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Could the Next Drug Czar be William Bratton?
The Politico looks at rumored cabinet selections if Obama is elected and identifies Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton as a possible choice for drug czar. Of course, the election isnât over yet and this is just a rumor, the origins of which we know nothing about. So I donât want to go too far here, but if true, this could become big news and a source of concern for reformers.Bratton is a proponent of the "broken windows" theory of policing which prioritizes enforcement of minor offenses in pursuit of a trickle-up effect on crime control. He served as New York City police commissioner in the 1990âs, overseeing a dramatic increase in petty marijuana arrests. On medical marijuana, Bratton has claimed to be "totally supportive," but has shown concern about profiteering by dispensary operators. While his views on medical marijuana would appear to be an improvement over previous drug czars, the question is whether heâd retain his respect for Californiaâs laws after moving to Washington, D.C. to lead the federal drug war.Having said all that, I believe itâs quite likely that other names will emerge if Obama wins tomorrow and Iâm hopeful that his call for "shifting the model" in our drug policy would mean looking beyond law-enforcement circles when it comes to managing our national approach to drug abuse. In fact, it's really kind of hard to understand what he meant if not that.(This blog post 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.)
Mexicoâs Top Drug Cop Resigns Amidst Corruption Controversy
For the hundredth time, why the hell are we giving these people hundreds of millions in U.S. tax dollars to fight the war on drugs? To say they cannot be trusted is an epic understatement:Mexico's efforts to get to grips with spiralling drug crime and corruption suffered a blow at the weekend when one of the country's top police officers resigned amid allegations that drugs cartels had infiltrated his department.Gerardo Garay, the head of Mexico's military-style federal police force, stepped down to head off suspicion that he was working for a major drugs cartel. "I am resigning because the bloody fight against organised crime makes it our duty to strengthen institutions, which means it is essential to eliminate any shadows of doubt regarding me," Garay told a press conference. "I will put myself at the disposal of the judicial authorities." [Guardian]The best evidence that heâs corrupt may be the fact that, unlike his predecessor, he wasnât shot to death. Thatâs how bad this has gotten. Q: How do you tell if a Mexican anti-drug official is corrupt?A: Heâs alive.Is that even an exaggeration? Iâm beginning to wonder. Which brings us back to the mindblowing fact that our government is investing huge sums of our money in the deeply corrupted Mexican drug war. We cannot possibly possess any vague assurance that we can trust anyone on the receiving end of these enormous drug war donations, but we do it anyway. During an economic crisis, weâre pouring hundreds of millions into Mexicoâs cauldron of drug war corruption and you can bet weâll get nothing in return. Nothing, that is, except an endless supply of cocaine on our streets.
If Youâre in California, Support Treatment-Not-Incarceration for Drug Offenses
This is a final reminder for folks in California. Vote Yes on Prop. 5 tomorrow to provide treatment instead of incarceration for drug offenders.
If Youâre in Michigan, Support Medical Marijuana
This is a final reminder for folks in Michigan. Vote Yes on Prop. 1 tomorrow to protect medical marijuana patients from arrest.
If Youâre in Massachusetts, Support Marijuana Decriminalization
This is a final reminder for folks in Massachusetts. Vote Yes on Question 2 tomorrow to reduce penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana.
An Introduction and some ideas
Hello. I'm a Florida web developer and long-time user of caffeine.
Flex Your Rights Protests Random Searches in D.C.
{Cross-posted from Flex Your Rights}On Wednesday, Flex Your Rights brought together numerous allies, volunteers and friends to protest random searches on public transportation in the Nationâs Capital. The effort was aimed at voicing opposition to the new search policy, while educating the public about the 4th Amendment right to refuse police searches.The event generated considerable media attention, including the Washington Post, the Washington CityPaper, and local ABC and NBC affiliates:Thanks so much to our friends at the Electronic Privacy Information Center, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, StoptheDrugWar.org, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, and all the volunteers who came out and made this effort a success. The constant emergence of new threats to our civil liberties is a difficult thing for any freedom-loving citizen to behold, but this unfortunate event also provided a unique opportunity to educate the public about 4th Amendment rights, and thatâs exactly what we did.
