Comments on: DEA fails White House budget review

DEA fails White House budget review

botono9 — Wed, 12 Feb 2003 18:18:43 -0800

DEA fails White House budget review. (PDF) Busy raiding the homes of disabled medical marijuana users, the DEA has been, in the words of the White House Office of Management and Budget, "unable to demonstrate its progress in reducing the availability of illegal drugs in the U.S." [via MPP]

By: Zonker

Zonker — Wed, 12 Feb 2003 18:36:11 -0800

A surprisingly candid assessment. Doesn't look like it will change anything, unfortunately: "In response to these findings, the Administration will ensure that DEA collects appropriate performance information."

By: Dirjy

Dirjy — Wed, 12 Feb 2003 18:39:29 -0800

My prediction: this will be spun as proof that the department is terribly underfunded, and needs much more money in order to do an effective job.

By: lazaruslong

lazaruslong — Wed, 12 Feb 2003 19:07:04 -0800

What? The DEA hasn't been successful in winning the war on drugs???? When did this happen??!!??

By: mosch

mosch — Wed, 12 Feb 2003 20:00:07 -0800

The most interesting part of that report, in my opinion, is that nobody had previously attempted to measure the reduction in drug flow. They apparently were basing their success solely on how many people got put behind bars which is, in my opinion, the only metric I can imagine that would show them as a success.

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Wed, 12 Feb 2003 20:29:38 -0800

No, no. The correct metric is the profitability of private prisons. The "War on Drugs" exists to provide prison funding, vis-a-vis per-inmate payments to the companies that run American prisons. Were there no "War on Drugs", these private companies would fold.

By: LouReedsSon

LouReedsSon — Wed, 12 Feb 2003 21:36:24 -0800

Were there no War on Drugs, not only would the private companies fold, but think about the jobs that have been created on the public level: additional police, correction officers, rehab facilitators, the list goes on and on. In a country where more prisons have been built and staffed than places of education for the last twenty years, one must assume economic collapse in reversing current drug laws which are used to fill said prisons, etc. What would the government do with that level of unemployment. Face it, we're stuck with this monster we've created.

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Thu, 13 Feb 2003 08:11:53 -0800

Indeed. It is one's patriotic duty to smoke pot, get busted, and spend time in in big house -- it's what keeps the wheels of commerce turning in America! [cue soaring mom-and-apple-pie music]