Wow: It’s time to legalize drugs, says … Tom Tancredo?
posted at 9:55 pm on May 21, 2009 by Allahpundit
Via the Cato Institute, a shocker that shouldn’t feel as shocking as it does. Because Tanc’s top priority has always been the border, it stands to reason he’d be willing to take bold measures to strengthen it. De-fanging Mexico’s narco-cartels by yanking their black market out from under them would go a long way towards making it safer, albeit not necessarily more secure. Even so, this is Sir Tancelot we’re talking about — staunch supporter of the war on terror, stalwart social con, and of course crusading anti-amnesty advocate. Watching him embrace one of the left’s pet social issues isn’t unlike watching Obama come out in favor of waterboarding in extraordinary circumstances. Which, like Tanc’s position here, would also be the correct one.
Below the news clip you’ll find an informative new promo for the Showtime series “Weeds.” At least, I think it’s informative. I’m too worn out to fact-check it. Click the image to watch.
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After Tom gets his youngest child out of rehab, maybe I’ll listen to him then. But, for now, I’m all for taking drug dealers out behind the wall and shooting them.
unclesmrgol on May 21, 2009 at 9:57 PM
obviously.
Its absolutely insane its taken this long for people to realize that. CATO’s got some numbers on the portugese experiment with decriminalization and while some of the more fanciful “benefits” dont really emerge in the data, the proposed costs never materialize.
ernesto on May 21, 2009 at 9:57 PM
Legalizing pot is fine with me, as long as they do it the right way and not by this bait and switch with the “medical marijuana” BS.
progressoverpeace on May 21, 2009 at 9:58 PM
Which drugs ? Do we legalize Heroine or Cocaine ?
Those are the real cash crops of the drug cartels not Marajuana which is worthless to make legal for financial reasons.
William Amos on May 21, 2009 at 9:58 PM
Being that demented, do you find yourself making suggestions on these sorts of matters often? And if so, do any poor souls believe a word you say?
ernesto on May 21, 2009 at 9:58 PM
tom, we hardly knew ye!
but so nice to hear some sanity on this issue from a conservative (no, arnold doesn’t count).
great video, too!
homesickamerican on May 21, 2009 at 10:00 PM
Yes. Next question, twit-brain?
unclesmrgol on May 21, 2009 at 10:00 PM
The answer is YES!
trailboss on May 21, 2009 at 10:01 PM
Tom has hit Paulnut phase.
I am glad I have never liked Tom. I knew that guy was going to go far beyond the “call”.
upinak on May 21, 2009 at 10:02 PM
Spoken like a true supporter of hopium.
William Amos on May 21, 2009 at 10:02 PM
Do you really wanna murder all drug dealers? and how do you reconcile that with basic decency?
ernesto on May 21, 2009 at 10:04 PM
Bravo, Tom Tancredo!! Bravo!!
JohnGalt23 on May 21, 2009 at 10:04 PM
you do know that WILLIAM F. BUCKLEY..the GODFATHER of conservatism, came out for drug legalization long ago..late 80s…early 90s….I forget exactly when…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 10:04 PM
Scratch him off any list of rational people. Legalize drugs? Just Fu*king Stupid.
R D on May 21, 2009 at 10:04 PM
i have said it before and i will say it again: there is absolutely NO defensible argument for marijuana being illegal while alcohol and tobacco are not. marijuana is FAR less destructive and addictive than either of them.
cocaine, heroine, etc. are of course a different story…
homesickamerican on May 21, 2009 at 10:05 PM
No, because George Washington didn’t grow those drugs, duh. Good argument, huh?
Weight of Glory on May 21, 2009 at 10:05 PM
Wonder what he was on when he did that….
unclesmrgol on May 21, 2009 at 10:06 PM
of course the problem with legalizing drugs is that we have to pay for all their medical bills…but there is something to be said for taking money away from the cartels…but getting rid of prohibition didn’t end la cosa nosra….
its a mixed bag…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 10:06 PM
do not care.
