Grand Old Party Call to Arms

Republicans on the Warpath AGAIN!

April 30th, the House Republicans kicked off yet another campaign to rid the United States of illegal drugs by the year 2002. Surrounded by about 100 children, all adorned in blue ribbons we heard yet again another round of partisan hysteria.

The good news is this: The November Coalition was there! Regional leader William Perry was present, well armed with our green tabloid of prisoner stories. When our literature was moved to an obscure table, Bill was there to see it returned to a prominent position.

"We must commit ourselves to total victory," House Speaker Newt Gingrich said.

"There are no winners from a protracted political battle on these issues, there are only losers; the kids who are failed by congressional inaction."

Gingrich said that drug use, which fell during the Reagan and Bush administrations, "has gone back up in every single category" since the Clinton Presidency.

When Clinton addressed the United Nations on June 8th, he said the opposite. Who should we believe? Republicans, Democrats or none of the above?

Barry McCaffrey, our Drug Czar said in an interview following the rally (that he did not attend), that he was "surprised and pleased at the bipartisan tone and the positive energy." Go figure . . .

Gingrich said he would ask House appropriators, the lawmakers who decide how federal money will be spent, to make financing for drug programs "the highest single priority. We will cut any other program we have to cut to keep the focus on the war on drugs."

How are your neighborhood schools holding up, America?

"Today is our call to arms,'' said Rep. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., the head of the task force.

Rep. Bill McCollum, R-Fla., who as head of the Judiciary Crime Subcommittee is in charge of interdiction programs, said he hoped to slash supplies of illegal drugs by 80 percent in the next three years.

Never mind that treatment is seven times more effective than any interdiction programs.

More of the same failed proposals continued to be "unveiled":

Building more fences and doubling border guards along the Mexican border.

Providing U.S. assistance for foreign drug-eradication programs, and linking aid to drug-fighting efforts.

Life imprisonment for trafficking in speed or methamphetamine.

A blue ribbon campaign week in September to raise national awareness of the drug problem.

Encouraging lawmakers to help establish community-based anti-drug coalitions.

Doubling to $20 million the annual budget for the drug-free community act to help local groups reduce teenage substance abuse.

Grants to implement drug-free workplace programs.

Restricting federal loans for students convicted of drug possession or trafficking.