European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 12, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 columns the stars and stripes tuesday september 12,1989 Anthony Lewis drug speech Short on realism Long on politics a president who was serious in declaring a new War on drugs would do at least these things make a commitment to provide treatment for addicts who want to go pc up the habit millions of whom cannot now get into treatment programs. Propose plans and Money to reduce demand begetting at the causes of americans lust for drugs. Recognize candidly that expensive efforts to Stop the flow of drugs into the United states have been worthless and that interdiction can never be very successful. Make no promises without committing the funds to pay for them. Those arc the tests applied by drug experts right across the country the men and women fighting the menace on the ground. They know the kind of commit ment needed to Deal with it. President Bush met none of those tests last strategy he announced for the War on drugs was virtually empty of new Money realism or it was Long on was politics. The president put overwhelming emphasis on inter diction and Law enforcement which have been the main . Answers to the drug problem Over the Las decade. In that time supplies of cocaine entering the country have increased so much that the Street value of a Kil Ogram has fallen from $60,000 to $ 10,000. Every decent person wants to Sec the drug lord broken everyone applauds the courage of the colom Bian government in fighting the Medellin Cartel. Bueno one who has dealt with the problem really believes that supplies can be Cut off. Cocaine is too easy to produce and to transport. New suppliers will arise in new places before Long. Moreover All out military action of the Kin Bush has hinted at to Stop coca production in South America would risk bringing the coca growing peas ants into revolutionary movements like Peru s shining Bennett s draft of the drug plan recognized that eradication of coca crops could sometimes be self defeating driving Farmers into the ranks of anti Govch mint but that passage was deleted. Law abiding americans Are angry at drug dealer Sand users. They naturally like politicians who talk about ruthless War on drug Barons about More prison Sand Tough Law enforcement. That is what Bush did. At the american legion convention the president said some who criticized his drug program As insufficient were the very people who oppose the death penalty. It s that kind of thinking that s lost too Many Battles already. So let s not let these critics lose the trouble is that the military rhetoric docs not Helen Thomas Pont fire til w see the Whites of their i noses actually solve the american drug problem the word sin the White House have Tut about nothing Loilo with the reality on the ground that was nude powerfully dear b a no York. I Imes reporter John Kifner. Who visited the South hum after the president s speech last week Anil rep word he and heard crack and heroin were on Aunkist openly the police saw what was a pts eng hut Felt from experience that arresting even significant numbers Wou have no effect there s a Muth nones in drugs .1 detective said. Due of the drug men old Kifner he there s no work. You go look of for a Job. Thev wan Lopa s $3.5 1 an hour. New s Ork s expensive Man you can live on the Bree a that s a we re Selling drugs " the conservatives who been in Power under Ronald Reagan and i Coric hush preach a Good Deal about inc Power of economic motivation. But somehow the to no see to when it comes to drugs Thev do not Rcv Ogni a Fiat social and economic measures to reduce the Appeal of drugs May work bet Ter than a or perhaps they arc afraid to say so. The economist of London which knows the unite suites belter than any other foreign journal is not afraid. In its Issue of sept. 2 it Analysed at length America s National curse of drugs and drug financed crime " it concluded that the attempt to prohibit drug should be replaced by a regime of regulation and Taxa Tion Lacap Gin ravaged Britain in the 18th Century noted. 1 he. Answer was not to prohibit it but to control the Sale and tax it to raise the Price. Americ tried prohibition and it was a disaster. Repression however vigorous cannot win the War against the economist said. Legalizing the Natle would be risky. Prohibition is worse than that kind of talk is too dangerous for american politicians now. But at least they could Stop talking cynically about winning a War on drugs. New Yore times it s difficult to put Bush in a political pigeonhole president Bush is difficult to pigeonhole politically in comparison with former president Reagan. Thai s because Bush has held contradictory positions through the years on the equal rights amendment abortion and other issues and voodoo economics a term he later regretted he coined. At present the president is a conserva Tive a position he earned after flailing liberals throughout his Campaign. But unlike Reagan he is not set in Concrete. Reagan entered the White House wit fixed ideas. And except in East West re lations when he grew to know and like soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev slightly dissipating his View of the evil Empire Reagan still remained Reagan. After he left office he continued lec Turing on issues that fell dead in the water during his presidency such As the line item veto and school prayer. It is True that Reagan was once a Democrat until As he would put it he saw the Light and switched parties. Bush has always been a Republican but he has moved from the Middle to the right when it has been politically expedient. Since he wants to he Kinder and gent Ler than his predecessor there is some question As to was he did not weigh i before. Reagan said on innumerable occasions during the la is Campaign thai Bush As vice president was in on Ever major decision Reagan made As presi Dent. And yet there is nothing in the eight years of the Reagan administration that pinpoints Bush s contribution lie travelled the world Over some 75 coun tries during his eight years in the no. Spot. He dutifully made speeches throughout the country always following the administration line. Only when he became president did he apparently feel that he could become his own Man. Now the question is where docs he stand in the political spectrum. Before his association with Reagan and the political winds blew to inc right Bush was. Viewed As a moderate almost a Rocke Feller in style. But he became a convert under Reagan. In the presidency Bush who served Inmany government posts during his Ca reer has not singled out the Federal As a favorite whipping Hoy As did , who blamed main of the nation s ills on Washington. He has used kid gloves to Deal with , shunning confrontation and sometimes Bow ing to the Ines i Tahti t a like Reagan he has made bipartisanship particularly in foreign of Laus. A Cornerstone of his administration seeking Compromise and not being Loo Oll ended if he does t get his Way entirely. On some issues like a constitutional amendment Banning Flag burning he save he has visceral feelings and no arguments on inc other Side such As tampering with the first amendment can shake him. On that score he would stand foursquare with Reagan. Reagan he is strongly opposed to abortion. Hut he docs not sup port the intrusion in abortion clinics Bypro life proc slurs. Reagan never condemned inc attacks on the clinics. But on that score Reagan Loo did turnabout on abortion. As governor of California he signed one of the nation most Liberal Laws on the Issue. In some ways Bush has it easier than Reagan. Bush has to contend Only wit two democratic leaders on Capitol Hill speaker Thomas Foley and Senate majority Leader George Mitchell who arc bold known for being reasonable non confrontational cautious and temperamentally Low key. In contrast Reagan had to go toe tote Wilh former speaker Thomas o n Eill who tried to keep his Finger in the Dike As Reagan sought to tear Down the Liberal programs of the past. At times Oneill appeared to be standing alone confronting inc Reagan steamroller in the Early 80s. Bush has told reporters he sees no Merit in name calling or an abrasive relationship with Congress since the opposition controls both Short he is More willing to play Ball and to Bend a Little to prolong the Long honeymoon he has had. Halett Lanui it up we Houm a Porter the opinions expressed in the column Sand cartoons on this Page represent those of the authors and Are in no Way to reconsidered As representing the views of the Stan and stripes or the unite states government
