What about the 'war on drugs' and libertarians?

[felpaluche]

It is still ongoing, I suppose.

[iedhunter44]

Only a Global legalization would probably end the violence brought on by drug dealers because witha globalized society local drug dealers can still make money by shifting their product overseas.

[777denny1]

Help to STOP the evil War on Drugs by keeping this issue hot and current on your youtube home page Thanks for all your help, 777denny

[rubbersole79]

Contact your representatives and tell them you hope they have the good common sense to vote for Ron Pauls bill H.R. 5842, ending the prohibition on cannabis.

Address of Senator and Representative of United States

Name of Senator

U.S. Senate

Washington D.C. 20510

Name of Representative

U.S. House of Representatives

Washington D.C. 20515

Or call U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121

[LibertarianChristian]

lol, at the start I couldn't see Nick's arm, lol, try just looking at his face, he's only got one arm! :O

[2dogarage]

David Bowie is part of the caffeine generation? Who knew?

Nice gryphon on the bookshelf.

Wait, when you talk about the mainstream backlash are you talking about the X-Libertarian Ron Paul? Give me a fuckin break.

Nice effort anyway, the war on drugs is a war on the people.

We should all be allowed enough rope to hang ourselves and the "authorities" be damned. "I" am all the authority I need.

[FedCURE]

You make excellent points arguing the "right to use" and that no sane person in the country would argue that the "War on Drugs" is and has been nothing more then a failure. History will not treat those policy makers responsible for it kindly. That said, the issue before us to day is how do we dismantle the "War on Drugs" industry? Ending the "War on Drugs" today means tens of thousands of people loose their jobs and corporate shareholders watch their shares go to zero. FedCURE

[FedCURE]

You make excellent points arguing the "right to use" and that no sane person in the country would argue that the "War on Drugs" is and has been nothing more then a failure. History will not treat those policy makers responsible for it. That said, the issue before us to day is how do we dismantle the "War on Drugs" industry? Ending the "War on Drugs" today means tens of thousands of people loose their jobs and corporate shareholders watch their shares go to zero. FedCURE

[TheSlaveKeyboardist]

It is coming and I can't wait

[Toestubber]

It's nice to see Matt Welch dropping the snark a bit and getting passionate about the immorality of the WOD. Refreshing, really. (Maybe it was the caffeine!) I think this describes the #1 defining issue of the libertarian movement. Drug prohibition is an incredibly destructive political, moral, legal and economic poison that's been spread through once-civilized societies.

[22knowa]

Your correct it was meant to be a foolish statement, its kind of like Hilary Clinton statement there is to much money in it to make it legal.

[22knowa]

Think of the unemployed cop judges prison guards and Lawyers. Hey they make really good money, they will never ever find any thing with that kind of income and benefits.

[kohlsblows]

@22knowa So we should imprison millions of people for not actually hurting anyone else in any way so a small segment of society can have high paying jobs? All the money previously spent to employ them well be spent else where in society thus creating more jobs for them to transfer over to. But the only people who would really suffer would be prison guards. Cops will still have plenty to do as will judges, and lawyers will always find something to make money off of.

[DonSolo52]

@22knowa Wow, what a foolish statement..

[catobear1704]

Not kidding: cannibas makes life better.

[jjmdirector]

No War on Drugs = No Cartels...simple as that

[TheHDaleLibertarian]

I know people that support the drug war because they think government is supposed to support their personal moralist agenda and make statements about what is right and wrong. It really is sad.

[Nankaris69]

Thank you for your answer its is very through!

[kbr7171]

"...or if we're willing to pretend we're a cancer patient." LOL

[AKEVELFAN]

I couldn't care less if you guys want to get high.

However, I want a penalty of jail for selling drugs to minors.

This is the single issue that repels so many Republicans from libertarianism. You need to precisely communicate whether you would accept reasonable limits on recreational drug use, such as criminalizing distribution to minors, and more severe sentencing for DUIs involving hard drugs.

Precision communication on this issue is mandatory to pull more republicans into your camp.

[Hashishin13]

@AKEVELFAN If it was a pure free market the road owners would decide what to do with DUIs, possibly banning people for life from driving or other extremely harsh penalties, on the other hand if driving will high on cannabis is about as dangerous as driving while tired or with noisey kids in the car as some studies suggest, the penalties for that type of DUI would be lessened.

Sex and drugs with minors are forms of assault, and would be treated as such under any form of liberatianism.

[demerc]

@AKEVELFAN This isn't rocket science. If it were legalized, it would become legitimized and distributed through licensed dispensaries, pharmacies, etc. in the same way as alcohol. Once it is legal, the black market shrinks to virtually nothing. So if you're underaged, you don't get served. If you are served, obviously the mainstream distributors would be fined and jailed. The same way currently, liquor stores are fined for selling to minors.

[AKEVELFAN]

@demerc

I understand and am in agreement.

The point I was trying to get across, is that on this "flagship" topic, libertarians consistently fail to get that message across, and thus lose converts.

BTW, I actually had a leading libertarian in my state tell me live on my radio show that 12 year olds should be able to buy heroin if it were a truly free market.

[demerc]

@AKEVELFAN Let's be clear.Kids growing up in a healthy society,where socio-economic and cultural structures aren't leading to widespread drug use in the first place,being brought up right by their parents, the last thing on their minds will be doing heroin.Really,in general it is rare that preteens are thinking about getting high.These boogey men arose as tools of manipulation.We should stop perpetuating them.Raise your children right,minus all these toxic mentalities and drugs are a non issue.

[AKEVELFAN]

@demerc

Kids growing up in healthy societies make mistakes. Some mistakes like smoking crack or shooting up heroin can be fatal on the first attempt. A level of legal protection from crack and heroin dealers is justifiable government.

This is the point in the conversation where otherwise interested conservatives tune libertarians out. I could make the same argument about molesters that you just did about drugs. It's not a bogeyman, it is a valid issue based on a valid parental concern.

[demerc]

@AKEVELFAN It's certainly a boogeyman.That doesn't man there can't also be a modicum of valid concern,hence the regulations,which we already covered.I think it's important we don't continue to wallow in our own ignorance,just because it goes against ideas that are ingrained in the popular conscious.Comparing it to molestation is inaccurate.Child molestation arises from a deviated version of a universal, healthy desire.The desire to to hard drugs isn't a bi-product of any universal behavior.

[elricmlbone]

What and have the police not get nice cars and real estate when they STEAL it through drug raids arrests. How will our overlords and their uniformed thugs survive?

[SuperSneakySteve]

FIRST!