Letters to the Editor for Sunday, May 30, 2010

Writer: War on drugs is already lost
Jerry Wilmer’s frustration, manifested in his letter to The Forum, is understandable (“U.S. being destroyed from within,” The News & Advance, May 23). However, his suggestion that we “… move Mexican President Felipe Calderone, the drug lords, gangs and coyotes to the U.S. … ” making certain that homegrown termites remain in this country, while we take refuge in Mexico comes too late. With the exception of Calderone, we already have drug lords, drugs and coyotes. That is going to increase, geometrically, because of supply and demand.

Nor will that situation improve until we legalize the drugs, which are driving that underground economy. Such legislation would lower the price(s) of now-illicit substances to the point that the risk wouldn’t be worth dealing under the table. The murder rate would enjoy a 1-1 correlative drop with the lowered price(s). The lowered cost(s) would be crowned by a staggering increase in federal and state revenues, which would flow into the public coffers via state controlled stores.

I am curious as to the total trillions of dollars that currently flow into the pockets of drug dealers on an annual basis, and intensely curious as to why we have not applied the lessons we learned from the Roaring 20s, and the relative calm after the 21st Amendment negated the profits of Al Capone, et al. The simple act of legalizing the enormous booze monopoly, and placing that product under governmental control turned a lose-lose situation into a profitable business for the nation.

Does it not follow the same procedure would work on any and all other substances mocking law enforcement agencies?

Let’s face it. We’ve lost the drug war. If people want to put that junk in their bodies, let them. But let the profit and any ensuing tax to John Q. Public.
RAYMOND WILKERSON
Evington

For Hurt
For Fifth District Republican and independent voters, there can be no higher priority than defeating Rep. Tom Perriello in November.

This will not be easy to do but it is doable if we unite behind a single conservative candidate with a proven record. Many of the current candidates are running ego campaigns. No experience, no platform, no money and no chance of winning.

One candidate; however, stands out: Sen. Robert Hurt. He is a proven conservative who supports conservative principles but who will work with the opposition when it benefits his constituents and does not compromise his values. Most importantly, he has run campaigns and he has won elections. I believe that if we unite behind this fine young man we will have representative who will be in alignment with the majority of the voters in the district and a representative we can be proud of.
GEORGE E. PETERS Jr.
Gladstone