JUST SAYING NO TO THE DRUG WAR

One of the important realignment issues for American politics is the
wasteful, fraud-ridden, money-sucking, liberty-invading, anti-privacy,
minority-oppressing drug war that is so beloved by Bush, Gore, and the full
leadership of both parties -- and so detested by conservatives,
libertarians, populists, liberals, and other people of common sense.

In November, the people pounded the tinhorn generals of drug-war
repression, winning sweeping victories in five states that held votes to
free people from the loopiness of these so-called warriors.

Two more states, Colorado and Nevada, joined the six that already have
authorized seriously ill people to use marijuana for medical purposes under
a doctor's guidance.

The U.S. "Drug Czar," General Barry McCaffrey foamed at the mouth against
both of these initiatives, but 54 percent of Coloradans said "yes" and 65
percent of those radical Nevadans approved.

Two other states, Oregon and Utah, rose up to stop the notorious "assets
forfeiture" outrage used by national, state, and local cops in the name of
fighting drugs.

This dictum comes right out of the playbook of King George III and other
tyrants, authorizing police to seize cars, cash, homes, and other property
of people who happen to be in the vicinity of a drug investigation -- even
if they are not charged with a crime, much less convicted. Tens of millions
of dollars are reaped annually by police authorities, who are allowed to
keep the seized assets of even innocent citizens. No longer can cops do it
in Oregon, though, where 66 percent of voters said "get outta here,"
requiring that a citizen first has to be convicted of a crime involving
their property before the property can be grabbed. Even then, the seized
loot goes not to the gendarmes, but to drug treatment programs.

Meanwhile, in hard-core, conservative, Morman Utah, the vote was even more
emphatic, with 69 percent favoring the initiative to require a crime before
any forfeiture takes place, and with all seized-property proceeds going to
the state's school fund.

The most significant turnaround in drug policy came with Proposition 36 in
California, which at least begins to treat drug addiction (just as we do
with nicotine and alcohol addiction) as a health problem, not as a jailable
crime. It allocates $120 million a year to drug treatment options,
including not only medical programs, but also job and literacy training and
family counseling. This initiative is projected to divert 24,000 nonviolent
drug users and 12,000 parole violators from jail to treatment each year,
saving taxpayers more than $125 million in annual prison costs and $475
million in new prison construction. This helps explain why 61 percent of
California voters supported Prop 36 -- a bigger percentage than Al Gore got.

Then there's the decriminalization issue.

In Mendocino County, up in Northern California's "Golden Herb" district, 58
percent of voters rallied to decriminalize marijuana growing -- Measure G
provided that any adult can grow 25 marijuana plants for personal use. In
an act of civic chutzpah, the measure also directs the county sheriff and
prosecutor to make marijuana crimes their LAST priority, and it directs
county officials to seek an end to state and federal marijuana laws. OK,
you say, that's Crazy California -- but what about Alaska? Having already
okayed medical use of marijuana, this supposedly conservative state had
Measure 5 on the ballot, which not only would have decriminalized marijuana
use by adults, but also would have granted amnesties to people previously
convicted of nonviolent marijuana "crimes." It went further.

Measure 5 would have appointed a state panel to consider reparations for
those who've been harmed by marijuana prohibition. Yes, it failed ... but
40 percent of voters were for it!

The citizens are way ahead of the politicians on the need to rein in the
authoritarian zealots who are trampling liberties, destroying lives,
denying treatment to dying and suffering people, and profiteering in the
name of fighting drugs.

With last year's sweeping victories, 17 out of 19 reform initiatives have
passed around the country in the last four years.

This excerpt from If the Gods Had Meant Us To Vote, They'd Have Given Us
Candidates is copyrighted by HarperCollins Publishers:

In all of these burgeoning efforts for insurgent Democrats, the New Party,
Working Families, Greens, the Labor Party, state and local initiatives, and
other determined rebellions against politics as usual, there is a new pool
of exciting candidates, experienced and trained organizers, fresh political
advocates, and renewed civic energy.

Here is our strength, gaining ground mostly below the media's radar,
raising real issues and steadily advancing a new politics of substance and
passion.

At the level of two-party presidential politics, Election 2000 was an empty
and alienating exercise, but the giant is starting to stir, and the
possibility of having a national election that matters is not as far off as
the Powers That Be would have us believe. Keep agitating.