However, I have always disagreed with ‘ole Ben and here’s why:

I heard that something like 39% of all homicides go unsolved (the figure for 2007 if we can believe police records).  So, of all the murderers let go for reasons like excluded evidence, prosecutorial misconduct, bleeding heart juries, etc., let’s say only 10% of them go out and kill again.  I think that’s a conservative number since they are even more likely to kill, after having gotten away with it once already.  And the resulting murder will have been committed by someone who learned from their mistakes.  You can bet, for instance, Casey Anthony will not use her home computer next time to research chloroform, arsenic, strangulation or anything else incriminating.

Hence I can translate Ben Franklin’s alleged viewpoint into, “It’s better to kill 10 innocent people than it is to kill one (by executing him or her).”

Just my $.02.

Of course we have lots of oil we aren’t producing. Anyone with a brain can’t possibly believe we are not drilling in ANWR because the caribou would have to move elsewhere. Even if they became extinct, which is a ridiculous assertion, who would miss them? Who do you know that goes caribou hunting? Even if some rich people can afford it, why couldn’t they go elk hunting instead . . . or not hunt at all? Keep in mind, 99% of the species that ever lived . . . are now extinct. You also hear that “We don’t want to spoil the beauty of that nice wilderness.” If we drill and pump oil all over TX, OK, PA, etc., why the hell wouldn’t we drill in ANWR where it’s not even hard to retrieve (because it is imbedded in shale as is the case (I believe) in BAkken? And who do you know–or even ever heard of–who goes on a vacation–even an eco-vacation–to ANWR? Nobody! Too far, too cold, too expensive, no big airports, no restaurants, no hotels, and nothing to see or do. Oh, a little bit of the permafrost might melt a little? Give me a break. So why aren’t we drilling there right now?

My theory is short and sweet (as in sweet crude). We are hoarding it, and rightfully so. We all agree there is a finite amount of oil on the planet. We all agree wind, solar, tidal, etc. will never replace oil (and fusion is 50 years out or maybe impossible to ever tame anyway. So is nuclear. Therefore, lets burn up all the Muammar Gaddaf’s oil, Hugo Chavez’ oil, Mahmoud Imanutjob’s oil, etc. first! Ten years from now—maybe even just two years, for sure 20 years–$100/barrel will seem dirt cheap. Let’s keep our production artificially low now while we consume our geo-political “competitors’” petroleum products first. Let’s use all the oil we can from Iran, Iraq, Venezuela, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Libya, etc. Then, in 20 years when the economic might of China or India is about to bring us to our knees, we can fight back with our tremendous, newly-found, economic might!

High tech weaponry won WWII for us and has kept us safe ever since. (It also has won countless battles over the millennia. But it isn’t cheap. If we cannot maintain economic superiority, we will eventually be overrun by the likes of China, Russia, or even India.

So “shhhhhhh!”

What isn’t lost is how hatred toward infidels permeates the document. They/we are to be punished, killed, slain, tormented, terrorized, drowned, and burned to list a few. Also, this list is not complete. Omitted are a hundred or more references to what God will do to nonbelievers (of Islam) on judgment day. Of course the Bible talks about sinners going to hell but it is pretty clear as you will see if you read below, Muslims are asked to do the Lord’s bidding. That is, by killing and maiming nonbelievers today on earth, it will apparently save Allah quite a bit of work on judgment day, as well as get the murderer a free pass to paradise.

Could it be that this list of DIRECT QUOTES from the Koran will shock you as much as it did this writer? Please stop minimizing the War on Terror because that’s what it is! This is serious stuff!

