.
Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum think we are stupid.
Benway,
This deals with the financial dimension:
Terrorists Dealing Drugs