cannabisnews.com: Bush Defends Choice for Drug Fight Chief 





Bush Defends Choice for Drug Fight Chief 
Posted by FoM on May 10, 2001 at 16:45:45 PT
By Sonya Ross, Associated Press
Source: Boston.com
President Bush chose John P. Walters, a get-tough figure from the drug wars of his father's presidency, to lead a renewed narcotics battle that he promised would be sensitive to the ''human tragedy'' of drug addiction. Bush's announcement Thursday drew immediate objections from several groups who contended Walters cares little about drug treatment and will return to lock-'em-up policies of the 1980s. And that, in turn, annoyed Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, who said Bush fully intends ''a total frontal assault against drug abuse'' through a combination of rehabilitation, education and interdiction. 
''I'd tell those cynics out there, look at what the president has been trying to do. Listen to what's said. And just get out of our way if you're going to be a cynic, and let us do our job,'' Thompson said. Bush announced his selection of Walters as director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy during a Rose Garden ceremony, and said he would keep the post Cabinet-level. In a tacit rebuke of his predecessor, Bill Clinton, the president said too little had been done lately to curb the drug use that had been declining among high school students in the 1980s and early 1990s. ''We had made tremendous strides in cutting drug use. This cannot be said today,'' Bush said. ''We must do, and will do, a better job.'' Walters pledged to protect children, help drug addicts and ''shield our communities from the terrible human toll taken by illegal drugs.'' Advocacy groups were deeply suspicious. They noted that the drug policy office oversees more than $19 billion in anti-drug programs, working with dozens of agencies, while Bush's budget proposal for fiscal 2002 seeks $1.6 billion for treatment programs. ''Everything about John Walters' past record suggests that he believes drug policy has nothing to do with science or public health. It's all about punishing people for their sins,'' said Ethan Nadelmann, director of the Lindesmith Center, a New York-based drug policy research institute. Walters was the drug policy office's deputy director for supply reduction when it was headed by William Bennett during the administration of former President Bush. Walters has stressed the importance of criminal penalties for drug users and opposed the use of marijuana for medical purposes. He also has favored the drug certification program, in which nations are judged by their anti-drug efforts, a sore point in U.S.-Mexican relations. Walters is president of the Philanthropy Roundtable, a national donors group. He co-authored a book with Bennett and John DiIulio Jr., ''Body Count: Moral Poverty and How to Win America's War Against Crime and Drugs.'' Bill Zimmerman, director of the Campaign for New Drug Policies, called Walters' appointment ''a thumb in the eye'' to voters in 17 states who, over the past year, favored issues ranging from medical use of marijuana to using seized drug proceeds for drug treatment, rather than law enforcement. Bush defended Walters during a visit later Thursday to an anti-drug community program in a Washington suburb, saying he ''understands the need to reduce demand'' through treatment. ''The most effective way to reduce the supply of drugs in America is to reduce the demand for drugs in America,'' Bush said. ''Therefore, this administration will focus unprecedented attention on the demand side of this problem.'' Besides Walters, Bush announced a series of Cabinet reviews to determine the effectiveness of current federal anti-drug efforts. He categorically rejected the idea of legalizing drugs as ''a social catastrophe'' that would undermine efforts to teach children that drug use is wrong. Also, the White House revealed that Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were among 650 new White House employees who took required drug tests in January. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said 127 White House staffers have been randomly tested since the initial round of examinations, ''and there are no problems that have been brought to anybody's attention.'' Bush directed DiIulio, who heads the White House Office of Community and Faith-Based Initiatives, to review existing federal partnerships with local organizations that do anti-drug work. He asked Thompson to do a state-by-state evaluation of current treatment needs, and Attorney General John Ashcroft to look into making prisons drug-free, including expanded drug testing of those on parole or probation. Nadelmann said he anticipates that Bush would take some sort of moderate action to counteract opposition to Walters, such as proposing changes to mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes. Fleischer told reporters Thursday that mandatory minimum sentences would be an aspect of Ashcroft's review. On the Net: Office of National Drug Control Policy: http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/ Pew Research Center, for drug survey data: http://www.people-press.org/drugs01rpt.htm Source: Boston.com (MA)Author: Sonya Ross, Associated PressPublished: May 10, 2001Copyright: 2001 Boston Globe Electronic Publishing, Inc. Website: http://www.boston.com/Feedback: http://www.boston.com/help/feedback.shtmlRelated Articles & Web Sites:TLC - DPFhttp://www.lindesmith.org/Campaign for New Drug Policieshttp://www.drugreform.org/Philanthropy Roundtablehttp://www.philanthropyroundtable.org/Bush Names Drug Policy Director http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9658.shtmlBush To Name Walters as Drug Czarhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9654.shtml
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Comment #8 posted by Rambler on May 11, 2001 at 13:10:51 PT
names
yea,gimme anther hit off Walter,the Hutch is clogged,and the waterneeds changing.