Telemarketers Refuse to Make "Soft on Crime" Attacks Against Obama
Further evidence that "soft on crime" attacks are becoming politically toxic:Some three dozen workers at a telemarketing call center in Indiana walked off the job rather than read an incendiary McCain campaign script attacking Barack Obama, according to two workers at the center and one of their parents.Nina Williams, a stay-at-home mom in Lake County, Indiana, tells us that her daughter recently called her from her job at the center, upset that she had been asked to read a script attacking Obama for being "dangerously weak on crime," "coddling criminals," and for voting against "protecting children from danger."...The daughter, who wanted her name withheld fearing retribution from her employer, confirmed the story to us. "It was like at least 40 people," the daughter said. "People thought the script was nasty and they didn't wanna read it." [Talking Points Memo]TPM reports that the call script was drawn from this robocall used in other states:Hello, I'm calling for John McCain and the RNC, because Democrats are dangerously weak on crime. Barack Obama has voted against tougher penalties for street gangs, drug-related crimes, and protecting children from danger. Barack Obama and his liberal allies have a disturbing history of coddling criminals. so we can't trust their judgment to keep our families safe. This call was paid for by the Republican National Committee and McCain-Palin 2008 at 866 558-5591. Thank you, byeOf all the ferocious bile that gets strewn about in a presidential election, it strikes me as quite remarkable that it was a crime-themed attack which finally broke the will of these callers. Telemarketing is a notoriously unscrupulous profession (no offense) and one would assume that nothing short of a visceral discomfort with the content would produce this kind of open revolt. When telemarketers sacrifice pay during an economic crisis rather than read an angry "soft on crime" attack script, it really speaks volumes about the rapid descent of crime-themed political posturing. No one wants to here that crap anymore. The limitations of our criminal justice system have become horribly evident and it's growing more difficult to sell the idea that politicians who advocate reform are somehow detached from the realities of the crime issue. Accusing one's opponent of protecting criminals and endangering children just won't fly. Our politics are changing in subtle, yet significant ways. Some of the greatest obstacles on the path to reform may soon be behind us.(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.)
The Drug Czar Canât Stop Panicking About Medical Marijuana
Here we go again:Pete Guither couldnât make it all the way through. Iâm not even going to try. Weâve heard all of this before. We heard the same thing in Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. Yet no one is demanding the repeal of those laws. Medical marijuana works and so do the laws that protect patients from arrest.If youâre in Michigan, vote Yes on Prop. 1. Pass it on.
Anti stigma group pt.2
The Vancouver anti stigma group held it's second meeting and they seem to have found a way to get some funding from somewhere as there are plans to create ads promoting better understanding between th
The Perfect Argument for Medical Marijuana in Michigan
Wow. The drug czar likes to complain about the deep pockets of the "pot lobby," and he's lucky it's a lie. If we could afford to put this video on the airwaves across America, the federal war against medical marijuana would be over in the blink of an eye. This is the truth about why we do what we do. These are the people who pay the price for our brutal drug laws and their stories are in our hearts each day as we fight for change. If you live in Michigan, please vote YES on Prop. 1. Tell your friends. Tell your mom. With your support, we can win another important victory for seriously ill patients.
Corruption at the Top Levels of the Mexican Drug War
This is the kind of crap weâre subsidizing with our massive financial support of Mexicoâs war on drugs:MEXICO CITY (AP) - A major drug cartel has infiltrated the Mexican attorney general's office, and one cartel worker says he even spied on DEA operations from inside U.S. Embassy, Mexican prosecutors said Monday. â¦The revelations of corruption inside the control centers of the U.S.-Mexican anti-drug effort were a major blow to President Felipe Calderon's anti-drug campaign, in which he has sent tens of thousands of troops and federal police across Mexico to combat violent cartels. â¦Assistant Attorney General Marisela Morales said two top employees of her organized-crime unit and at least three federal police agents assigned to it may have been passing information on surveillance targets and potential raids for at least four years. [Guardian] If the Mexican drug war were a Fortune 500 company, would you invest in it? Seriously, can anyone prevent our drug war donations from ending up in the hands of the cartels? This is an extraordinary mess, a complete mockery of everything weâre trying to accomplish and we have no clue how deep it goes.There isnât a single thing happening in Mexico right now that could be construed as progress in the war on drugs. To the contrary, every day that goes by brings new evidence of the fundamental failure of our strategy on every conceivable level.
Rumors of NYPD Sexually Assaulting a Marijuana Suspect
The New York Post has a horrible story alleging that NYPD officers sodomized a marijuana suspect with a walkie talkie. Sounds pretty bad, but I should note that former cop and current LEAP member Peter Moskos has doubts about the accuracy of the reports. Even if that story turns out to be false, this one is very true.
Random Searches in Our Nationâs Capital
Iâve got a post at Flex Your Rights about a new random search program that will supposedly protect Washington, DCâs public transit system from terrorism. Of course, anyone found with contraband will be arrested, and you can bet theyâll be finding a lot more bongs than bombs. As many of you know, I donât buy into that defeatist "4th Amendment is dead" hyperbole, because that mentality leads people to surrender and start waiving their rights. The greatest threat to the 4th Amendment is the widespread misconception that itâs no longer worth understanding and asserting our rights. People who know their rights get better outcomes during police encounters and that remains true despite anything and everything the wars on drugs and terror have done to undermine our basic freedoms. So we put together The Citizenâs Guide to Refusing DC Metro Searches. If you live in the DC area, or plan on visiting sometime, youâll want to check this out.