1. But as for those who treat our signs as lies, we will gradually bring them down by means of which they know not:
2. For, whoso believeth not in God, and His Apostle …. Verily, we have got ready the flame for the Infidels!
3. Prophet! contend against the infidels and the hypocrites, and be rigorous with them: Hell shall be their dwelling place! Wretched the journey thither!
4. But they who are Infidels and treat our signs as lies–these shall be mated with Hell fire.
5. And that when the Koran is recited to them they adore not? Yea, the unbelievers treat it as a lie. But God knoweth their secret hatreds: Let their only tidings be those of painful punishment
6. Who then is more wicked than he who treateth the signs of God as lies, and turneth aside from them? We will recompense those who turn aside from our signs with an evil punishment, because they have turned aside.
7. believers! take not infidels for friends rather than believers. Would ye furnish God with clear right to punish you?
8. These! they are veritable infidels! and for the infidels have we prepared a shameful punishment.
9. And because they have taken usury, though they were forbidden it, and have devoured men’s substance in frivolity, we have got ready for the infidels among them a grievous torment.
10.  And kill them wherever ye shall find them, and eject them from whatever place they have ejected you; for civil discord is worse than carnage: yet attack them not at the sacred Mosque, unless they attack you therein; but if they attack you, slay them. Such the reward of the infidels.
11. In a right way have we guided him, be he thankful or ungrateful. For the Infidels we have got ready chains and collars and flaming fire.
12. Some of the Meccans after embracing Islam did not thoroughly break with the infidels and fly their country. These persons were miraculously slain by angels at Bedr.
13. Verily, God hath cursed the Infidels, and hath got ready for them the flame:
14. Let not the Infidels think that they can weaken God on His own Earth: their dwelling place shall be the Fire! and right wretched the journey!
15. These, the Faithful and the Infidels, are the two disputants who dispute concerning their Lord: but for those who have disbelieved, garments of fire shall be cut out; the boiling water shall be poured down upon their heads:
16. Prophet! make war on the infidels and hypocrites, and deal rigorously with them. Hell shall be their abode! and wretched the passage to it!
17. But if, after alliance made, they break their oaths and revile your religion, then do battle with the ring-leaders of infidelity–for no oaths are binding with them that they may desist.
18. It is not for the votaries of other gods with God, witnesses against themselves of infidelity, to visit the temples of God. These! vain their works: and in the fire shall they abide for ever!
19. As to the infidels–if that they had twice the riches of the earth to be their ransom from torment on the day of resurrection, it should not be accepted from them! And a dolorous torment shall be their’s. Fain would they come forth from the Fire; but forth from it they shall not come: and a lasting torment shall be their’s.
20. They surely are Infidels who say, “God is the third of three:” for there is no God but one God: and if they refrain not from what they say, a grievous chastisement shall light on such of them as are Infidels.
21. Thou shalt see many of them make friends of the infidels. Evil the actions which their own passions have sent on beforehand; for God is angry with them, and in torment shall they abide for ever:
22. And that when the Koran is recited to them they adore not? Yea, the unbelievers treat it as a lie. But God knoweth their secret hatreds: Let their only tidings4 be those of painful punishment;
23. [From one of the annotations:] These passages clearly show that Muhammad had at this period–towards the close of his Meccan period–full faith in his ultimate success, and in the fulfilment of his menaces against the unbelievers.
24. This shall be their reward–Hell.20 Because they were unbelievers, and treated my signs and my Apostles with scorn.
25. Yet the unbelievers say, “Hearken not to this Koran, but keep up a talking, that ye may overpower the voice of the reader.” Surely therefore will we cause the unbelievers to taste a terrible punishment;
26. A day whereon the plea of the evil doers shall not avail them; but theirs shall be a curse, and theirs the woe of the abode in Hell.
27. And when they beheld our vengeance they said, “We believe in God alone, and we disbelieve in the deities we once associated with Him.” But their faith, after they had witnessed our vengeance, profited them not. Such the procedure of God with regard to his servants who flourished of old. And then the unbelievers perished.
28. And by TROOPS shall the unbelievers be driven towards Hell, until when they reach it, its gates shall be opened, and its keepers shall say to them, “Came not apostles from among yourselves to you, reciting to you the signs of your Lord, and warning you of the meeting with Him on this your day?”13 They shall say, “Yes.” But just is the sentence of punishment on the unbelievers. It shall be said to them, “Enter ye the gates of Hell, therein to dwell for ever;” and wretched the abode of the arrogant!
29. And to those who believe and do the things that are right will he hearken, and augment his bounties to them but the unbelievers doth a terrible punishment await.
30. But let not the unbelief of the unbelieving grieve thee: unto us shall they return: then will we tell them of their doings; for God knoweth the very secrets of the breast. Yet a little while will we provide for them: afterwards will we force them to a stern punishment.
31. And God will say, “Cast into Hell, ye twain, every infidel, every hardened one, The hinderer of the good, the transgressor, the doubter, Who set up other gods with God. Cast ye him into the fierce torment.”
32. But those who believe not, and seduce others from the way of God, and from the Holy Mosque which we have appointed to all men, alike for those who abide therein, and for the stranger; And those who seek impiously to profane it, we will cause to taste a grievous punishment.
33. As for those who were infidels and turned others aside from the way of God, to them we will add punishment on punishment for their corrupt doings.
34. Yet the unbelievers say, “Hearken not to this Koran, but keep up a talking, that ye may overpower the voice of the reader.” Surely therefore will we cause the unbelievers to taste a terrible punishment; And recompense them according to the worst of their actions. This the reward of the enemies of God,–the Fire! it shall be their eternal abode, in requital for their gainsaying our signs.
35. Woe to every lying sinner, Who heareth the signs of God recited to him, and then, as though he heard them not, persisteth in proud disdain! Apprise him of an afflictive punishment. And when he becometh acquainted with any of our signs he turneth them into ridicule. These! a shameful punishment for them!