If you have family whom are on drugs.. it keeps you away from it for ever and a total distast for anything concerning drugs.
I don’t even like OTC drugs.
upinak on May 21, 2009 at 10:06 PM
He’s right. It’s past time for a re-examination of drug laws.
Bugler on May 21, 2009 at 10:06 PM
A reminder………..
………. the majority of employers conduct drug tests for new hires. Liability, health care, productivity, and insurance issues to name a few.
What’s the unemployment rate these days………?
Seven Percent Solution on May 21, 2009 at 10:06 PM
drunk, sober, or drugged up, he was smarter than anyone around today…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 10:07 PM
Incredibly awesome and very brave.
Or it would be if he had the balls to say it while he was in office.
radiofreevillage on May 21, 2009 at 10:07 PM
Eye for an eye. Have you ever lost a friend or family member to drugs or drug violence? There is no decency in drugs.
R D on May 21, 2009 at 10:07 PM
Schizophrenia
unclesmrgol on May 21, 2009 at 10:07 PM
it did wonders for BARRY BONDS!!
if AHNULD got back on the juice, maybe he’d have some guts…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 10:07 PM
The #1 reason millions of people don’t use illegal drugs:
They’re illegal.
jgapinoy on May 21, 2009 at 10:07 PM
Dear Tanc,
No.
Sincerely,
A campaign contributor(for now)
Limerick on May 21, 2009 at 10:08 PM
no there is not, I agree.
upinak on May 21, 2009 at 10:09 PM
the people that are going to be drug addicts are going to be drug addicts, or alcoholics etc..
drug laws don’t work…prohibition didn’t work..
there are no good answers…just which is the least bad??
I sure don’t want to have to pay for their medical treatment…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 10:09 PM
Do you not realize the irony of that statement? If you legalize drugs, you don’t have drug dealers because you take away the profit motive. The illegality is what brings the scum out onto the streets. Don’t give them a profit motive, and they will stay inside on the couch in front of the TV.
If coffee was illegal, these dealers would be selling people java. The only reason why we don’t have dealers pushing coffee on us is because there is no profit in it seeing as you can get the coffee at starbucks. What will these criminal types be doing without the drug trade? Numbers, prostitution, whatever makes money because it’s illegal.
keep the change on May 21, 2009 at 10:09 PM
Buckley died of drugs — in particular those in cigar smoke.
I don’t think you mean what you think you mean.
unclesmrgol on May 21, 2009 at 10:10 PM
:)
upinak on May 21, 2009 at 10:10 PM
To marijuana? No. Neither have you.
radiofreevillage on May 21, 2009 at 10:10 PM
would there be as much violence if drugs were legal?? probably not.
legalization may be the only way to reduce the violence…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 10:10 PM
Sounds like ol Tom is getting a libertarian streak.
conservnut on May 21, 2009 at 10:11 PM
here’s a good quote from that link that backs up my point above:
It is also notable that some research suggests that alcohol abuse is a stronger predictor of psychotic symptoms than regular cannabis use (by a factor of four).
homesickamerican on May 21, 2009 at 10:11 PM
YES!
Ok, so aside from the kneejerk reaction, why exactly do we outlaw these drugs? Does it keep our kids off them? Hardly. Does it make people significantly less likely to use them? Hardly.
While Portugal and the Netherlands have legalized certain narcotics, and weed, have the useage rates risen? No, they have not. Has the useage rate in the US been exemplary because we outlaw it? Not. We have the largest prison population ON EARTH, largely due to drug law enforcement.
We spend tens of billions year in and year out to stop the illicit drug trade, yet the cartels fight bloody wars over who gets to sell in the US.