$5 Million to Catch One Drug Trafficker?
If anything resembling success ever happens in the drug war, this would be it: TIJUANA, Mexico (Reuters) â Mexican security forces have arrested the drug cartel leader Eduardo Arellano Félix, one of the international traffickers most sought by the United States, after a shootout in this border city, the government said Sunday.â¦The police arrested Mr. Arellano Félix on Saturday after they chased his car to a three-story home in an upscale neighborhood, according to federal police officials in Tijuana. A three-hour gun battle with more than 100 police officers and soldiers ensued, leaving the home riddled with bullet holes.The United States indicted Mr. Arellano Félix in 2003 on drug-smuggling and money-laundering charges and had offered a reward of up to $5 million for his capture. [NYT]In the midst of an unprecedented economic crisis, we'll still shell out $5 million for a trivial symbolic victory in the war on drugs. Everything returns to normal tomorrow. The drugs keep flowing, the bullets keep flying, and our generous reward money will help pay for it. Who do you think it was that gave up Eduardo Arellano Félix? Who has that kind of information? You can bet we'll never find out, but I'd give 10 -1 odds it's one of his own people, who now gets a promotion plus a hefty reward, all while making sure the cocaine train never falls a minute behind schedule.Even in its finest hour, the drug war is nothing but a predictably mindless ritual.
Will Mexico's Drug War Violence Come to the U.S.?
A troubling alert from the FBI:The FBI is warning that one of Mexico´s most brutal drug cartels is attempting to violently regain control of drug trafficking routes in the United States and has been ordered to engage law enforcement officers to protect their operations, according to an intelligence report obtained by The Washington Times.Los Zetas, the enforcer of Mexico´s infamous Gulf Cartel, is reinforcing its ranks and stockpiling weapons in safe houses in the U.S. in response to recent crackdowns in the U.S. and Mexico against drug traffickers, said the FBI San Antonio Field Office's Joint Assessment Bulletin. The bulletin was dated Oct. 17 and was sent to law enforcement officials in the Texas region. [Washington Times]As difficult as it is to imagine Mexico-level drug trade violence within our borders, itâs a much more likely outcome than, say, winning the drug war. The harder we push, the more bloodshed and disorder awaits us. And just as intolerable levels of violence have invigorated the drug war debate in Mexico, there is no doubt that increased casualties here at home would draw yet more attention to the role of prohibition in funding and sustaining violent organized crime. Letâs hope it doesnât come to that.
"Economically, our criminal justice policies are cutting our throat"
CJPF President Eric Sterling has a simply fantastic article at Huffington Post illustrating the virtually infinite economic harm caused by drug prohibition and over-incarceration.I highly recommend reading this, particularly because I often find reformers getting confused about the economics of prohibition. Itâs easy to look at the prison guard unions, the small towns with big SWAT teams, the forfeiture-funded drug task forces, etc. and find oneself arguing that the drug war is all about making money. Itâs true that drug war profiteering may help explain why certain interests will always shamelessly defend their piece of the prohibition pie. Yet, as Eric helpfully explains, the criminal justice system is hemorrhaging resources on every imaginable level, not only through the cost of maintaining our massive prison population, but also in terms of the lost economic participation of millions of inmates and felons. Â To whatever extent certain individuals and institutions may profit from the war on drugs, they do so at the expense of the economic health of the nation. Educating ourselves and the public about this concept is vital to framing the drug war debate in terms all Americans can relate to.
Red Ribbon Week in Kindergarten
Next week is red ribbon week, the beginning of DARE for my kindergarten son.
Smoking Pot Wonât Make You Stupid, But Stupid People Do Smoke Pot
Despite major ballot initiatives pending in Massachusetts and Michigan, these are the two most-reported marijuana stories of the month:1. Some guy who tried to trade pot for a meal at McDonalds.2. Miss Teen Louisiana losing her crown after ditching the bill at a restaurant and leaving behind her purse, which contained her ID and some marijuana.No matter what happens, the media will always be primarily interested in the most trivial, embarrassing marijuana-related news that can possibly be drudged up. Nothing we say or do is ever going to change that. And for what itâs worth, I must admit that stories like this are just priceless and deserve every click.But as long as this kind of inconsequential fluff continues to dominate marijuana-related press coverage, the worst stereotypes will endure and the effort to stimulate serious discussion of our marijuana laws will remain a steep uphill battle.