36. Whoso, after he hath believed in God denieth him, if he were forced to it and if his heart remain steadfast in the faith, shall be guiltless: but whoso openeth his breast to infidelity–on such shall be wrath from God, and a severe punishment awaiteth them.
37. But a man there is who buyeth an idle tale, that in his lack of knowledge he may mislead others from the way of God, and turn it to scorn. For such is prepared a shameful punishment!
38. And when our signs are rehearsed to him, he turneth away disdainfully, as though he heard them not,–as though his ears were heavy with deafness. Announce to him therefore tidings of an afflictive punishment!
39. Had they been apart, we had surely punished such of them as believed not, with a sore punishment.
40. Make no excuse: from faith ye have passed to infidelity! If we forgive some of you, we will punish others: for that they have been evil doers.
41. They desire that ye should be infidels as they are infidels, and that ye should be alike. Take therefore none of them for friends, till they have fled their homes for the cause of God. If they turn back, then seize them, and slay them wherever ye find them; but take none of them as friends or helpers
42. But they who are Infidels and treat our signs as lies–these shall be mated with Hell fire.
43. And as to those who fled their country for the cause of God, and were afterwards slain, or died, surely with goodly provision will God provide for them! for verily, God!
44.  Believers! wage war against such of the infidels as are your neighbours, and let them find you rigorous: and know that God is with those who fear him.
45. And we said, “Go ye to the people who treat our signs as lies.” And them destroyed we with utter destruction. And as to the people of Noah! when they treated their Apostles as impostors, we drowned them; and we made them a sign to mankind:–A grievous chastisement have we prepared for the wicked!
46. There is no city which we will not destroy before the day of Resurrection, or chastise it with a grievous chastisement. This is written in the Book. Nothing hindered us from sending thee with the power of working miracles, except that the peoples of old treated them as lies. We gave to Themoud the she-camel before their very eyes, yet they maltreated her! We send not a prophet with miracles but to strike terror.
47. And we delivered him, and those who were on his side, by our mercy, and we cut off, to the last man, those who had treated our signs as lies, and who were not believers.
48. But if that the people of these cities had believed and feared us, we would surely have laid open to them blessings out of the Heaven and the Earth: but they treated our signs as lies, and we took vengeance on them for their deeds.
49. And when ye go forth to war in the land, it shall be no crime in you to cut short your prayers,22 if ye fear lest the infidels come upon you; Verily, the infidels are your undoubted enemies!
50. Their state is like that of the people of Pharaoh, and of those before them who treated their Lord’s signs as lies. We therefore destroyed them in their sins, and we drowned the people of Pharaoh; for they were all doers of wrong.
51. But they who were Infidels and treated our signs as lies– these then–their’s a shameful chastisement! And as to those who fled their country for the cause of God, and were afterwards slain, or died, surely with goodly provision will God provide for them! for verily, God! He, surely, is the best of providers!
52. Verily, God is my Lord and your Lord; wherefore worship ye him: this is a right way.” But the different parties fell into disputes among themselves; but woe to those who thus transgressed, because of the punishment of an afflictive day! For what wait they but for the hour “to come suddenly on them, while they expect it not?
53. They worship beside God, that for which He hath sent down no warranty, and that of which they have no knowledge: but for those who commit this wrong, no helper! And when our clear signs are rehearsed to them, thou mayst perceive disdain in the countenances of the Infidels. Scarce can they refrain from rushing to attack those who rehearse our signs to them! SAY: Shall I tell you of worse than this? The fire which God hath threatened to those who believe not! Wretched the passage thither!
54. SAY,–such was our command to that apostle–”What! even if I bring you a religion more right than that ye found your fathers following?” And they said, “Verily we believe not in your message.” Wherefore we took vengeance on them, and behold what hath been the end of those who treated our messengers as liars!
55. And he inspired his people with levity, and they obeyed him; for they were a perverse people: And when they had angered us, we took vengeance on them, and we drowned them all.
56. My sole work is preaching from God, and His message: and for such as shall rebel against God and his apostle is the fire of Hell! they shall remain therein alway,–for ever! Until they see their threatened vengeance they will be perverse! but then shall they know which side was the weakest in a protector and the fewest in number.
57. And when their apostles had come to them with the tokens of their mission, they exulted in what they possessed of knowledge; but that retribution at which they scoffed, en compassed them. And when they beheld our vengeance they said, “We believe in God alone, and we disbelieve in the deities we once associated with Him.” But their faith, after they had witnessed our vengeance, profited them not. Such the procedure of God with regard to his servants who flourished of old. And then the unbelievers perished.
58. And if they treat thee as a liar, so did those who were before them threat their Apostles who came to them with the proofs of their mission, and with the Scriptures and with the enlightening Book: Then chastised I the unbelievers: and how great was my vengeance!
59. Therefore we took vengeance on them and drowned them in the sea, because they treated our signs as falsehoods and were heedless of them.
60. SAY: O men! if ye are in doubt as to my religion, verily I worship not what ye worship beside God; but I worship God who will cause you to die: and I am commanded to be a believer.
61. Follow ye what hath been sent down to you from your Lord; and follow no masters beside Him. How little will ye be monished! How many cities have we destroyed! By night, or while they were in their midday slumber, did our wrath reach them!
62. When thy Lord spake unto the angels, “I will be with you: therefore stablish ye the faithful. I will cast a dread into the hearts of the infidels.” Strike off their heads then, and strike off from them every finger-tip. This, because they have opposed God and his apostle: And whoso shall oppose God and his apostle …. Verily, God will be severe in punishment. “This for you! Taste it then! and for the infidels is the torture of the fire!”
63. And when the sacred months3 are passed, kill those who join other gods with God wherever ye shall find them; and seize them, besiege them, and lay wait for them with every kind of ambush: but if they shall convert, and observe prayer, and pay the obligatory alms, then let them go their way, for God is Gracious, Merciful.
