Here's an idea for promoting liberty AND security, and to neutralize the attack that Democrats are soft on illegal immigration.
Not only that, but it'll save us money, too! Take a look and tell me what you think:
Let us consider for a moment the validity of rhetorically and budgetarily linking the security of our borders (currently undermanned and underfunded to a criminally negligent degree) and the war on drugs (currently bloated, overstaffed and, where marijuana is concerned, the epitome of counterproductivity).
There were 771,605 marijuana arrests in 2004 in the United States, according to FBI statistics.
http://www.mpp.org/... According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the average cost per year to incarcerate an inmate in the United States is $20,674.
http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/... The cost of the drug war is estimated around $35 billion annually.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/...
The Border Patrol's budget is currently $1.4 billion, with about 11,120 agents on duty Link At these levels, we all agree that the current status of our borders is unsatisfactory. http://www.cbp.gov/...
So, a proposal:
According to over 500 economists, including Milton Friedman of all people, the savings of legalized and taxed marijuana would be around $7.7 billion annually, and the tax revenues would be around $6 billion annually. http://www.forbes.com/...
So, why not legalize and tax marijuana in exchange for a four-fold increase in border protection? We transfer our law enforcement resources from prohibition of a relatively benign substance to protecting the homeland, release thousands of otherwise law-abiding citizens from incarceration, and improve personal liberty and security all in one move.
Border protectors and marijuana reform advocates unite!
Join a partnership for a drug. Free America!