New USA Drug Tzar is the Police Chief of Seattle

[KhorTose]

Today, the Obama administration announced the appointment Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske to be the nations new Drug Czar. http://www.kirotv.com/news/18684500/detail.html

 

I have had the pressure of working with Gil since his appointment in 2000. NOT IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY. I have some mixed feelings about this appointment:

1. Seattle is losing a good police chief

2. The Mayor of Seattle will probably appoint the wrong Assistant Chief to take his place.

3. Gil fought against a simple Seattle City Law that was supported by 70% of the population that put Marijuana at the lowest level of enforcement.

4. He is on of the strongest advocates of gun control in the nation's police force.

5. He has fought against a police review board, and often disregarded recommendations for discipline from the city's Office of Professional Accountability board.

6. He has made some very good choices for Assistant Chiefs and Precinct Captains.

7. Crime is at its lowest in 20 years.

 

As I said mixed feelings, but probably an excellent choice for a very difficult job. If nothing else Gil is an intelligent and capable man who knows how to play politics.

 

 

 

[Guest shebavon]

My question is whether we will he will continue with Reefer Madness policies that have ruined the lives of hundreds of thousands of nonviolent offenders, at the great expense of US taxpayers.

 

I have read where the South Carolina DA has confiscated the Phelps Bong, and has leveled charges at some of the participants at the infamous party. Our taxpayer dollars at work.

[Bob]

Hell, I'd have appointed Tommy Chong. The drug policy of the US (and most other countries) is so fucked up that only a zone-head might be able to make some sense of it.

 

Actually, I retract that. Nobody could make any sense of the drug policy. So, given that, why not have Tommy snorting on a huge bong and, when asked a question by a reporter, retorts: "Hey man, that's a really AWESOME question. Ya wanna hit?"

[Guest slackersam]

Anyone else remember when Duke from Doonsebury applied for the Drug Czar job?

 

When asked if he had any experience with drug laws he replied: "It's been my life."

[Guest fountainhall]

The drug policy of the US (and most other countries) is so fucked up that only a zone-head might be able to make some sense of it.

 

Although Bob (kind of) retracted that statement, I agree with it. Each year it seems the profits of the drugs trafficers go up in proportion to the amount of money governments spend on trying to crack (oops) down on them.

 

I cannot see any way governments can control the drug problem until they tackle more effectively some of the major social issues that underpin at least some of the reasons for many people taking drugs in the first place. It's a complicated issue, I grant you, but present policies are just not working.

 

There are times when I think there is a good reason for decriminalising the use of drugs. In theory the street price should crash and supply eventually drop dramatically. Plus, if people want to kill themselves that way, why not let them? But then I think of the numbers who would die, and I am back at square one.

[Guest slackersam]

Drug laws are essentially price supports for drug dealers.

[Guest shebavon]

Drug laws are essentially price supports for drug dealers.

That may be the effect, but it goes so much deeper than that.

 

A young (and buff) District Attorney I used to know would always say, "who says crime does not pay, it sure pays for me. By that, I hope he meant his salary, but on further thought, who knows.

 

Granting his honesty, what does the drug war provide? Arms to corrupt governments ostensibly to fight trafficking which just shifts from one place to another. Jobs in Republican areas for prison construction, guards. Incidentally, the guards usually work for private jail maintenance companies which are founded by Republicans, and donate to the party. More judges and prosecutors, more police.

 

So what that peoples lived get screwed up by criminalization laws. Families get broken up when one goes to jail Kids grow without their fathers.

 

50% of all Black men either in jail or on parole, or completed terms of sentencing. Mostly for drugs.

 

Do we dare speak about the difference in penalty for Cocaine (White drug choice), compared with Crack (Minority drug choice).

 

Medical Marijuana users prosecuted?

 

Who cares, in the name of the war on drugs. Can't be soft now.

[KhorTose]

My question is whether we will he will continue with Reefer Madness policies that have ruined the lives of hundreds of thousands of nonviolent offenders, at the great expense of US taxpayers.

 

I have read where the South Carolina DA has confiscated the Phelps Bong, and has leveled charges at some of the participants at the infamous party. Our taxpayer dollars at work.

 

 

First off, if I was going to have a drug czar, he would not be from law enforcement but from the medical profession. Having said that, and having given your question a lot of thought, I have decided that Gil is possibly one of the best choices Obama could make.

 

He is very intelligent, he is personable, and a very astute politician. He did campaign against the city ordinance that made Marijuana the lowest level of enforcement, but when it passed he did instruct his officers to back off. When he arrived we already had a medical Marijuana law, that had just been passed, and he has been very careful to instruct his officers in what it meant and make them leave the legal growers, and users--under the law--alone. He has actively campaigned for and supported drug court where offenders are not sent to jail. He did two things that did not set well with Seattle, but both of these things were at our idiot Mayor's request. Seattle is one of the most liberal areas of the USA, and he has functioned here very well. So I would say he is a very good choice by a liberal administration, and if the signals from the top are for a more coherent and less harmful drug policy, he would be the perfect man to carry them out.

 

So if I had to pick a cop, he would be my choice. No more mixed feelings---Go GIL.