64. Infidels now are they who say, “God is the Messiah, Son of Mary;” for the Messiah said, “O children of Israel! worship God, my Lord and your Lord.” Whoever shall join other gods with God, God shall forbid him the Garden, and his abode shall be the Fire; and the wicked shall have no helpers.
65. God truly will not forgive the joining other gods with Himself. Other sins He will forgive to whom He will: but he who joineth gods with God, hath erred with far-gone error.
66. And that He may punish the hypocritical men and the hypocritical women, and the men and women who join other gods with God, and think evil thoughts of Him. Theirs shall be a round of evil; and God is angry with them and curseth them, and hath prepared Hell for them: and, an evil journey thither!
67. It is not for the votaries of other gods with God, witnesses against themselves of infidelity, to visit the temples of God. These! vain their works: and in the fire shall they abide for ever!
68. And God will say, “Cast into Hell, ye twain, every infidel, every hardened one, The hinderer of the good, the transgressor, the doubter, Who set up other gods with God. Cast ye him into the fierce torment.”
69. We will cast a dread into hearts of the infidels because they have joined gods with God without warranty sent down; their abode shall be the fire; and wretched shall be the mansion of the evil doers. Already had God made good to you His promise, when by His permission ye destroyed your foes, until your courage failed you, and ye disputed about the order,45 and disobeyed, after that the Prophet had brought you within view of that for which ye longed.46
70. Then sought they help from God, and every proud rebellious one perished: Hell is before him: and of tainted water shall he be made to drink: He shall sup it and scarce swallow it for loathing; and Death shall assail him on every side, but he shall not die: and before him shall be seen a grievous torment.
71. Nay! God hath cursed them in their infidelity: few are they who believe!
72. The curse of God on the infidels!
73. The worst beasts truly in the sight of God are the thankless who will not believe;
74. These are they who believed not, and kept you away from the sacred Mosque, as well as the offering which was prevented from reaching the place of sacrifice. And had it not been that ye would have trodden down believers, both men and women, whom ye knew not, so that a crime might have lighted on you without your knowledge on their account, and that God would bring whom He will within His mercy, this would have been otherwise ordered. Had they been apart,8 we had surely punished such of them as believed not, with a sore punishment.
75. and we will gather them together on the day of the resurrection, on their faces, blind and dumb and deaf: Hell shall be their abode: so oft as its fires die down, we will rekindle the flame.
76. and made the word of those who believed not the abased, and the word of God was the exalted: for God is Mighty, Wise. March ye forth the light and heavy armed,18 and contend with your substance and your persons on the Way of God.
77. Never pray thou over anyone of them who dieth, or stand at his grave31– because they believed not in God and His Apostle, and died in their wickedness. Let not their riches or their children astonish thee: through these God is fain only to punish them in this world, and that their souls should depart while they are still infidels.
78. Those among the children of Israel who believed not were cursed by the tongue of David,30 and of Jesus, Son of Mary. This, because they were rebellious, and became transgressors: they forbade not one another the iniquity which they wrought! detestable are their actions! Thou shalt see many of them make friends of the infidels. Evil the actions which their own passions have sent on beforehand; for God is angry with them, and in torment shall they abide for ever:
79. [In searching for “an eye for an eye” no occurrences could be found in the Koran. However, this was found the NT book of Mathew:] {5:38} Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: {5:39} But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
80. Yet these infidels say, “There is but our first death, neither shall we be raised again: Bring back our sires, if ye be men of truth.” Are they better than the people of Tobba,6 And those who flourished before them whom we destroyed for their evil deeds?
81. And when the sacred months3 are passed, kill those who join other gods with God wherever ye shall find them; and seize them, besiege them, and lay wait for them with every kind of ambush: but if they shall convert, and observe prayer, and pay the obligatory alms, then let them go their way, for God is Gracious, Merciful.
82. Verily the tree of Ez-Zakkoum9 Shall be the sinner’s10 food: Like dregs of oil shall it boil up in their bellies, Like the boiling of scalding water. “–Seize ye him, and drag him into the mid-fire; Then pour on his head of the tormenting boiling water.
83. And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. [Oops. That slipped in from Mathew of the New Testament. I had been searching the Koran for the word “Convert.” Very sparse so I checked out the bible. The Koran seems much more interested in exhorting its members to simply kill, punish, or torment nonbelievers rather than trying to convert them.
84. There is no God but He!–He maketh alive and killeth!–Your Lord and the Lord of your sires of old! [My God is tougher than your God.]
85. What! will ye not fight against those Meccans who have broken their oaths and aimed to expel your Apostle, and attacked you first? Will ye dread them? God is more worthy of your fear, if ye are believers! So make war on them: By your hands will God chastise them, and will put them to shame, and will give you victory over them, and will heal the bosoms of a people who believe;
86. What! will ye not fight against those Meccans who have broken their oaths and aimed to expel your Apostle, and attacked you first? Will ye dread them? God is more worthy of your fear, if ye are believers! So make war on them: By your hands will God chastise them, and will put them to shame, and will give you victory over them, and will heal the bosoms of a people who believe;
87. Make war upon such of those to whom the Scriptures have been given as believe not in God,
88. One day we will gather the God-fearing before the God of Mercy with honours due:29 But the sinners will we drive unto Hell, like flocks driven to the watering.
89. But they who believe not and treat our signs as lies shall be the inmates of Hell-fire.
90. Ye will find others who seek to gain your confidence as well as that of their own people: So oft as they return to sedition, they shall be overthrown in it: But if they leave you not, nor propose terms or peace to you nor withhold their hands, then seize them, and slay them, wherever ye find them. Over these have we given you undoubted power.

