Cashing In On The Drug War
Mike Riggs writes in reason on four industries getting rich on the War on Drugs:
4.) The Drug Testing IndustryOne of the highlights of President Barack Obama's 2012 Drug Control Policy report is a section encouraging drug-free workplace programs, which the report touts as "beneficial for our labor force, employers, families, and communities in general." The report also alludes to the administration's commitment to funding research for an oral drug test that can be conducted alongside a urine analysis.
An entire testing industry helped make those policies a reality, and is pushing for their expansion. One industry group, the Drugs of Abuse Testing Coalition, has spent $90,000 already in 2011-2012 lobbying for "Medicare reimbursement codes and payment rates for qualitative drug screen testing."
The "alcohol industry," "the private prison industry," and "the addiction recovery industry" are others.
The entire Progressive agenda seems to generate a lot of jobs for otherwise unemployable Progressives. The more vociferous a Progressive is, the more likely they are to be employed creating some form of progress. (In exchange for a paycheck.)
Conservatives and Libertarians are mostly amateurs who have real jobs that have little or no direct connection with their politics.
This is why so many on the Left view politics as life itself, it is what they do for a living one way or another.
Old Guy at April 24, 2012 8:24 AM
Hey, Old Guy, first of all, the drug war is not really part of the "Progressive Agenda." It's really one of those issues where many people's positions on it do not necessarily correspond to whether they're on the "left" or the "right." Although if I had to guess, I'd say that Conservatives tend to be more anti-drugs than Liberals.
Regardless though, if you have an argument to make, make an argument. Your ad-hominem attacks on "Progressives" doesn't advance the discussion at all. You wouldn't say that the only reason soldiers support freedom is because they protect freedom for a living would you?
clinky at April 24, 2012 1:32 PM
Old Guy makes an excellent point. After all, it is a liberal mantra that "politics is personal" and a lot of "progressives" take it to heart.
On topic, the government will still heavily regulate (and tax and tax and tax) legalized drugs so I don't see the drug testing, private prison, or addiction-recovery industries falling on hard times if drugs are legalized. They'd just as likely expand. And assuming that legalized drugs will somehow replace alcohol is a big assumption. Alcohol industry: Not In Trouble.
AMartel at April 24, 2012 2:44 PM
The "alcohol industry,"
A "simple" .06 DUI (Two glasses of wine at 120 lbs.) is about a minimum of $1,500.
Break the .08 and that is about $2500 minimum.
Remember HOTSU. He (the gov) Out To Screw yoU.
Good luck.
Anonymous Coward at April 24, 2012 10:17 PM
> Break the .08 and that is about $2500 minimum.
I love harsh drunk driving laws. Lives are saved.
> The "alcohol industry," "the private prison
> industry," and "the addiction recovery industry"
> are others.
See, now, we were talking about this a few weeks ago. One of the things people say we'll do with the resources freed by the end of drug war is offer treatment...
But treatment is inexpensive, often ineffective, and still more of an intrusion in people's lives than many libertarians are inclined to support.
I don't have any bright ideas about this. I hate hate hate the War on Drugs and I hate the deleterious effects of drug-taking. Given the choice, I'd let druggies zombify their own brains... But even then, the decent people in the surrounding community would become responsible for them.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at April 24, 2012 11:39 PM
Ummm... the "drug testing industry" isn't going anywhere, no matter what is legalized, because of the need to be sure of some employees and the treatment of offenders. Are tests overused? Maybe. I'd adore you if you could show that a worker is actually better under the influence of the something you want to legalize than off it. Even coffee gets out of hand.
Radwaste at April 25, 2012 2:35 AM
Hey, Old Guy, first of all, the drug war is not really part of the "Progressive Agenda." It's really one of those issues where many people's positions on it do not necessarily correspond to whether they're on the "left" or the "right." Although if I had to guess, I'd say that Conservatives tend to be more anti-drugs than Liberals.
Which Liberals are pro drug? Other than a few outliers, both parties love the drug war. It is a political free lunch. Telling people what they can and can't do for their own good because we know better is the core belief of Progressivism. One of the reasons there is so much overlap on stuff like that is because most Republicans are Progressives. They just operate from a different viewpoint.
The real duality in the US is not Left vs Right or Democrat vs Republican, but Progressive vs Libertarian. The Left & Right only differ in their lists of the forbidden and mandatory, but they are in firm agreement that all wisdom emanates from them, and this higher wisdom entitles them to rule us Proles, for our own good of course.
Old Guy at April 25, 2012 11:30 AM
Old Guy, I like you. Have we fought about anything yet? Can I date your little sister?
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at April 25, 2012 12:04 PM
I expect private firms to take advantage of free or coerced money. More troubling to me is the effect of the "drug war" and the "war on terror" on the size and reach of regulators' and enforcers' agencies. I'd like to live in a freer country again.
Lou Skannen at April 25, 2012 1:46 PM
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