Xref: utzoo talk.politics.misc:41330 alt.drugs:2116
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!apple.com!casseres
From: casseres@apple.com (David Casseres)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc,alt.drugs
Subject: Re: What, me worry?
Message-ID: <6221@internal.Apple.COM>
Date: 17 Jan 90 18:43:29 GMT
Sender: usenet@Apple.COM
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc.
Lines: 43
References:<21220@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu> <6185@internal.Apple.COM> <2135@bute.tcom.stc.co.uk>

In article <2135@bute.tcom.stc.co.uk> rocky@tcom.stc.co.uk (Dave Kennard) 
writes:
> In article <6185@internal.Apple.COM> casseres@apple.com (David Casseres) 
writes:
> :...[the war on drugs] is nothing more 
> :than a vast public-relations charade... Far from trying to "win" the 
> :war, Bush'n'Bennett will endeavor to drag it out for as long as 
> :possible.  They are a perfect example of the famous symbiosis 
> :between the Vice Squad on  the one hand and the drug dealers, pimps, 
> :and numbers operators on the other.  Neither side can prosper 
> :without the other.

> Is this really true?  What benefit does Bush and Bennett get from the
> 'public-relations' excercise?

Well, Bush gets to look like he's actually _doing_ something (besides 
invading Panama, another PR scam).  As for Bennett, now that he's made a 
total failure of himself as an educator, the "war on drugs" is his entire 
career.

> Surely, given the budget deficit and
> the 'No More Taxes' declarations of Bush's election campaign, it does
> not seem reasonable that Bush would wish to 'waste' public money?

No it doesn't, does it?  But I don't think Bush cares a rat's ass about 
the deficit, and his "no more taxes" declarations were campaign rhetoric.  
Conservative Republicans LOVE to blow the taxpayers' money, as long as it 
winds up in the hands of their own constituents or allies.  Then there's
the atmosphere of emergency created by a "war."  This is indispensible
to a politician whose agenda includes a reduction of the Constitutional
rights of individuals.

> Does your last sentence mean that Bush & co. are waging this 'war'
> to support the drug dealers etc..?

I doubt that they have sat down and said to each other "Let's support the 
drug dealers (other than Manual Noriega)."  But I don't think it bothers 
them at all that the drug dealers are getting richer than ever as a result 
of the "war," and I think if the drug dealers started going out of 
business it would make them very nervous.

David Casseres
     Exclaimer:  Hey!