These excerpts are not documented with chapter and verse specifically you may accomplish the same as follows: Call up the Koran and search for a string of words that are unique sounding, such as, “. . . and kill them . . .“ to find the source and context of, say, the first quotation below.) If you have trouble finding any, change the quote slightly because this copy of the Koran (see the link in the first paragraph above) contains “carriage returns” after every single line which have been removed for better readability.

This list should help all infidels to understand how natural it is for Muslims to try and kill us. The “teachings” of the Koran have been ingrained in them almost from birth. It has been often said it is only the “Islamic extremists” we need to worry about. Maybe so but it’s important to understand the reason is likely because the others, although thoroughly implored to attack us, probably don’t have the stomach to do it. This might explain why there was dancing in the streets in Muslim countries the evening of September 11, 2001. While many did not have the guts to get on an airplane, fly to America or other western country, and then blow themselves up in a crowd of people including women and children, that didn’t mean they couldn’t celebrate the accomplishments of braver, more zealous followers of Mohammed. Sad to say, it has become a bit of a spectator sport . . . for Muslims. You may not want to go 10 rounds with Mike Tyson but that doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy watching the match.
KoranKoranKoran

Instead of the above, suppose you needed a meth or crack “fix.”  Does that change anything?  Apparently so, in that the urge to get high on these drugs is so strong, you are inclined to do anything to achieve that end.  This is just one of a very many reasons we should legalize ALL drugs. 

The conventional wisdom is very easy to follow and agree with.  Drugs ruin people’s lives.  Once a person gets hooked, he or she is perfectly content to sit around all day and all night just enjoying his or her euphoria. 

