Mexican President Calls for Debate on Prohibition While U.S. Officials Continue to Deny Reality
In late 2006, Mexican president Felipe Calderon announced a new government-backed military offensive against his country’s drug cartels, believing they could be defeated through sheer brute force. Four years later, more than 28,000 people have been killed, and the drug cartels are more powerful than ever, controlling vast manufacturing and distribution networks that have helped to bankroll kidnappings, extortion, human trafficking, and the corruption of an estimated 60 percent of U.S. border agents.
The majority of the cartels’ revenue – more than 60 percent, according to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy – comes from selling marijuana in the United States. Remember this.
Finally realizing the futility of the status quo, Calderon last week softened his position and said he was open to a debate about lifting prohibition as a way to combat the cartels and deprive them of their main source of income. (Officially, he remains an opponent of legalization.)
Then over the weekend, Calderon’s predecessor, Vicente Fox (who as a former president is more politically flexible than his sitting successor) went even further, saying he firmly supports ending prohibition as a way to quell the violence. “Radical prohibition strategies have never worked,” Fox wrote, explaining that he sees legalization “as a strategy to weaken and break the economic system that allowed cartels to earn huge profits.”
This line of thinking is not new, obviously. Other Latin American nations are realizing prohibition doesn’t work, and former leaders of Brazil and Columbia, as well as former Mexican president Ernesto Zedillo, have been among those calling for its end.
Meanwhile, as the war rages on in Mexico, street shoot-outs have become commonplace, journalists fear their own safety so much that they don’t even report the violence, and school children are being trained to duck and cover in order to avoid the crossfire.
But with Mexico awash in blood and its leaders desperately looking for solutions, our officials have offered nothing but the same failed options. With one hand, the U.S. gives the Mexican government millions of dollars to continue funding its horrifically unsuccessful war, and with the other, our officials continue to deny the irrefutable reality that prohibition has not worked and another approach is needed — one that will stop handing the cartels a virtual monopoly over such a lucrative trade.
When asked directly if legalizing and regulating marijuana in the United States could help weaken the cartels, drug czar Gil Kerlikowske was characteristically close-minded. “All the things they are involved in, all these incredibly horrible crimes, of which narcotics is only a part, would still go on,” he told The Dallas Morning News.
A spokesperson for the State Department was even more tight-lipped: “While the question of debating legalization is for Mexicans to decide, we don’t think the legalization of drugs is the answer.”
A few things:
- Kerlikowske’s own office, ONDCP, is the same one that reported cartels make (at least) 60 percent of their money from selling marijuana here in the U.S. So we can only assume the drug czar is being knowingly dishonest when he says taking marijuana out of the criminal market wouldn’t have some impact on the cartels. If those drug organizations were operating at 40 percent of their current wealth, that would mean 60 percent fewer corrupt officials, weapons purchases, cartel manpower, etc.
- “The question of debating legalization” is not just “for Mexicans to decide.” Maybe the State Department hasn’t noticed voters in the largest U.S. state will have an opportunity to turn the page on marijuana prohibition just three months from now, and several other states are considering similar proposals.
- For government officials, it doesn’t have to be a question of whether or not regulation, rather than prohibition is “the answer.” They could simply start off with the middle road Calderon took and say it’s time for a debate. That’s what Gov. Schwarzenegger did last year in California, and now the debate over Prop. 19 has helped launch a national dialogue about ways to reform our disastrous marijuana policies.
While the mainstream media, state governments, and a growing number of politicians and pundits are eagerly wading into the debate over America’s marijuana prohibition, top officials in Washington still refuse to accept that it’s not only already underway but is increasingly moving in a new direction.
Or as Sylvia Longmire, a drug cartel analyst and border security consultant, told AOL News:
It’s difficult to comprehend how the U.S. government could acknowledge Calderon taking on the legalization debate, knowing full well that U.S. demand and consumption helps fuel the drug war, and not take at least baby steps towards engaging in a similar debate [in the U.S.].
