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Why Do We Even Have a Drug Czar?

Tim Lynch at the Cato Institute has a nice piece in The Washington Times calling for the total elimination of the drug czar's office. It costs American taxpayers $400 million a year just to have these guys walk around cheerleading for the drug war, and they're not even good at it.

If drug czar Gil Kerlikoswke is serious about ending the war mentality that has long defined our nation's anti-drug crusade, he should begin by firing himself Michael Douglas-style, and walking off into the sunset. I'm sure Cato could find a desk for him.

Politics & Advocacy ONDCP

Free Money

Hey, the taxpayers shell out the money, so what the heck, it's free money. What better way of showing how absurd the whole thing really is? The war will continue until the taxpayers quit paying for it.

How Many Clowns Can You Get for $400 Million?

The drug czars do serve at least one useful purpose.  They create bad examples and destructive policies that make it easier for critics to demand an end to the drug war.

Even though drug czar follies benefit drug law reformers, there’s still the problem of the destructive policies and the cost.  $400 million is way too much for this type of service.

One possible solution: for a mere $1 million, the government can hire ten stand-up comedians and professional circus clowns who could make the drug war look totally crazy without destroying everyone’s personal freedom and inflicting death and mayhem throughout the world.  The $399 million saved could then be diverted to harm reduction programs that educate and provide safety nets for drug users.

Giordano

ONDCP

"One possible solution: for a mere $1 million, the government can hire ten stand-up comedians and professional circus clowns who could make the drug war look totally crazy..."

It has appeared that the government has done this for quite some time but paid them 400 million instead of your proposed 1 mil.

Listen! If we are serious about cutting government spending to relieve the tax burden on our citizens this agency has to be seriously considered for elimination. Many of its legitimate goals could be better addressed through a different cabinet department, e.g., Health and Human Services. Health concerns would be better addressed through a health care professional than through a retired general, failed politician or an ex-police chief.

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