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| Privacy, Liberty Emerge in Drug Czar Nomination |
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Posted by FoM on September 10, 2001 at 15:27:34 PT By Jim Burns, CNSNews.com Senior Staff Writer Source: CNSNews.com 
A coalition of conservative and libertarian groups has put John Walters, nominated to be the nation's new drug czar, on notice: the war on drugs has degraded people's privacy and civil liberties. The Coalition for Constitutional Liberties sent a letter Monday to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and the committee's ranking Republican Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and urged them to raise privacy and civil liberties issues during their confirmation hearings on Walters. "We intend by issuing this letter to signal neither support nor opposition to Mr. Walters' nomination. Rather, we are issuing this letter to urge members of the Committee to explore these issues in connection with Mr. Walters' nomination," according to the letter. The Senate Judiciary Committee will begin hearings on Walters' nomination on Tuesday. The letter was made public during a Washington news conference. Among the groups signing it were: Free Congress, Americans For Tax Reform, the American Civil Liberties Union, American Conservative Union, Libertarian Party and several state chapters of the Eagle Forum. Steve Dasbach, Libertarian Party national director, said "the war on drugs poses the greatest privacy threat to those of us who don't do drugs. So here's the question that we should all be asking John Walters - Mr. Walters, why should my constitutional rights take a back seat to the government's effort to stop other people from doing drugs?" Neither Leahy nor Hatch had any immediate comment on the letter. While believing that the war on drugs has been lost, several of those at the press conference believe authorities should combat the scourge of drugs in a different manner. Eric Sterling, president of the Criminal Justice Policy Foundation, believes that drug abuse needs to be looked at as a public health issue more than a criminal justice issue. "We have gun buyback programs where you can bring in your crime guns with no questions asked. We at least ought to be able to bring sick and overdosing people to hospitals with no questions asked and we can do it without changing the (present) drug laws," said Sterling. However, Tom DeWeese, president of the American Policy Center believes the war on drugs has changed the federal government for the worse and that Congress should do something about it. DeWeese also accused the federal government of pushing Ritalin as a means of treating children with certain behavioral problems. "Ritalin has the exact same effect as cocaine. It is helping children get into a drug atmosphere and a drug culture," said DeWeese. "The education bill that is up on the Hill right now needs to address this and stop pushing psychiatrists, psychologists and Ritalin on children." President Bush nominated Walters as the nation's drug czar last May and said in announcing Walters' nomination that the federal government will be waging an all-out effort to reduce illegal drug use in America. Bush also came out swinging against drug legalization. "Acceptance of drug use is simply not an option for this administration. We emphatically disagree with those who favor drug legalization," Bush said. Newshawk: Nicholas Thimmesch II Related Articles & Web Sites: CCLDP The Libertarian Party Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice LP Joins Coalition To Raise Questions Bush Nominee Faces Questions Coalition Criticizes Drug Czar Nominee Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #4 posted by Patrick on September 10, 2001 at 21:29:01 PT |
| Bush also came out swinging against drug legalization. "Acceptance of drug use is simply not an option for this administration. We emphatically disagree with those who favor drug legalization," Bush said. Is Bush is pulling a Clinton here… Little puffy cloud above poor George's head says, "Drugs, as I understand drugs? You mean like the way Bill understood sexual relations and the word "is" kind of drugs? Aww shucks, everyone knows that I meant illegal drugs! Illegal drugs, is what I meant to say. Yes we'll refund the Maalox that you flushed because you thought I declared you criminal. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by theropinfool on September 10, 2001 at 21:08:40 PT |
| The political rabble in and around the beltway have behavin' in a most peculiar way as of late. OL' Rabblerouser must'a gotten to 'em a little bit. I think they're ridin' with a burr under their saddle. Same with financial rabble walkin' tall through the hallowed halls inside'a Wall Street. Those bulls sure got a lot of those peccadillos stickin' right outta em'. It's doggone shame that they got so dern high and mighty. Will Rogers, an old friend of mine, once told me, "A stranger is a friend I haven't met." He was a real good friend of Rabblerouser's. Rabblerouser's job got finished, and he has moved on down the trail. The Ropinfool has kindly decided to fill in fer a while... hopin' fer the best! Any dern fool knows it's.....theropinfool [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by Silent_Observer on September 10, 2001 at 18:52:37 PT |
| of the Libertarians standing upto the powers that be. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by John Markes part 2 on September 10, 2001 at 15:57:12 PT |
| DeWeese also accused the federal government of pushing Ritalin as a means of treating children with certain behavioral problems. "Ritalin has the exact same effect as cocaine. It is helping children get into a drug atmosphere and a drug culture," said DeWeese. "The education bill that is up on the Hill right now needs to address this and stop pushing psychiatrists, psychologists and Ritalin on children." Oh really, Mr. President? Looks like you want them all addicteds to something by me. Maybe it's only "good" if your cronies in the various legal businesses get to make the money... [ Post Comment ] |
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