Has outlawing these drugs made any sense whatsoever? I’m open to real arguments, but I doubt they exist.
trailboss on May 21, 2009 at 10:11 PM
You actually talking black market. Not drug dealers. Black markets is a TAD larger!
upinak on May 21, 2009 at 10:11 PM
you do know he died at 82??? thats a good long life…
I don’t even know what you’re talking about…you take cheap shots at a great man.
and you sure can’t fill his shoes…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 10:12 PM
At this point, marijuana couldn’t make the average American any more stupid, slothful, or gluttonous than the average pot-head. It would be like hitting a corpse with a baseball bat.
TMK on May 21, 2009 at 10:12 PM
Just what we need, a nation of drug addicts. It’s bad enough when it’s illegal, and you morons want to make it legal so more people will try and get hooked. Just because you legalize it, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t ruin lives.
R D on May 21, 2009 at 10:13 PM
right it depends on the person.
You don’t wanna piss off someone who is on meth, heroine or cocaine. As they have super human druggie strength.
Pot makes many people pariniod yet sometimes people can go crazy and have been known to kill as not all people deal well with the THC.
You can’t use that excuse … it doesn’t work.
upinak on May 21, 2009 at 10:13 PM
That Milton Friedman sure is crazy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLsCC0LZxkY
toliver on May 21, 2009 at 10:14 PM
Our Founding Fathers had marijuana, as did colonists? Then that means we must bring it back! And we can bring back slavery at the same time, because they had that too.
amerpundit on May 21, 2009 at 10:15 PM
Stupid couple of questions…
1. Legalizing drugs will prevent how many people from using drugs?
2. Will legalizing drugs make us a more productive?
Limerick on May 21, 2009 at 10:15 PM
I’m talking about the drug violence of the gangs, like the gulf cartel…
as far as ‘superhuman’ strength…I’d put steroid strength against theirs any day of the week…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 10:15 PM
it would defund gangs like the hell’s angels, the mongols, La Eme, the Texas Syndicate…stone cold killers…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 10:16 PM
you can’t get addicted to marijuana. it’s not an addictive substance.
alcohol is. nicotine is. they are both legal.
where is the logic here?
homesickamerican on May 21, 2009 at 10:16 PM
Our founding fathers had ditchweed and rope-hemp, not Pineapple Express. In order to be fair, we’d hafta create super-deluxe slavery.
TMK on May 21, 2009 at 10:18 PM
Roid Rage and Meth junkies are two different things.
Roid Rage is always there due to testosterone. Meth is like cociane but a longer high and will pump the heart fast with more adreniline then roids.
I bet Meth and Coke before I ever bet on roids.
upinak on May 21, 2009 at 10:18 PM
The violence among dealers is only a small part. It’s the wasted family life, the constant fights because drugs alter the mind. What about holding a job? What about the medical expenses the taxpayers still have to pay. The domestic problems don’t go away just because it’s legal.
R D on May 21, 2009 at 10:19 PM
Flase you can become addicted to Pot.
upinak on May 21, 2009 at 10:19 PM
Pshhhhaw! Logic? We don’t need no stinkin’ logic. We are Americans and automatically know the right answer to everything!
trailboss on May 21, 2009 at 10:19 PM
I have a brother who is going to be 50 in two years……..
…….. he smokes pot everyday, sleeps in until noon, lives in a spare room of my Mom’s house, and hasn’t had a steady job in thirty years.
He was recently disinherited for his behaviour after many attempts by our family to try to get him to clean up his act……..
…….. My Mother is getting up their in years, and her heart is broken.
When she passes, I am in charge of her estate, and I am kicking him the fu#k out………
……… I would call that lost.
Seven Percent Solution on May 21, 2009 at 10:19 PM
I used to believe that also (at least that cocaine was the cartels cash cow).
But that is, according to CNN no longer the case. They claim (and I believe it is backed up by ONDCP) that cannabis brings in over half of the cartels’ revenue.
That being said, a lot of the real societal costs associated with prohibition can be traced to heroin and cocaine. There is very little theft committed to support a marijuana habit. There is a fair amount to support cocaine habits, and an incredible amount to cover heroin addictions. Some of the largest benefits, outside of curbing cartel revenues, can only come about with legalization of heroin and cocaine.