Difficult is one way to put it. Infuriating might be another.
Tagged with: Cartels and Felipe Calderon and Gil Kerlikowske and marijuana debate and Mexico and Sylvia Longmire and Vicente Fox by the author
47 comments
I am sick of the government. If people dont wake up and realize that Obama, Pelosi, right wingers, left wings, etc etc etc are not going to do the will of the people, then we as a country are doomed to China. Grow up voters. Obama needs to be gone. Republicans need to be gone. We need a system that the people can vote on the issues going to Congress, both Federal and State.
If this dont get your blood boiling, wait til November, when Cali voters vote YES to legalize and then the state and federals say NO, sorry, its not the American “will”…
Both sides of the border must legalize cannabis as soon as possible. I have thought and said the only way to stop the killings in Mexico and the gang wars in America is to legalize. Now Obama is putting into place an internet shut down switch. He wants to silence any and all who opose him. The Dems. and Repub. have to be voted out and Americans from the people have to be voted in if we are to have just a chance at freedom. The anti gays now are ganging up against prop 19. Those people do not get that it is EVERY AMERICAN’s right to love, happiness, and prosperity. The gays have the same rights as me. The rich and greedy have the same rights as me. So why is this? If i want to use cannabis than I go to jail, correct? If a gay has anal sex than they can go to jail in several states. Than why are the rich and greedy not in jail for stealing our property in raids? Why are the rich and greedy not in jail for stealing billions of dollers is raids. Why are the rich and greedy not in jail for all the innocent people and pets killed. Why are the rich and greedy not in jail for all the people killed because the D.E.A. raided the wrong house. It seems to me that the rich and greedy are so much worse than me they must keep us silent and locked up so they stay in power. Why can presidents smoke and eat brownies and we cannot? Because they are rich and greedy. Vote yes for cannabis.
Holy Smokes. I wonder how much the violence in Mexico plays in the large number of undocumented and illegal aliens entering the US from Mexico. I can’t blame a family for leaving a country over run by thugs. What would you do?
Rev.sLeezy
“@!#?@!” commented Q*bert after hearing Obama still hasn’t done anything about changing national marijuana laws and continuing to let funding, fueled my American dollars, poor into Mexican drug cartels hands…” I just cant believe this @!#?@! crap has not ended yet.” Said the visually angry cube hopper. “The research funded by ~9 million dollars of five states money isn’t good enough? What the @!#?@!… is wrong with you people! Enough is enough!”
It seems that the President Obama’s adminstration doesn’t really care. They just blame it on marijuana because people shouldn’t be smoking that stuff and it’s illegal.
I wonder who is going to vote for him now?
Notice also that when the statements are made in a way that place all of the blame on “drugs” — instead of the criminal market for drugs — they are: Drug gangs. Drug killings. Drug kidnappings. Drug violence. Narcoterrorists.
But when the question is framed in a way that places the burden of proof on the obvious ramifications of prohibition, all of a sudden narcotics is “only a part” of the terrible crime problem. Oh its silly to think legalization might help, these people are criminals after all. If they can’t sell dope they’ll just slit throats for fun. Be serious, as if drugs could play such a fundamental part in these horrible atrocities.
What complete, total frauds and liars. We’re lucky that the wall is crumbling down before it imprisons us all.
These lying ass bastards!!! They all get money from the herb being illegal!! In high school the head guy in my state for the DEA came to our school, asked who thinks pot could be legal.. Everybody raised their hand and I stood on my two feet and told that SOB that prohibition makes him money!! Same shit!
Of course Obama won’t take part in the debate. He is the first black president we’ve had, and never mind the fact that he is nothing more than a puppet, if he took part in the debate he would be seen as a weed loving black person. That is how he and his administration sees things anyways. Also he doesn’t give two sh*ts about the American people.
