President Obama is Beating the GOPers at their own game..Reducing Gov't

[RainDog]

3. cool. he should close down the Drug Czar's palace

aka The Office of National Drug Control Policy

This is a govt. expansion program started by Ronald Raygun and resulted in govt waste and failure. It is a propaganda arm of the govt., and really has no useful function other than to provide some beltway insider a big salary and title.

Health and Human Services can handle the issue of drug abuse harm reduction. The FDA and DEA can handle their jobs - honestly, this is just bureaucratic pork.

via wiki - As of 2011, the ONDCP is requesting funding for 98 full time employees, 64 (65.31%) of whom would be paid at either GS-15, GS-14, or SES pay grades, or more than $105,211.00 yearly, being adjusted for Washington, D.C. cost of living expenses.[7]

I will not, of course, hold my breath waiting for this to happen.

In addition, Obama should instruct the DEA to assume cannabis has been decriminalized and move law enforcement to illegal meth and heroin production and distribution, with the goal of providing ways for addicts to move under the purview of HHS.

more wiki

In September 2002, the Senate Appropriations Committee recommended that salaries and expenses at ONDCP be reduced from $26.6 million in fiscal 2006 to $11.5 million in fiscal 2007, to "more closely reflect actual performance." Committee members said they would request funding for a study of ONDCP by the National Academy of Public Administration. They also ordered a Government Accountability Office study on the distribution of grants. Plus, they directed the Director to provide quarterly updates on travel expenditures, staffing levels and plans for future hirings.[11]

By law, the drug czar must oppose any attempt to legalize the use (in any form) of illicit drugs.[12] According to the "Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998"[13] the director of the ONDCP

(12) shall ensure that no Federal funds appropriated to the Office of National Drug Control Policy shall be expended for any study or contract relating to the legalization (for a medical use or any other use) of a substance listed in schedule I of section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812) and take such actions as necessary to oppose any attempt to legalize the use of a substance (in any form) that -- 1. is listed in schedule I of section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812); and 2. has not been approved for use for medical purposes by the Food and Drug Administration;

The Government Accountability Office has found that this law authorizes the ONDCP to disseminate misleading information (lie) in order to oppose legalization[14]

Since when do American citizens need an office of anti-drug propaganda? Since when do we need to spend millions of dollar for their failed attempts - their work has, apparently, resulted in MORE cannabis use, not less. I'd say that demonstrates a HUGE FAILURE b/c Americans don't want the govt. to spend taxpayer dollars lying to them and they say... fuck you, in response.

They have PAID for writers to put propaganda in TV shows...wtf?

And their anti-marijuana commercials, from studies, indicated that they made females more likely to use marijuana. Two diff. studies indicated failure. Yet the office continues to lie.

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2006/09/a_white_house_drug_deal_gone_bad.html