But there is a whole host of reasons why ALL drugs should be legalized:

1. Criminalizing drug use and sales has not worked.
2. Law enforcement takes a huge bite out of our tax dollar.
3. Cost in dollars to incarcerate offenders is very high.
4. Cost in lives and injuries to offenders, law enforcement, and robbery victims is unconscionable.
5. Lost productivity, not just from the drug users but from the otherwise potentially talented drug dealers, is very real.
6. Cost in lost revenue from the fact drug dealers do not typically report their earnings on income tax returns
7. But drug use would spin out of control if ALL drugs were legalized. Many more people would become addicted to drugs than at present.

Let’s examine these points in a bit more detail, under the stark light of reality:

1. Are fewer people using drugs today than they did 10, 20, 50 years ago?  Of course not.  It’s very clear we are losing the “war on drugs” just like we “lost the war on prohibition.” The following table is from a recent report from the USCG:

Table 1: Cocaine Removal Rate

Source: http://www.dhs.gov/xoig/assets/mgmtrpts/OIG_09-27_Feb09.pdf

Although the “removal rate” has remained stuck below 1/3, the budget for drug interdiction has doubled in just a few years to its current level of 1.3 BILLION dollars for the USCG alone. This is not the CG’s budget but just the estimated drug interdiction portion of it. http://www.uscg.mil/posturestatement/?topPage=budgetinbrief&subPage=fy2010appropriationsummary.

Speaking of the “removal rate,” I wonder how Walmart could survive if it had a shoplifting rate of 25%.  Yet illicit drug rings seem to do just fine losing more than a quarter of their inventory before it even reaches our shores.  How can this be?  Because Walmart doesn’t have a 1,000% mark up! And those removal rates are just for the US Coast Guard.  I do believe the FBI, county sheriffs, and local police intercede in the distribution of drugs to some extent too.  Even with 50% attrition in inventory, what does it matter when the criminalization of drugs enables a 1000% markup?  So what if a drug dealer is left with a mere 500%?  So of course, it keeps on coming. 

1. I crossed the Caribbean Sea twice in a small boat.  Both times, I was overflown in the middle of the night by what sounded like a C-130 Hercules “on the deck.”  This aircraft probably had sophisticated tracking equipment and was there for likely just one reason: Drug interdiction.  I was 100 miles from the nearest land and not bothering anybody.  But I MIGHT have been carrying drugs from S. America.  The US Coast Guard is a large and expensive operation.  Do you think it is there primarily to protect our shores from foreign invaders?  Yes, somewhat.  But a huge share of their budget is devoted to drug interdiction, 1.3 billion dollars last year as we have seen.
2. Think for a moment how much this logic costs society.  There is the huge drain on our court resources together with incarceration expense.  In 2004, 19.5% of all inmates were in prison for drug offenses. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/p06.pdf
   We spend $60 billion per year to incarcerate our prisoners which comes to just under 12 billion dollars for the drug offenders alone.  We actually have to feed, clothe, and house persons (drug dealers) who are otherwise capable of holding down a job. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incarceration_in_the_United_States  That number is just for Federal prisons.  I have not checked on State prisons and local jails where the 30 days to 12 month sentences are administered. Those figures are quite likely double the federal stats.
3. You can hardly pick up a newspaper that does not contain a report on some raid on a drug dealer or retaliation killing of a law enforcement official, judge, or prosecuter by a drug leader.  Because the demand for illegal drugs in the US is so strong, shootings are occurring all over the world in turf battles or police raids, most specifically Mexico and Colombia.  And it’s not just the bad guys; DEA cops are being killed or wounded as well, not to mention all the innocent bystanders.  In addition to all of that carnage, we have the astounding fact that a convenience store operator is one of the most dangerous occupations!  Do you think it could be because when an addict needs a fix that costs $200 (usually at night), he goes to where the money is available then?  http://www.crimemagazine.com/convenie.htm.  But we knew that already just from watching or reading the local news.  What would happen to the murder rates occurring in convenience stores throughout the country if you could obtain crack cocaine and meth $10.00 instead?  What would happen to the illegal drug industry?  There is no argument that it would collapse instantly.
4. Some of our young adults of high school age are content to work in menial jobs all their lives.  And that’s good because we need people like that.  Others are more driven to succeed with income (after taxes) the usual yardstick of success.  Let’s say you are an ambitious, inteligent 18 year old trying to make a career decision.  You could consider becoming a doctor, a lawyer, or maybe a computer software engineer.  However, that requires a lot of capital (for your education) and a 4-9 year commitment on your part.  But if you can buy–or grow–a substance that costs a dollar to produce that you can resell for $100, you might conclude that would be a faster way to achieve “success.”  You could be driving a nice car and be able to pay the rent on a nice apartment in six months as opposed to six years.  Can you see how our insane drug laws sap talent out of our young work force?  What does that cost society in lost production?
5. Let’s do a study of 1,000 drug dealers and compare the income tax they pay compared to 1,000 legitimate earners.  Have you stopped laughing yet?
6. Of course the big argument in favor of drug criminalization is that, if drugs were legal, many more people would become addicted.  But let me pose  two questions to get the discussion going:
   1. Who amongst us cannot already obtain some crack cocaine if we wanted to?  Not me.  Not directly.  But I could call someone I know and I bet that person would know who to call to get some, and probably yet tonight if I pushed it.  Or, maybe, at worst, the second person receiving a call would have to call a third.  Thereafter, I would be calling the 2^nd or 3^rd person directly.  Hence, criminalizing crack cocaine or meth does not stop anyone from obtaining it that would like to get it some anyway.
   2. Who amongst us would, were it legal, buy some crack, meth, heroin, just to “give it a try?”  Maybe some but very few and not in connection with what follows:

In conjunction with legalizing ALL drugs, there would be a strict policy.  You would probably have to take a short class before you could purchase $200 worth (in today’s street value) of crack cocaine for just $10.  (No, there would not be a $100 tax on it. If we did that, we would be shifting the narcotic from the user to the politician.) In any case, the pharmacist would read the dazzle-orange label (in the shape of a skull and crossbones) on the package to you.  It would say something like, “This drug is highly addictive and will–repeat WILL–ruin your life. After consuming even a small amount of this substance, you will become hopelessly addicted to it with the result you will lose your job, be disowned by your parents, spouse, and family, if you have one, develop skin sores all over your body, get the shakes whenever you have gone more than a couple hours without a “fix”, etc. A woman using this substance will not ever have a normal pregnancy.  In short, you will never be able to work again, play any sports, enjoy a tasty meal, an evening with your friends, etc.”  (I don’t know all the symptoms–and maybe I’ve listed some that don’t exist–but they would be hammered home in a manner like that).  “In addition, your lifespan will be shortened by 15 years” (or whatever it is).”  There might even be a table listing expected life spans of 20 year olds, 30 year olds, etc., with columns for non users and for addicts dramatizing the shortening effect (if there is any, I don’t know).   When finished reading the label, the pharmacists would say, “Do you understand the ways in which this drug will ruin your life?”  And if the answer is, “Yes, I do,” the pharmacist would say, “That’ll be 10 bucks please.”

Warnings would be proportionately less ominous for less addicting drugs like marijuana.  Would more people use marijuana if all they read is that, although it is not biologically addictive (if it isn’t), it is psychologically addictive and causes lung cancer faster than cigarettes?  Maybe so but then that’s as it should be.  There is not much of a case for marijuana being more harmful or addictive than alcohol, as far as I know.  And we all learned how effective prohibition was against the deleterious drug, alcohol.

Any person who makes it through all those warnings and still wants to try the drug, he or she would probably have done so anyway, legal or not.  Consider how people normally get hooked: they’re at a party where either another user or a pusher says, “Hey dude, wanna get high?”  “What is this stuff,” the prospect might say.  “It’s the best drug I’ve ever had.  I’m sure you’ll like it.  Maybe it’s a man asking a woman or vice versa.  How easy it is to “just try it this one time,” in the world of today’s illegal drugs.

Of course none of these warnings would faze existing addicts.  They would just be happy they didn’t have to burglarize a home to get the money to satisfy their habit.  Or, at worst, commit crimes 1/20^th as often.  And so would we.

If it turned out the number of addicts increased slightly as a result of this decriminalization of ALL drugs (a result I would highly doubt), I would still not call the program a failure.  Even if true, all of the shootings, cop killings, car bombs, kidnappings, etc. would still have been completely eliminated.  A drug addict at least has a chance.  A cop or DEA agent killed in a drug raid or undercover operation has no chance.  He’s already dead.