P.S. We haven’t had a real president since J.F.K. We really need one of those again
The only solution I think is Million Man/Woman Marijuana March. Warm Bodies,Faces and Voters. Who’s with me. Let communicate. My email is , jkkorell@gmail.com I’m in. Lets get this ball rolling and come next 4/20/2011
lets march on Washington against the war on drugs. Let’s start a grassroots movement on the war on drugs. Will of the people (not just talk) is the only answer through out history that has ever worked effectively. Go California.
Go figure…. First Obama promises change but is he listening to the people who put him into office? No of course no instead he and his family take not one , not 2 but 4 vacations in less time than any president that we have had while whop pays for his vacations? That is right us the us tax payer… Instead of taking vacations at the expense of all fellow Americans he should really listen to the people but no instead he is just like the same people (prohibitionists) that we have not just in Michigan but in office all together. Yes we have fellow supporters in office and to those people they are doing a good job trying to do what is right instead of blowing smoke up every ones but saying one thing but doing nothing….. Once again why did we help to put him in office? Is it just to take massive vacations at the expense of the American Tax payer while he ignores the American peoples voice or is he simply a prohibitionists him self? We asked for reform but has it happened? No!!! so what is the best answer to have reform? Answer is simply put let us fellow Americans vote in those who are fighting to end prohibition….. The time for regulation and taxation of marijuana is far over due and must end to prevent further waste of Billions upon billions due from prohibition…… Let our voices be heard and help elect those who are on our side……..
“So we can only assume the drug czar is being knowingly dishonest when he says …”
No reason to presume that he’s lying. He’s required to do so by law.
http://www.drugwarrant.com/articles/drug-czar-required/
We wouldn’t want to assume that he’s not doing his job to the best of his ability.
All of these deaths and other violence going on are the result, not of our drug use here, but of the unwillingness of our people to stand up and refuse to allow prohibition to continue. Great job there Peaceniks. You may feel so smug about your personal abstaining from violence, but the pressure goes off somewhere else. That doesn’t make you superior. It makes you a hypocrite.
Lets keep focused on the pot problem. Obama has been brilliante in every other way. He has delivered in 20 months what no president could deliver in history: heath care reform. Doesn’t do a damn bit of good for me as I am self employed, but it is far better than what we had. He also is keeping his promise on Iraq. He is a total failure on the pot war though and that’s where negative comments should be focused. This country still reeks of racism and the fact is that most Americans ARE racists but just keep it hidden underneath the surface, you know, the politically correct crowd who say racism is bad, but live in all white neighborhoods. I am white and voted for Obama. Get off his back – except for the issue where he has failed – legalizing pot!!
Every informed person with an open mind is saying basically the emperor has no clothes. People are just waiting till they get out of office to speak their real minds, and more and more of the public are already there. Now the powerbrokers in D.C. just have to stop being afraid to say the emperor has no clothes. 28,000 deaths is far from a trifle. Keep saying it. The emperor has no clothes. There’s no place like home. Say it three times in a row and often. We have to legalize cannabis here at home. Feds, stop effing around, and legalize it. Don’t even wait to see what California does with its ballot. Just come out hinting or pointing you Feds are not opposed to legalization, which is not the same as being in favor of it. The emperor has no clothes. There’s no place like home. Remember: Say it often three times in a row.
When enough blood is spilt or enough lives have been lost, the United States will stop the drug war and legalization is the only answer.
The DEA is a terrorist organization. Let everybody know.
When enough lives have been lost to the drug war the United States will legalize MJ and possibly other drugs in the future but now today or in the near future. A lot more blood is going to flow in the mean time.