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Comment #7 posted by Sayyo on May 11, 2001 at 12:58:25 PT
The William Bennet
I used to have a home-made hooka: a big ol' green bottle once filled with cheap wine, the two-holed stopper, rubber tube - kind of a classic. Then, William Bennett was appointed "Drug Czar". Czar Bennet grunted and squealed so much! I found a picture of William Bennet (mouth open, of course), and taped it to the hooka. from then on, the hooka's name was "The William Bennett". Every time that hypocrite windbag would start flapping his jaw on TV, we'd turn down the sound. And fire up. Fire up The William Bennett. Bennett would pontificate on TV, but in my home, he'd always be "fuming" and bubbling out a happy refrain. I think it is time for "The John P. Walters" to begin his fuming and bubbly career. 
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Comment #6 posted by Jeaneous on May 11, 2001 at 12:41:45 PT:
e-mail representatives
I received this e-mail alert and thought I would pass it on. We have to make a stand now. This man is a danger to society. DRCNet opposes the nomination of John Walters for theoffice of Director of the US Office of National DrugControl Policy (the "drug czar"), and ask you to contactyour Senators and ask them to vote NO on this nomination.Please visit http://www.stopthedrugwar.org/walters/ to sende-mail or faxes to the Senate. When you are done, pleasecall your two Senators on the phone as well, and use thetell-a-friend form on our web site or forward this alert tospread the word.
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Comment #5 posted by kaptinemo on May 11, 2001 at 04:21:40 PT:
Getting down to the wire, folks.
"''I'd tell those cynics out there, look at what the president has been trying to do. Listen to what's said. And just get out of our way if you're going to be a cynic, and let us do our job,'' Thompson said."If a man is Hell-bent on running off of a cliff, and you try to stop him from such a rash action, and he repeats the same sentiments as Mr. Thompson has...what do you do?If you happen to be chained to such a nutcase, you better try to dissuade him from jumping. And get some help from your neighbors, who may not see the same chains attached to them, but they are there, nonetheless.Friends, none of this is written in stone. More like poured concrete. It hasn't set, yet. Contact your Congresscritters and Sin-a-tors and let 'em know you what you think of the Prez's choice for Drug Lemming. And that you aren't going over the cliff with him.Otherwise...I am reminded of the fact that when the Hitler was elected to power, people had wondered whether all that anti-Semitic stuff was just BS. He was just blowing off steam, talking through his navel; he couldn't really mean it, right? But with each new anti-Jew law, each new turn of the screw, the truth became evident that he did mean what he said. He meant every word.And the luckiest Jews were the one who refused to delude themselves any longer about his intentions...and left.Pray God we don't have to learn that lesson. But be prepared.
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Comment #4 posted by The GCW on May 10, 2001 at 19:02:10 PT
 ...a total rear assault...included.
quote: "annoyed Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, who said Bush fully intends ''a total frontal assault",I am more worried about an assault on my rear! A total rear assault, I'm sure is also in the planned perpetuation. 
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Comment #3 posted by Rambler on May 10, 2001 at 18:59:27 PT
sonuvabitch!
Consider this statement coming from an elected official:>''I'd tell those cynics out there, look at what the president has been trying to do. Listen to what's said. And just get out of our way if you're going to be a cynic, and let us do our job,'' Thompson said. "What has the president "been trying to do"?"just get out of our way"  WHAT?"let us do our job"??  What job, and who asked you to do it?
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on May 10, 2001 at 18:17:52 PT
I heard Walters Say
I heard Walters say that if a person needs to lose weight you don't put pizza in front of them. (Close to what he said. I'm not good at quotes) Sounds good. I think that makes sense BUT we don't lock up people who need to lose weight if they eat a pizza! That's the difference and I wish they'd get it.
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Comment #1 posted by Robbie on May 10, 2001 at 17:41:33 PT
bushwhacked
''The most effective way to reduce the supply of drugs in America is to reduce the demand for drugs in America,''Now there's a brilliant bit of logic, eh? Er, oh George...? Without demand there is no supply problem. You think that telling the people about reducing supply will fake them out when it comes to "demand reduction." Hell, the only reason you keep spouting this "emphasis on treatment/demand reduction" theme is so that you can spend some face time on that while you funnel most of the money to your buddies at the DEA and Texas Rangers (LEO's)Bush said. ''Therefore, this administration will focus unprecedented attention on the demand side of this problem.'' Unprecedented since when...yesterday? You propose $1.6 billion over 5 years, eh? Hmm...1.6 divided by 5: that's a little over $300 million a year increase in treatment over those 5 years. Hmmm...$300 million ($.3 billion) divided by a $19.2 billion Wo(s)D budget... Wow George! That's a whopping ONE and a HALF PERCENT INCREASE!Your compassionate conservatism overwhelms me.[Just saw ABC's rendition of the Bush announcement and all I can say is, do we really need ABC, CBS, and NBC to continue as "news" organizations. Catch Mathea Falco on PBS Newshour if you can...she does very well against a know-nothing prohib]
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