We in Oregon, like many states, have new entrenched Republican majorities in our legislatures. While these guys pretend to like smaller government, like their Republican counterparts in DC, they love mass incarceration scams such as the mandatory sentencing and tougher drug laws which ALWAYS cost a whole lot more than predicted and whose costs are NEVER reported by their lapdog media - even the gross underestimation which predicts less than 20% of the true costs to taxpayers of their big government agenda.

The latest measure passed by this penny wise legislature - and not vetoed by a Democratic governor who should know better - was to recriminalize possession of marijuana. I will personally guarantee [I'll take all bets giving 5-1 odds] that ALL of the following will happen - hey, this is a no brainer:

1) The use of marijuana among those under 18 will increase.

2) The incidence of violent crime will increase.

3) The potency of marijuana will increase.

4) The taxpayers will pay higher taxes AND get less in government services over what would have happened if these big government advocates had done nothing. This will occur within the next 2 years - after the first wave of victims of the term limits measure will have retired. I suppose one could say that these guys sure repaid voters for the audacity to limit their careers!

Currently there is an initiative petition that would mitigate the damage done by this misbegotten legislative measure. It is called the Oregon Drug Control Amendment and it would put marijuana in the same class as hard liquor. If passed it would accomplish the following:

1) The overall use of marijuana would increase; it would lower for those under 18 and rise in adults.

2) The incidence of violent crime would decrease significantly. Not only would crime go down because of the new affordable price, but many adults who presently use alcohol - which does contribute to violent behavior - will switch to the less violent marijuana.

3) The potency of marijuana would be regulated by law.

4) Taxpayers would pay less for the fastest growing area of government - prison construction and law enforcement - and the tax revenue from the newly legalized marijuana trade - previously done in the black market - would be a new source of tax revenue. Even if it were taxed as heavily as the far more dangerous and addictive cigarettes it would be far more affordable than it is now. What's more, there would be plenty of prison space available for chronic violent criminals who are often routinely set loose due to space shortages caused by "tougher" laws.

Logically speaking, this should be a no brainer for people who pay lip service to less government and lower taxes. However, I will personally guarantee that nobody of any significant influence with Oregon Taxpayers United will openly support this common sense initiative. The same can be said for the National Taxpayers' Union which has NEVER spoken out against any of the anticrime measures passed by Congress. My guess is that real advocates for less government and lower taxes just can't seem to attract the funding to be considered legitimate by today's lapdog media.

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7/14/97

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