Both sides of the border must legalize cannabis as soon as possible
Top line written earlier.What parts of these two governments do not get this?There is no way that either side doesnt understand this.The people want it done and yesterday for God;s sake.To STOP the killing ,the gang and cartel money needs to stop being given to these groups.Hey all you government workers not doing your job and sitting in your office get off your ass and do what the people want,this bullshit is enough.Once again government nothing but in the way,AGAIN
I see Jim Lunsford is still busy denigrating people who don’t share his extremist views. Just for shits and giggles Jim, why don’t do a back of the envelope presentation of exactly how people would ‘stand up’ and ‘refuse to allow prohibition to continue’. Where do we get the resources necessary to violently change a situation that the vast majority of people think is the right thing to do. Remember cannabis laws are only a small percentage of prohibition. IIRC it’s between 6 and 9% of the voters believe that prohibition should be continued when PCP, crystal meth, cocaine, heroin, etc are part of the equation.
Oh never mind, I don’t know why I’m even asking you to explain your insanity. If you’re going to excoriate people for doing things in a civilized manner it doesn’t really matter how your defective brain comes to the conclusion that promoting violence would be an option. Your position is truly laughable.
28,000 deaths might as well be 28 million. Until most of those people are white, the US will not budge.
“Holy Smokes. I wonder how much the violence in Mexico plays in the large number of undocumented and illegal aliens entering the US from Mexico. I can’t blame a family for leaving a country over run by thugs. What would you do?
Rev.sLeezy
”
(MPP, Please pay attention to this theory I have. )
Rev sLeezy, Im glad you brought that up. It is important to note that there is a HUGE immigration problem in the US, most with immigrants coming from Mexico.
Americans constantly complain about the immigration problem, but no of them stand to ask “Why are people leaving Mexico.” Is it because America is the greatest country ever? No, it is because there is no jobs in Mexico. Why is there no jobs in Mexico? Because the economy is bad. Ok. Why is the economy bad in Mexico? Because the Government in Mexico is corrupt.
For example 2 terms ago, the Persident of Mexico was involved in a scam (he never got investigated he’s immune to persecution). Such scam involved removing gold from the Federal Reserve, devaluating the peso. The entire Mexican currency was replaced.
Simply put, the Mexican Government is corrupt. The police is corrupt. It’s easy to get your way through bribes. It is a bribe culture – with politicians and police alike. This has become common place because drug cartels bribe people. One Billion dollars is a lot of money in Mexico. You can control the entire police for of one single state for example with that kind of cash.
Drug trade has de-stabilized Mexico; I think I read a money article once that says it afects the national economic growth DIRECTLY about 1% of a point, where the actual growth is 4% could be 5%!!! (That’s a lot of money if you know economics)
Drug trade, namely marijuana trade has made Mexico a place that is no suitable to live for a lot of Mexicans. Cartels corrupt, they extort, kidnap, kill and murder and people are not having it.
You will also notice many illegal immigrants are farmers out of a job. What is Mexico’s number one cash crop?
What job do you think we can give all these out of work farmers in Mexico if weed was legal, and our SS will never see a dime out of these people. Think about it.
-Ben
Duncan20903
I agree with your statements on Jim. I actually laughed when i read his comments in our previous tangle because he revealed to me why its pointless to argue with him. He is like my best friend in some respects he beleives the most outlandish things with few facts to back them up. Set in his stuborness that he is right and all others that disagree with his views are idiots and a waste of space. Its ok though ill be called an illiterate pussy for my views on jim which i will laugh at. The thing that really gets me is how quick he is to start name calling etc when someone disagrees with him. I guess some people never grow up. Jim it’s time to leave neverland your views would do far more harm than good for the legalization of MJ.
it really makes me sick to fight againist politicians who “think” they know what is best for ME!!! god dammit it’s getting to the fucking borderline for alot of us!!!
Why are all of you people hating on Jim Lunsford, is it because you know he is right and refuse to believe it?
Take a look around people. This country has turned to shit and everyone knows it. Im sure our forefathers are turning in their graves.
This country wasn’t founded on peace it was founded on war and violence. Violence against your oppressors not violence against your people, there is a difference.
I say to you Duncan20903, do you think your founding fathers brains were defective because they promoted violence. Those same “defective” brains wrote the declaration of independence, or have you forgotten that. They turned to violence because it worked and they had no other fast solution to end the tyranny.