But additionally, it will embolden liberals to say, “See, it’s not only Muslims who kill people indiscriminately.  They are merely one of many subgroups of those whom we called ‘terrorists.’”  Thus it will help them ignore the fact we are in a religious war and that 90% of all terrorist killings are committed by Muslims seeking to “slay the infidel,” as they are implored to do by the Koran and many mullahs.  If liberals can somehow continue to convince themselves that it’s merely a coincidence nearly all terrorists in the world today are Muslim, they can continue to condone the use of US Mosques as recruitment camps in the name of “religious freedom,” permit Muslims from all countries to immigrate freely to the US, and continue to cling to the belief that freedom of religion is “sacrosanct” so that even religions that espouse killing Americans–and often succeed in doing so–must be permitted to flourish.

Of course those of us in the real estate business then knew exactly why commercial property values plummeted, causing the loss of about $100 billion (then) as the RTC bought out the “toxic loans.”  The true story, however, would not have sold many newspapers. Here’s what, ironically, really happened:  Congress caused the debacle.  In 1986, there was a clamor to redistribute wealth. Anyone running for office could rest assured of a victory by denouncing high income lawyers, doctors, and successful businessmen.  The media echoed the very popular battle cries. There were stories of rich businessmen earning $500,000 or more per year and paying absolutely no income taxes whatsoever!  How could this be? Because Congress in its wisdom had enacted very favorable depreciation rules to encourage investors to put cash otherwise bound for the stock market and beyond, into real estate. And guess what? The program succeeded in doing exactly what congress wanted it to do: Produce new construction projects that generated both jobs and new, clean, safe, housing for Americans!  This wonderful phenomenon of being able to tell the government your property was becoming less valuable, when in fact it was increasing, was a big draw to myself and many others.

But the politicians needed to be elected more than Americans needed new, safe, housing.  Once elected, they had to follow through and pass the “Tax Reform Act of 1986″ which essentially said that you could depreciate real estate all you wanted so long as it did not greatly reduce your income taxes!  Guess what happened:  Big surprise! Medical doctors, for one, asked themselves why they should continue to own real estate if there was no longer  any “tax shelter.”  Most were not that crazy about all the responsibilities involved.  (They were somewhat used to the 2 AM phone calls but not from a tenant who had a plugged up toilet!)  So they sold.  And the successful businessmen sold.  So did the lawyers and others. Then came another big surprise: Property values plummeted!  Where 80% loan-to-value mortgages had been quite safe, once market values adjusted for the TRA of 1986, they dropped to 60% or below.  As a final surprise, investors started walking away from them.

Does anyone else see the irony?  Congress feigns indignation over the fact  some “rich” people were getting  away with paying ZERO taxes, the same people who would normally not be caught dead owning troublesome real estate.  So congress yanks the rug out from under everyone’s feet by enacting “tax reform” driving capital away, which caused values to fall, resulting in $100 billion in losses to banks.  And who picked up the tab?  The lower bracket taxpayers who were originally the intended beneficiaries of all the tax savings from sticking it to the rich.

But what about the bank presidents, senators, and appraisers?  The bankers made sweetheart loans before during and after, of course.  They were not the cause.  If property values had continued to rise, no one would have been hurt, same as today.  Senators are still corrupt and you will find very few appraisers before, since, or even today that will appraise a property at less than the purchase price.  A purchase agreement made yesterday on the subject property itself,  that has been on the open market for a reasonable period is a hard “comparable” to ignore.  But the press is more creative today. The new fall guy is the dirty rotten mortgage broker.  He notices someone paying 6.5% on there mortgage when today’s rates are a full point below that.  So what does he do?  Encourages someone to refinance!  And why? For profit, or as he would tell you, to make a living helping people save money that would otherwise go to banks. Oh, and we have those unscrupulous Realtors to blame also.  After all, the dummies encouraged people living in apartments or lessor houses to “step up” thinking that home values would continue to increase when all they had to support that theory was that values had increased in fits and starts for a mere 70 years!  They should have known that prices would not go up forever; 70 years yes but not 75!

So does history repeat itself?  Not unless congress is to blame for our current mess.  Could they be? Did they artificially mess with the housing market in any way like the 1986 congress messed with it?  Well let’s see now: You live in a personal residence which has nothing to do with your business yet your property taxes are fully deductible.  So is the interest on your mortgage. (Is interest deductible on your personal vehicle?) Congress has authorized FHA and the VA to make loans with less than 5% down payment for decades, same as these “unscrupulous” mortgage brokers have been “pushing,” allegedly.  And at what interest rates?  We can’t blame congress for interest rates dropping to the lowest values I’ve ever seen in my lifetime. But we can blame Alan Greenspan! Do you recall the reason he kept reducing them? To keep inflation down.  Inflation, you see, is deemed to hurt the “little guy” more than the rich person. Here we go again.