Pubdate: Tue, 17 Oct 2000
Date: 10/17/2000
Source: Des Moines Register (IA)
Author: Carl E. Olsen
Authors: Carl E. Olsen
Note: Title supplied by MAP

George W. Bush blames the Clinton administration for failed drug
policies and says more drug agents and a Parents Drug Corps will cure
the problem. The drug war certainly is a failure, but not for the
reasons Bush thinks it is.

Bush has repeatedly refused to talk about his past drug use, asking
people to judge him on his accomplishments rather than his failures.
That's nice for Bush, but what about everyone else?  A lot of people
have used drugs while at the same time accomplishing great things.

Bush would have these people treated like criminals while asking us to
forgive him for his past indiscretions.  The truth is, if Bush had
been caught and arrested for using drugs he would not be running for
president of the United States today.

I really doubt that Bush is going to do any better than the Clinton
administration has done.  A little honesty might accomplish something,
but more of the same rhetoric we've been subjected to for the past 30
years isn' t going to get us anywhere we haven't already been.

Carl E. Olsen
Des Moines