Prohibition was just among the first of many steps, and quite possibly the biggest, our government has taken to oppress the people of this country. For over 70 years the people have tried to go the legal route to get prohibition reversed, AND IT WON’T WORK. The system is designed to make sure that won’t happen.
In the meantime they just continue to spit and laugh in our faces for trying. They continue to arrest, murder, and steal from the hardworking people of this country all because everyone is too afraid to grow a pair and stand up to them.
Everyone is so afraid of what they might lose if they do something about it, well you should be more afraid of what you WILL lose if we continue to do nothing.
Yes, You are correct. Gil K is paid to LIE. Government is helping grow heroin and selling it in the US and then busting us. I can’t believe they ship it in and then bust people for it. Would Gil K lie about this? Watch it to the end. See Geraldo Rivera
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WcuYafh1ek
Mark is right. Focus People.
The DEA just needs to be educated. Some or most are just doing their job to pay the bills with. It’s the idiots in charge that are the problem. Believe me some are dedicated servants of the people. The other are all about job security. The ones running it make the big bucks you know. Mr. Drug Czar and company .You need to quit your jobs or reroute its responsibility to breaking up the dangerous drug rings by first cutting off it’s financial support of the Illegal Drug Trade by calling off the war on drugs there by there by taking away their highly (no pun intended) fertile grounds that they use to make their most profit (60% I understand is made by marijuana).Take away the money.Take away the support. Simple it seems to me. You break up 60% of anybody’s market be it legal or not is like the companies stock dropping by more than half. Cut off the snakes head. Legalize marijuana , now.
christine, I don’t usually pay much attention to Alex Jones as I think he is alittle off his rocker, JMO, but the video in your link is a good one thank you for sharing it.
I’m starting to get frustrated with everybody attacking Jim’s position on this situation.
How can any of you say that violence is not a solution when the government has been using violence to beat us into sumbission for decades? The government achieved exactly what they wanted, people are scared to stand up and fight for the right.
Another point, we keep saying how can government continue the same failed policy against drugs and expect different results. How let’s think about this for a moment. How are we any different? For the past 70 years, we been debating the issue, we been educating the public, we been bringing out the facts to support our cause and with what results? Canabis is still illegal. So isn’t it fair to say that we also keep doing same shit and expecting different results?
I agree with Jim completely. You have to take yourself seriously before the government will take you seriously. Our talk falls on deaf ears, the government has no reason to listen to us. But I bet if we get organized and arm ourselves, that will catch the attention of the government pretty quick.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. Throughout history, the opressed ALWAYS ALWAYS took back their freedom and their rights through violent uprisings and revolutions.
So all your pacifists should really open your minds before you write off Jim as some radical maniac.
At least he’s got the balls to stand up for what he believes in.
Free The Weed. Free The People.
Guys, this back-and-forth is getting a little out of hand (and, frankly, very old). Please stop the personal attacks and calls for violence immediately, or we’ll have to start censoring posts. We want to keep this an open and civil forum, and we need your cooperation in order to do that. Thanks.
I enjoy reading the weekly MPP emails informing us of all the progress made in the Med/Decrim/Legalization movement. Sometimes I google the relevant topics to read news articles from the TV channels/newspapers local to the areas where this progress is going on. Many of the states in the Northeast now have Medical Dispensary legislation approved, and while I was recently visiting my father in Maine, the new state regulation committee made their selection for approved dispensary operators (kudos to Mike for reporting it!). Locally, I work in Philadelphia, and one day a few months ago heard on the radio while driving to work that some city law enforcement officials had met and decided to decriminalize marijuana in the city to save money and cut court backlog. That effort was reportedly largely due to the work of a single NORML activist. Progress across the US is a reality! Most larger cities have some activist activity going on (many orgs besides just MPP and NORML) and some have annual 420 marches/parades (you know, the peaceful kind that are tolerated by law enforcement). Ending prohibition is the sensible way to go, both here and in Mexico.
I can’t help but wonder. since both sides of the two headed coin, known to you and I as the Democrats and Republicans are so damn eager to keep the borders open and the smuggling routs in tact. If they are not receiving large amounts of campaign contrabutions from the Mexician cartels. I’m sure the cartels are invested in corperations that could easily be used to funnel funds to political organizations here in the U.S.. In my openion when you legislate some ones morality you do so at cost of thier liberty. Perhaps we should all do alittle digging to see what we can uncover. After all the is the age unlimited information.
Guys we can fix this hole marijuana problem it is so easy
RON PAUL 2012
Robert I am with you 100% on Ron Paul for 2012, but Im not sure he would really be able to do anything as I feel the president is nothing more than a puppet lately. And I don’t just mean Obama. We all know that the people don’t really even decide who the president is but actually it is the electoral college who decides. Furthermore the electoral college does not have to place their votes in line with the will of the people in each state. In other words the people have long since been stripped of their power, that is until we really do something about it.
The United States will be the last totalitarian, terrorist hell hole on earth to legalize the Creator’s gift cannabis.
All the blood shed by the drug war (war on freedom) is on the hands of America.
What good does prohibition do to our society? Answer: It creates an indefinite amount of demand and crime.
So….who benefits from it?
DRUG WAR!
What is it good for?
Absolutely Nothin’!
Say it again, Yall!
Every body call or write your representatives and ask them where they stand on the Marijuana issue, both medical and for personal use.
Once you have their answer on that then ask them where they stand on other issues. This will help us weed out the liars.
Remember cannabis is not the only issue but it is quite possibly the biggest one at hand. Once we have our right to Cannabis back everything else will start falling in place, it WILL completely fix this country
Terrorism is also fueled by drug money, if the idiots running the US would get their head out of each others arse, they would realize the time is long over due.
i begged mpp to stop endorsing obama early in the primary phase of the election. they said they weren’t endorsing anybody, but simply not using the word “endorse” doesn’t mean they weren’t doing just that. i told them he’s a liar and a fraud, but they kept pushing his sorry butt on an unsuspecting public. that’s when i quit supporting them. ron paul was the only candidate who has pushed for years to stop this war on our own citizens. it’s a war that has not and will not be won and which destroys lives and families. great job mpp. NOT!!!!
Barbm,
If its not Obama its the conservatives who are brazenly anti-science on anything they think clashes with their ideology.
the 2-party system is broken. look to the constitution, libertarian, and other parties for more middle-of-the-road candidates who might be able to pull us together and save us from the dems and reps.
Why does everyone keep pointing at the next election?
Fire them now.
Literally. For your state of birth and wherever you may have become a legal resident of.
Back to basics. Send a signed, notarised and recorded Notice or, alternatively, Vote of No Confidence, to your Representatives. Explain, in whatever amount of detail, that they no longer may act as agents on your behalf. Their services are not required, their decisions will not be honored: be as descriptive [but non-threatening] as needed. Look at your local laws/statutes in re: legal/lawful notice. Be sure to send it Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested. Publish your Notice, or Vote of No Confidence, in the legal section of your local paper or as otherwise required.
Feel free to act as a shareholder in the Corporate State of America. And from Obama on down, remember this:
US Supreme Court in Luther v. Borden, 48 US 1, 12 L.Ed. 581 (1841):
“… The governments are but trustees acting under derived authority and have no power to delegate what is not delegated to them. But the people, as the original fountain might take away what they have delegated and intrust to whom they please. …The sovereignty in every state resides in the people of the state and they may alter and change their form of government at their own pleasure.”
I am just sick of the whole scandals. I am just watching the vote for marijuana to become legal in California, the feds are going to step in and then what will Cali do? Nothing. Because they haven’t thought this thing thru. I am still in shock our pres lied BIG to get elected.
We got to out spend our Goverment in order toget any thing done !
[...] are the cartels that heavily influence the market and bring death to our borders and our inner cities. They are the [...]
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