P.S. I tried posting this with a link to the CNN story, but I couldn’t. Are links to CNN forbidden around here… i’ve run ito problems with this before.
JohnGalt23 on May 21, 2009 at 10:19 PM
Really? Says who?
R D on May 21, 2009 at 10:19 PM
Yeah, people often kill after smoking a joint. What effing planet are you from?
We have the “progressives” and “conservatives” both lining up to control the population with the heavy hand of authoritarian government. As long as users mind their business, they should be left alone.
toliver on May 21, 2009 at 10:20 PM
most meth heads and coke heads aren’t in good shape to begin with..you think they could take on someone like Marius Pujanowski??
no way…
you have no idea how strong steroids can make you…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 10:20 PM
This is outrageous! Next thing these maniacs will want to do will be to legalize even more dangerous substances like alchohol and cigarettes!..oh wait…
Wine_N_Dine on May 21, 2009 at 10:20 PM
:}
trailboss on May 21, 2009 at 10:21 PM
Its PCP that turns people superhuman. i saw someone on PCP at a concert once. they pushed through the crowd not feeling a thing, so when they’d elbow some woman in front of them they’d really hurt them. people got mad and started punching him and sh*t but he just kept walking through the crowd like it was nothing. ill never forget hitting him square in the back of the head as hard as i could and the guy just kept walking like nothing happened…THAT is crazy sh*t to be sure.
ernesto on May 21, 2009 at 10:21 PM
While I am not terribly excited about the prospect of legalizing hard drugs, one fact has always remained clear to me. In a free society, prohibitions do not work and never have. They only give rise to the criminal elements and remove any control over the activity.
conservnut on May 21, 2009 at 10:21 PM
Ah yes. Scratch Tom Tancredo.
While we’re at it, let’s scratch William F. Buckley.
Also let’s scratch Milton Friedman.
While we’re at it, let’s scratch George Schultz.
Yes, let us indeed follow the advice of R D, Joe Biden and the rest of the galactically stupid.
JohnGalt23 on May 21, 2009 at 10:22 PM
ok they’re wasting their lives now…how is legalization going to change that? there are always a certain amount of people that are going to be drug addicts, alcoholics….
of course the other answer is Singapore…kill em..all of em. drug users, addicts, dealers, ever last one of em.
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 10:22 PM
Defund?
Yeah. Like the EPA, Ag department, transportation taxes, payroll, paid vacations, worksman comp, and legal teams will allow some Dupont or Monsanto to compete with Pablo Smith and his farm slaves. Don’t throw the look at alcohol bullpie into it. Alcohol is heavy and requires special equipment. The bootleggers are at a disadvantage. For pot you need seeds, water, sun, and mules. No regulations, taxes, whiney union workers, or product liability suits.
Pablo Smith will just get richer. The nation will just get poorer.
Dope. Says it all.
Limerick on May 21, 2009 at 10:22 PM
You also know that “WILLIAM F. BUCKLEY..the GODFATHER of conservatism” said that we failed in our objective in Iraq, said the war itself had failed, and opposed the surge until it was shown to work? You also know that he said that he weeps over the very existence of tobacco and would ban it if he had the power?
amerpundit on May 21, 2009 at 10:22 PM
After legalization of tobacco, we have tobacco shops, and after legalization of alcohol, we have liquor stores (or, in my hometown of Campbell, because liquor stores are not allowed, “bottle shops”). Name any commodity sold in the open market (as tobacco, alcohol, or even MJ or crack), and (multiple choice question) each one of those commodities is sold by a (a) policeman, (b) fireman, (c) priest, (d) minister, (e) rabbi, or (f) dealer?
I posit that drugs create scum, regardless of whether their dealers are legal or not. My son on drugs (MJ) was a total reprobate due to MJ-induced schizophrenia; we spent over $30K on intervention and now he is OK. I’d love to bill the dealers who got to him in the summer after middle school, but I can’t, but I can dream…
My son also drank and smoked cigarettes during this period — the laws preventing sales to minors didn’t prevent him from obtaining all the addictive materials he wanted.
