Quote Originally Posted by eg420ne
LOL--- Ya i hate the war on drugs -Congress & co always tryin to take away our freedom- dem bastards should fry for these outrageous laws to protect our freedom(I can protect my own self, dont need no more laws protecting me), and congress right now tryin to keep the patriot act for goood--and they also made taxs cut for the wealthy-- I say congress is were it begin, take out all of congress(not killing them, not yet -lol), I would say vote, but it dont seem to work out like we want it 2- dem bastards--good post-- SJ
The war on drugs is like a double blade sword. It's not about supressing our freedoms as much as self interests. Theres two parts to it; the first is the booze lobbyists....heres a little example of "contributions" and look at some of the groups they contribute to....makes them look like the good guys.

http://www.beersoaksamerica.org/money.htm
The Power of Beer Money

The National Beer Wholesalers Association's (NBWA) political action committee, using the name "Six-PAC," is one of the top 20 PAC contributors to members of Congress, donating some $2,065,250 to Senate and House candidates in 2002.

Anheuser-Busch, Inc. contributed more than $300,000 to Missouri legislative candidates in 2003-2004.

Coors Brewing Company donated $52,000 to political candidates in Colorado in 2002.

In the 2000 presidential election, George W. Bush received more than $421,000 from the beer, wine, and liquor industry.1

A 1997 report from New Mexico reviews alcohol lobbyists' contributions to state policymakers and the high rate of alcohol-related problems in the state.2 An AP article revealed how Miller Brewing Company gave $11,000 to the Beer Institute and an organization called New Mexicans for Fair Taxation to buy television ads opposing a proposal to increase alcohol taxes in the state.3

Research reports have documented an association between industry's contributions to policymakers and legislative results supported by the industry.4

Three out of four Americans are concerned that the beer industry gives money to legislators. Moreover, most Americans (69%) believe that it is inappropriate for politicians who accept money from the beer industry to vote on a bill to reduce the beer tax.5

The beer industry also buys influence, innocence by association, and friends by making "charitable" donations to organizations. Some gifts are even tinged with irony, such as NBWA's partnership with Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) to deflect the focus from beer's contribution to sexual assaults to personal responsibility issues. Sexual assaults, as well as most rapes of college women, occur when either the perpetrator and/or the victim are under the influence of alcohol.6

Brewers cover their bases in the community by contributing to such groups as:

100 Black Men of America

Alliance for a Livable World

American Forests

BACCHUS and GAMMA Peer Education Network

Big Brothers Big Sisters

Boy Scouts of America

Boys & Girls Clubs

The Children's Center

Girl Scout Council of Greater St. Louis

Girls Inc.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund

March of Dimes

National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week

Take Stock in Children

Urban League

Few of those groups ever strongly advocate policies opposed by the beer industry.



References:

1. Center for Responsive Politics. Online: http://www.opensecrets.org/industrie...=N&sortorder=U.

2. Lopez, D.A. (1997). The influence of alcohol & tobacco money in New Mexico politics. Report by Re-Visioning New Mexico, Inc.

3. Massey, B. (2004). Richardson committee top recipient of lobbyist contributions. AP article. May 4, 2004.

4. Common Cause. (2000). Paying the Price: How Tobacco, Gun, Gambling & Alcohol Interests Block Common Sense Solutions To Some Of The Nation's Most Urgent Problems. Research Report. Online: http://www.commoncause.org/publicati...ice/index.html.

5. MADD/CSPI Nationally Representative Poll conducted by Penn, Schoen, Berland & Associates, Inc. July and August 2002.

6. Mohler-Kuo, M., Dowdall, G.W., Koss, M. & Wechsler, H. (2004). Correlates


The second part is their personal interests...or maybe prejuduces. If drugs were made legal there are a lot of Mexicans and Blacks that would have a shit load of clean money which translates to power. The Kennedys, Kerrys, Clintons, Bushs..etc...does not want to have to "socialize" with this "type" of people. Better to bust em' and confiscate their goods than to let them into the country clubs and house floors.
It's going to take a STRONG popular opinion for these people to do what should be done. With laws changing in our "allie" countries our government will eventually be forced to change policy in order to uphold with trade agreements and also with the nations popular vote.
Look what happened during probition, Canada was a big factor in the change of U.S. policy.
If we are a nation of sheep I elect Holland to be the shepard! :thumbsup: