Is it time to get rid of the DEA?

[Junks]

Petitions are useless.

So what can be done? Seriously. What if there really are millions of Americans that do not want the DEA to operate in this way and posses such massive powers. What can be done? There has to be some sort of way that if enough people gather, they can dismantle an organization deemed to be losing its way.

 

[ro4eva]

Nothing would please me more than to see the DEA be completely dissolved. In vinegar.

 

['medicine cabinet']

Pickleded dea agents lol or you could use a hdpe tub and hydrofluoric acid and liquify them breaking bad style.

 

[23536]

So what can be done? Seriously. What if there really are millions of Americans that do not want the DEA to operate in this way and posses such massive powers. What can be done? There has to be some sort of way that if enough people gather, they can dismantle an organization deemed to be losing its way.

This is just one non-violent idea: What the Tea Party is doing right now about Obamacare, the same thing can be done about drug policy. Start a movement that threatens any Democrat with a primary challenge if he or she pledges to continue the war on drugs. I say Democrats because the Republicans are largely supported by white retirees who are prohibitionist hardliners.

You defeat one or two vulnerable congressional Democrats and the media will pick it up and fan the flames. It doesn't matter that drug laws aren't immediately repealed. All that matters is that you get a few dozen friends of legalization in Congress. These can vote as a bloc and make it impossible for government to function unless individual freedoms are addressed.

In my view, the most crucial thing is that people need to stop being given CRIMINAL records for drug offenses. That alone cripples our economy by making a large segment of the young population unemployable. Think about it: do businesses need to be told which applicants have been arrested for drugs? Even so, no national politician is even addressing it.

 

[manboychef]

Its not that I don't appreciate some of the tea partiers ideas, its that there are some I overwhelmingly disagree with.

We as citizens need to stand the fuck up and demand to be heard. Maybe violence is the next step. Make politic ions vote in the way the people wish or suffer a painful end.

 

[mrflowers00]

don't you all think peoples drug use should be monitored so if they're out of control they can get help instead of jail time

 

[neversickanymore]

violence is never the correct end.. NOT ONLY IMHO.. BUT BECAUSE ITS NEVER THE ANSWER.

 

[MyDoorsAreOpen]

The DEA is probably the most shining example of how the US falls short of a true democracy. The impunity -- and opacity -- with which they operate never cease to amaze me. They seem to have incredibly broad discretionary powers; as people in this thread have mentioned, the DEA seems to have the ability to make laws, shut down businesses, keep people locked up who've been acquitted at the highest court levels willing to take their cases, and ignore not only states' rights but the sovereignty of other nations! Time and again we've seen the DEA completely ignore, negate, or disobey the decisions of institutions you would think they'd bow to. But apparently they bow to no one.

Here's the question in my mind -- was the DEA accidentally created too powerful, such that it's now all-powerful and unstoppable, like a sci-fi robot villain? Or is its omnipotence something that's granted behind closed doors on an ongoing basis? If the former ("we've created a monster!") then that really shows a flaw in the US democratic system, if not the beginning of its end. If the latter, then the DEA's continued existence in its current form clearly serves the needs of somebody powerful and wealthy, who cares more about their continued power and wealth than the lives of ordinary citizens.

As for who's attracted to join the DEA, I think they're cut from the same cloth as people who join criminal syndicates, or become bounty hunters, or become addicted to first person shooter video games. They're dudes who seek the action and adventure packed lifestyles of macho thuggery. They enjoy the thrill of the hunt, and of course, the spoils of war. Like all thugs I think most have a touch of narcissism (moreso than sociopathy), and typically hide their primal bloodlust behind some sort of moral code, both to themselves and others. So it's a win-win for them -- they get to kick down doors and bodyslam grimy poor people, all the while raking in big paychecks for their "bravery", safe in the knowledge that they're righting some great wrong with the world. Other than the dogmata they believe in and the targets they hunt, they're really no different than the guys who join violent Muslim jihadist groups. It's a simple predator-prey relationship.

If the DEA is ever disbanded (which is something they'll probably successfully resist for some time no matter what fraction of the US population wants them gone) I see the same thing happening that happened to the KGB when the USSR crumbled, or the samurai right before the Meiji restoration -- they'll take their violent tactical training and sell it to the highest bidders as hired muscle, which will turn out to be powerful players in the criminal fringe.

 

[23536]

Here's the question in my mind -- was the DEA accidentally created too powerful, such that it's now all-powerful and unstoppable, like a sci-fi robot villain? Or is its omnipotence something that's granted behind closed doors on an ongoing basis?

Yes.