Somebody up above commented something like “gee, why not drugs if liquor and alcohol is ok”. Multiple wrongs do not make a right.
I learned from you.
unclesmrgol on May 21, 2009 at 10:25 PM
So if we did everything Buckley said, we’d have never implemented the surge, admitted that the war was a failure, and banned smoking in the United States. Good argument.
amerpundit on May 21, 2009 at 10:26 PM
+10
unclesmrgol on May 21, 2009 at 10:26 PM
Actually I do. And I have been attacked by my brother whom did steriod and meth. What would I rather have him do .. nothing, but I would rather have himon roids as his “stregth” wasn’t as great. it builds muscles.. it doens’t give you a adreniline rush.
Ever heard of smoking a joint and driving. Hmmmm yeah and someone actually just got SHOT up here.. high, on … you guessed it POT! Give me a beak!
I don’t know ernesto. I think they are about the same. the anger is just explosive.
upinak on May 21, 2009 at 10:26 PM
If it’s so easy, even Pablo will be out of business within a week, or however long it takes to grow a plant in your backyard ‘garden.’
trailboss on May 21, 2009 at 10:26 PM
did anybody FORCE him to smoke???
the whole point of what I said, is that its not a ‘left-wing’ only kind-of thing…
he said what he said…get over it.
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 10:26 PM
Oh, the possibilities!!
Let’s see…
**He was “On Target”…
**He was “On the top of the masthead of the most influential conservative publication in the English language”…
**He was “on the frontier of conservative thought”…
The list is endless.
JohnGalt23 on May 21, 2009 at 10:27 PM
How would you know? Is there some data on this?
It sounds a lot like the argument the left makes about tobacco; in that case, smokers counter-intuitively save society money by dying earlier and opting-out of the more expensive care of old age.
DaveS on May 21, 2009 at 10:28 PM
Great idea! We can get the grad rate down from 51% to 15%. Think of all the money we can save on schools and teachers.
Limerick on May 21, 2009 at 10:28 PM
steroids which build muscle, and meth which destroys muscle….your brother is an idiot.
think what you want…do you think your brother could beat pujanowski???
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 10:28 PM
Well, if you legalize it, more people will try it, and we have more fuck*d up people to deal with. Simple math.
R D on May 21, 2009 at 10:28 PM
“Substance XYZ scewed up my life so no one should be allowed to have it even though millions use it responsibly” <-sounds like a liberal way of thinking.
Wine_N_Dine on May 21, 2009 at 10:28 PM
That’s because a no-talent political hack named Harry Anslinger, desperate for a job after his gig ended with the death of prohibition, gave LCN an opportunity an order of magnitude greater than alcohol prohibition, just to ensure himself a government pension.
JohnGalt23 on May 21, 2009 at 10:29 PM
How do you reconcile promoting mind-altering (and not good mind-altering) chemicals with basic decency?
unclesmrgol on May 21, 2009 at 10:29 PM
haven’t you heard about the ONE’s plans to care for all of us???
oh I forgot, we won’t pay….they’ll just print money…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 10:29 PM
Not only NO but HELL NO. People don’t become junkies and ruin their lives because drugs are illegal, they become junkies and ruin their lives because drugs are drugs.
The day we offer NO public assistance whatsoever to anyone whose life has been screwed up, that’s the day we should legalize drugs.
I should not have to have one tax cent go to supporting people in an irresponsible, strung-out lifestyle. I’m a huge fan of drug-testing anyone receiving public benefits, but an even bigger fan of dramatically curtailing public benefits overall. The hardworking should not have to make it possible for others who don’t work to live drugged-out at public expense.
To insist that there will be any other outcome is ridiculous.
J.E. Dyer on May 21, 2009 at 10:29 PM
Your asterisk is showing.
trailboss on May 21, 2009 at 10:29 PM
Tom is a good man. He has been on this border thing like a pit bull and he may very well be on to something. He has more passion for solving the border issue and stopping the drug crime than anyone else out there.
