戰爭的現實在藥物
星期三， 2008年4月23日
藥物戰爭記載 |
当民主黨競選總統者提供少許更多比微溫改革在藥物政策邊際和共和黨被提名人主要許諾更多同一場老藥物戰爭(尋找一篇文章下個星期在主要黨競爭者罪行和藥物政策)，尋找根本改革在美國藥物政策的人們在二個主要黨之外看。 上星期，藥物戰爭在右邊、自由意志論者黨和它的總統競選記載審查了選擇。 這個星期，我們轉動我們的意圖到左邊，對 綠黨 并且獨立競選 Ralph納德.
當第三方選擇像綠色或自由意志論者在贏取普遍的總統表決- 2000年納德綠色候選資格的大百分比未成功時只獲取了2.7%全國表決，并且2004年競爭的納德和綠色候選人為少許超過五十萬個表決結合了全國性-在緊密競選，第三方可能投擲狀態的選舉團票數到一个或其他主要黨候選人。 採取一個例子，不計其數的民主人士仍然fuming 2000年納德競選通過輕微獲取在佛羅里達花費了他們競選在100,000個表決以下。
「一次第三方競選可能產生在緊的種族上的變化」，比爾吹笛者說藥物政策行動網絡，遊說的胳膊的 藥物政策聯盟. 「在這次競選，它可能來自政治光譜的任一邊」。
當對藥物改革和自由意志論者感興趣的保守性有時自由意志論者黨，為自由主義者和進步，綠黨來最緊密到一項美味的藥物政策。 在它最近 社會正義平臺採取在2004全國大會，黨要求-尤其-撤銷「三罷工」法律，并且必須判刑，一個結尾到財產沒收為在監獄建築在藥物unconvicted嫌疑犯、延期償付，無被害人犯罪的decriminalization包括大麻財產，工業用大麻的合法化和「一個結尾到戰爭」。
「執法給予對與藥物相關和狹窄街道罪行的許多重視，而不是足够在公司，白領和環境罪行的起訴」，認為平臺。 “At the same time, we must develop a firm approach to law enforcement that directly addresses violent crime, including trafficking in hard drugs. Violence that creates a climate of further violence must be stopped. Police brutality has reached epidemic levels in the United States and we call for effective monitoring of police agencies to eliminate police brutality.”
While the Green Party platform has its contradictions — it calls for marijuana decrim and an end to the drug war, but also defines selling drugs as “violent crime” — it is miles ahead of the major parties on drug policy. And the current crop of Green Party presidential candidates appear to be ahead of the party platform.
Former Democratic Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney looks to be the front-runner for the party nomination at this stage, primarily because of her high name recognition and national reputation. On her web site, McKinney says bluntly, “We want to end the war on drugs now!”
In addition to targeting communities of color, “the War on Drugs has become a war on truth, taxpayers, civil liberties, and higher education for the poor and middle class, and sadly, it has also become a war on treatment, addicts, and reason,” says her statement. It also “provides cover for US military intervention in foreign countries, particularly to our south, and that this increased militarization is used to put down all social protest movements in countries like Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and elsewhere.”
“This is a big issue for Cynthia, especially as it impacts communities of color and regarding the prison industrial complex,” said John Judge, a McKinney press spokesman.
It’s also a big issue for other Green candidates. “Drug policy is a big issue for me, it affects my daily life,” said contender Kat Swift, a San Antonio-based political activist and former co-chair of the Texas Green Party. “I work at a homeless center, and we deal with drug issues all the time. We’re across the street from a park with a lot of illegal drug sales. I’ve also had friends and family members arrested for having a joint.”
Swift said she is looking to long-time drug reform activist and former Connecticut Green Party gubernatorial candidate Cliff Thornton, and his group, Efficacy for guidance on drug policy issues. “Cliff has submitted an amendment to our drug policy plank that would call for legalizing and regulating all drugs, and I don’t know that I differ with him on this at all,” she said.
For Swift, drug policy is a pivotal issue. “This is an area where race and class and even how we treat women and children is at play,” she said. “This is about the prison-industrial complex and keeping people in their class.”
“I am opposed to the war on drugs,” said contender Kent Mesplay, who came up in California Green Party politics and now serves as a delegate to the Green National Committee. Calling the drug war a “vestige of Puritanism,” he added that “it is, in effect, a war on poor people with terror for us all when we realize how completely the US government attempts to micro-manage our lives. It would be far better to have governmental agencies put money and effort into actually educating people as to the science of drug use.”
And just in case that wasn’t clear enough, Mesplay added, “Yes, I have smoked marijuana and I favor its decriminalization.”
Neither the other Green Party presidential contender, Jesse Johnson, nor the Nader campaign responded to Chronicle requests for information on their drug policy positions. Johnson’s campaign web site does not mention drug policy, nor does Nader list it among his “Twelve Issues that Matter in 2008,” although his web site says it is open for more issues and he has embraced drug reform in past campaigns.
According to the Green Party web site, McKinney stands alone at the head of the pack in the delegate count, but that’s with only three states having decided. The contest for the party’s nomination will be on until the party national meeting later this summer.
Once again, people for whom drug reform is a major issue will have a choice, whether on the left or the right. They can vote for parties and candidates who support their drug policy positions, but who have little to no chance of winning, or they can vote for a Democrat in hopes of obtaining reforms on the margins, or they can vote for the Republican despite their drug policy convictions.
[This article was published by StoptheDrugWar.org’s lobbying arm, the Drug Reform Coordination Network, which also shares the cost of maintaining this web site. DRCNet Foundation takes no positions on candidates for public office, in compliance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and does not pay for reporting that could be interpreted or misinterpreted as doing so. Writing staff attempted to craft this article with full journalistic integrity as we do with our 501(c)(3) publishing.]
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One Response to “The Reality of the War on Drugs”
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steve k
Posted: Apr 24th, 2008 at 7:26 am | Link to this
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Why should the leading parties change anything about the current soft drug legislation , what have they got too gain , just one or maybe two questions i would like too ask here . 1 - Just who is in charge of the poppie crops in afghanistan and 2 - If they are so concerned with the so called war on drugs why have they just not destroyed the crops . Do a google search and you will find the answer in a matter of seconds . BUSINESS AS USUAL AND BIG MONEY TOO BE MADE ! . White collar crime offers no incetive too those that look like they are tackling crime by crimalising marajuna while the poppies just keep on growing . Hemp as a raw plant has so many uses appart from certain medicinal properties it is a fantastic cheap resource for replacing synthetic man-made fibres and it grows at an incredible rate so would offer an eco-friendly alternative for clothing , bags , carpets ect ect and without the need for slave labour too provide the need and demand for cheap clothing as we have now . But of course we are being denied this valuable resource as there is no PROFFIT TOO BE MADE in a natural plant that grows easily and with minimal effort !!! .