Friday Quick Hits

Pushingback- “If we accept addiction, the addicts win”
Pushingback.com is outraged at the idea of a safe injection clinic in San Francisco. They even borrow some War on Terror rhetoric. If we accept addiction, and quit arresting users, the addicts win.

Bertha Madras, deputy director of demand reduction for the White House Office of
National Drug Control Policy, called San Francisco’s consideration of such a
facility “disconcerting” ‘We accept drug addiction, we accept the state of
affairs as acceptable,’ Madras said. “This is a form of giving up.”

Pushingback has the audacity to champion the virtues of drug treatment. When the DEA kicks in your door it is not to take you to treatment. When your assets are seized in federal court they are not used for rehab.

Dallas Officer Shot Serving Warrant On Millionaire Meth Dealer

DMN has a follow up story on a Dallas SWAT officer who was shot serving a warrant. The warrant was for Clayton “C-man” Sharpless. Apparantely “C-man” was part of a multimillion-dollar methamphetamine and cocaine distribution ring.

Federal prosecutors have charged Mr. Sharpless and about a dozen others with conspiring to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine and more than 5 kilograms of cocaine. The indictment also seeks a judgment of $16.38 million that authorities say the defendants have collected during their dealings.

Any corporation would easily put “C-Man” and other organized criminals out of business. However, we have chosen cop shooting felons as our suppliers of meth and cocaine. Why do we give multi million dollar monopolies to criminals like “C-Man”? We can choose new suppliers at any time.

Ron Paul Introduces “Freedom Agenda” Bill
This Tuesday, Ron Paul introduced House Bill 3835, to “restore the Constitution’s checks and balances and protect against government abuses as envisioned by the Founding Fathers”. The bill outlaws tortue, illegal evidence, and protects jounralists, inter alia. Read it, Support it, Call your Congressman and make the vote for it.

Timely Debates from Business Week
Business Week has a great series of debates available for download. Here is Internet Gambling Here is Universal Health Care