He’s right. We should at least be talking about it.
I get tired of those who bash Tom. He’s got more guts than anyone else in the political field!!!!!!!
You may not agree with him but he’s out there speaking out rather than playing it safe and riding the fence.
katy on May 21, 2009 at 10:30 PM
We already have, it’s called welfare. The super-deluxe part is we take care of the slaves and they don’t have to work.
thomasaur on May 21, 2009 at 10:30 PM
its not necessarily about the anger. its just that on PCP you feel no pain. you can lift a car if you get that mad. honestly heroin, cocaine, the rest, i can rationalize legalizing all of then. i get hung up on PCP. i mean the sh*t is just so outrageously dangerous.
ernesto on May 21, 2009 at 10:30 PM
The war on drugs has produced the same results as prohibition. Violence and rich criminals. Prohibition brought us the Kennedy’s. What will the war on drugs bring us?
Grunt on May 21, 2009 at 10:30 PM
I think there was a spike in alcohol consumption after prohibition, but it faded…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 10:31 PM
It’s a left-wing point that he happened to agree with in his later years. And this nanny-state idea of banning smoking isn’t some righty idea just because he agreed with that mark as well. It’s a lefty/liberal idea he happened to side with.
amerpundit on May 21, 2009 at 10:31 PM
a) decriminalizing and promoting are not synonymous.
b) i dont equate drugs with murder.
ernesto on May 21, 2009 at 10:32 PM
Mules? What century are you living in? Alcohol is significantly easier to make than marijuana is to grow. It’s quite a sophisticated operation these days (hydroponics, artificial lighting cycles, fertilizers, pesticides, etc etc). Nat Geo had a good documentary on this recently, even outside operations are a ton of work to keep up with.
jonknee on May 21, 2009 at 10:32 PM
Let me ask you… if heroin were made legal tomorrow, would you indulge in it?
JohnGalt23 on May 21, 2009 at 10:32 PM
One of the best threads on HA in a long, long time.
trailboss on May 21, 2009 at 10:32 PM
Drugs don’t kill. People taking, selling and buying them do!!
I’m surprised at some of you who make the gun argument that guns don’t kill, people do…
Well, what the hell is the difference?!!!
katy on May 21, 2009 at 10:32 PM
without him we probably wouldn’t have had classic movies like REEFER MADNESS!!!
you’re right…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 10:32 PM
no, you can’t. you can develop a habit, but you cannot become physically addicted.
says me and many many people that i have known over many years, for one.
but that probably won’t be good enough for you, so:
http://www.ehow.com/about_4577941_is-marijuana-addictive.html
“Misconceptions
Many people believe that marijuana is addictive but science has proven time and again that marijuana itself has no naturally addictive qualities such as cocaine, heroin, or widely used tobacco. Even so there is still evidence that shows marijuana use can become habit forming just as any activity that is practiced habitually. Users are not physically dependent on marijuana but can become addicted to the way it makes them feel and the fact that it is involved in many aspects of their lives.”
homesickamerican on May 21, 2009 at 10:33 PM
The war against the Soviet Union brought us OBL. I shudder to think what the war on terror will bring us.
amerpundit on May 21, 2009 at 10:33 PM
When you are body building there are some compititions that want how cut you are … it does not matter on the mass of muscle.
He would take the roids to build up then take the meth, or the uppers or whatever he could ge to tweak out and to slim down the body fat.
he was extremely cut but OMG the temper when he wasn’t on roid was worse then when he was on roids. As he would actually EAT when on roids.
Yes, I know he a rock… as he is not on heroine. But what do you do? Legalize drugs so they can go on a downward spiral and have it legal so they can steal from you?
No, I don’t think so.
upinak on May 21, 2009 at 10:33 PM
buckley, George Schultz, Milton Freidman…good company…not exactly flaming libs…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 10:33 PM
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