mckenna Announces Failed Program

Plastered on front pages across the Washington is mckenna’s announcement of increased use of failed policies:

McKenna said that by June 1 he will have two new assistant attorneys general to assist in local prosecution of meth crimes across the state. He also will create a statewide task force of local and state law enforcement officials to determine the best meth-prevention strategy. The task force will help draft bills for next year’s legislative session.

He also is setting up a program to work with local community organizations and professional associations to raise awareness of the meth problem.

“State government needs to do more to assist local government in battling meth,” McKenna said. “Meth is the fastest-growing drug problem in Washington. … It’s a growing problem in every rural area in America.”

We have heard this blather over and over again throughout the years of the failed war on drugs. Failed unless you consider success to include overemployment of attorneys (prosecuting and defending), overemployment of police, higher than necessary crime rates, one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, millions of ruined lives, wealthy drug lords, well, the list could go on but I think you get the picture.

In 2004 there were reports of 1337 meth labs? Do you want to eliminate most if not all of them? Make meth legal, produce it, regulate it and sell it at Bartell’s or, if you must, at the state liquor stores. Then reassign the related lawyers, police and prison workers to productive activities.

Our society might even seem just a little nicer, a little more free, a little safer if our law enforcement folks were able to focus on real crimes committed by people against other people and their property. You know, things like assault, fraud, car theft, murder, rape, burglary, etc.