Heritage Foundation Says Cut Drug Czar's Office, Byrne Grants, More

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #658)

In an attempt to provide some specifics for Republican promises to reduce the budget deficit by cutting federal spending, the conservative Heritage Foundation has issued a backgrounder report saying Congress should eliminate the Office of National Drug Control Policy (the drug czar's office), the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities state grant program, and all Justice Department grant programs, except those for the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the National Institute of Justice. That means the drug task force-funding Justice Assistance Grants (JAG, formerly known as the Byrne grant) are on the chopping block, too.

[inline:director_kerlikoske.jpg align=left caption="Goodbye Gil?"]The report said the federal government could cut a whopping $434 billion and the savings could come from eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and outdated or ineffective programs;consolidating duplicative programs, targeting programs more precisely, privatization, and "empowering state and local governments" by reducing federal funding for them.

Taxpayers could save $30 million by axing the "duplicative" drug czar's office and $298 million by eliminating the Safe and Drug Free Schools state grants, which are used for violence and drug and alcohol prevention programs. The Byrne grant program, which can also be used to fund drug treatment and prevention, is set at $598 million in the Obama administration's FY 2011 budget request. 

The drug budget cuts are only a tiny fraction of  the $343 billion that Heritage said should be cut. The report takes the budget ax to nearly $20 billion in agriculture funding, nearly $8 billion in community development grants, nearly $8 billion in federal education spending, more than $7 billion in energy and environmental spending, nearly $92 billion from federal government operations (including federal employee pay freezes), and nearly $7 billion by cutting federal job training and Job Corps funds.

If the cuts proposed by the Heritage Foundation in its entirety were to be enacted, they would radically shrink the federal government and redraw the picture of what the people expect from government. But the Republicans only control one chamber of Congress, some of the proposed cuts could lead to dissent even within GOP ranks, and Democrats and people who stand to lose out are sure to fight them.

Still, it would be nice if the spirit of bipartisanship could prevail long enough to begin closing the book on decades of wasted and counter-productive federal drug prohibition spending, even though we wouldn't want to see proven prevention programs slashed.

Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.

Comments

Callum Yeater (not verified)

I say "your fired Gil" Who needs a drug czar anyway. I fully support the firing of the drug czar....DEA NEXT in line, its time for politicians to stop ruling over what the people want

Tue, 11/09/2010 - 11:12am Permalink
Callum Yeater (not verified)

I call to get rid of the drug czar and the DEA, we don't need politicians telling us what we can and cannot use

Tue, 11/09/2010 - 11:13am Permalink
eadvocate (not verified)

I am working to find people to help me fight against our Gov. elect, Suzana Martinez, as she has said she will over turn the Medical MJ law here although the people voted for it.  What a hypocrit as it is the most restrictive in the nation but what can we expect from a former DA

Thu, 11/11/2010 - 7:46pm Permalink

Yes, cut the crap out of the "drug budget."

 

New Age Citizen
Because Marijuana is Safer that Beer . . .
How About We Start Treating It That Way?
MERP Headquarters
The Marijuana Re-Legalization Policy Project (MRPP)= "MERP"
http://www.newagecitizen.com/MERP.htm

Sun, 03/27/2011 - 4:42pm Permalink

New Age Citizen
Because Marijuana is Safer that Beer . . .
How About We Start Treating It That Way?
MERP Headquarters
The Marijuana Re-Legalization Policy Project (MRPP)= "MERP"
http://www.newagecitizen.com/MERP.htm

Sun, 03/27/2011 - 4:44pm Permalink
Mae (not verified)

In reply to by Bruce Cain (not verified)

These People have to be on drugs to make these comments.  If you cut the Bryne JAG funding anymore it will devastate our communities.  The local police departments can not deal with the drug epidemic on their own.  We need to keep the drug task forces funded in order to curb this overwhelming drug problem in our nation.  The wars are not all over seas.

Sun, 04/10/2011 - 12:37pm Permalink

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