 

[drunken_etard]

SO glad I Live in CAnada

 

[gh0stmAn]

Drugs should be legalized and state licensed "dealers" with qualifications and educations taken from parts of the curriculum of Registered nurses / pharmacist / addiction counselors should be the sellers and over sees distribution and any resultant problems. Users would be monitored through a license to use drugs that was obtained through a certification program. People would receive reasonable amounts of drugs through a prescription type system and would be monitored by their "dealers" for problems. People would be required to use drugs responsibly, like no using and driving, no using to the point of psychosis or overdose. If these problems surface then a person would be put on restrictions and be forced to learn how to use with out these problems or they would be cut from using the drugs that caused the problems with them. They would have to be functional users and addicts and maintain jobs and lives. People would be offered the mental health and medical care they need as well that is paid for through taxes on sales. With everyone on all the prescription speed, opiates, benzos I just dont see this as the stretch I once did.

The DEA could then be responsible for enforcing and dealing with any black market and violence that remained or surfaced up again. But I really dont see the major drug producers wanting to deal with street thugs any more if they are able to deal legitimately with out hassles legally. So much of the violence that plagues our cities and so many countries.

A registrar database for drug users?!? That's what "THEY" want if drugs become "legalized." A true version of the legalization of drugs would be to straight out legalize them and let them be dealt just like any other medication you can buy OTC annoymously. Just know that if the USA legalizes pot it will want a "DATABASE" (= BAD NEWS FOR SMOKERS OF GREEN!) of all 'registered/users' of marijuana.. And then they could deny you loans, schooling, welfare, medicad, medicare, obamacare?, your medical insurance may deny you if you are a registered pot smoker, i mean the list could go on forever but i could think of million things the system would do to pot smokers that would basically make them 2nd class citizens to everyone else... Registered Pot users would be treated like felony convicts straight out of jail by the system and people in the real world..

 

[StartedHydro]

Drugs should be legalized and state licensed "dealers" with qualifications and educations taken from parts of the curriculum of Registered nurses / pharmacist / addiction counselors should be the sellers and over sees distribution and any resultant problems. Users would be monitored through a license to use drugs that was obtained through a certification program. People would receive reasonable amounts of drugs through a prescription type system and would be monitored by their "dealers" for problems. People would be required to use drugs responsibly, like no using and driving, no using to the point of psychosis or overdose. If these problems surface then a person would be put on restrictions and be forced to learn how to use with out these problems or they would be cut from using the drugs that caused the problems with them. They would have to be functional users and addicts and maintain jobs and lives. People would be offered the mental health and medical care they need as well that is paid for through taxes on sales. With everyone on all the prescription speed, opiates, benzos I just dont see this as the stretch I once did.

The DEA could then be responsible for enforcing and dealing with any black market and violence that remained or surfaced up again. But I really dont see the major drug producers wanting to deal with street thugs any more if they are able to deal legitimately with out hassles legally. So much of the violence that plagues our cities and so many countries.

Perfectly spot on!! I would gather most people on drugs are not criminals or bad people but rather need some form of medical intervention or others like most enjoy some form of mind altering relaxation. If drugs were legalized and regulated in this fashion I would wager a huge portion of crime would decrease. A more productive person knowing he/she has more money and no fear of bunk drugs, shortage of said drug, or purity. Just like Alch how there are a few who unfortunately allow it to consume their life I can see this happening here, but it happens regardless of legality.

We need to face the truth that people have been doing drugs from the beginning of time and really the only time it's been a scourge is when it's been made illegal and criminalized. Legalize it and regulate.

I love me some opiates. I know for a fact that if I could legally go see a doc and get a script of my DOC which was pure and readily available from proper outlets the disease would had been nipped in the bud. There would had been no obsessing on how much is left, how to space it out, how much money... The constant instant droning of your mind in active addiction. With a steady supply of pure DOC at normal prices there would had been no obsessing, no loss of mind, more money, better life, and get this... Less likely to get all out blitzed. Yep, I would had been less stressed, no stigma so my using would be for recreational purposes instead of just getting smashed to hide the fact that my life is so fucked from the illegal nature of drugs. Yes, paradoxical but very likely. I truly believe that making drugs illegal and criminal is what makes addiction/dependence so much worse than it truly is.

Great post!!!

 

[ro4eva]

The DEA is probably the most shining example of how the US falls short of a true democracy. The impunity -- and opacity -- with which they operate never cease to amaze me. They seem to have incredibly broad discretionary powers; as people in this thread have mentioned, the DEA seems to have the ability to make laws, shut down businesses, keep people locked up who've been acquitted at the highest court levels willing to take their cases, and ignore not only states' rights but the sovereignty of other nations! Time and again we've seen the DEA completely ignore, negate, or disobey the decisions of institutions you would think they'd bow to. But apparently they bow to no one.

This is true, time and time again. In the past, we've seen them ignore the judicial system, the recommendations of experts in the field of pharmacology, and so forth. The drug in question always seems to end up a CI substance, regardless of the opinions of those whom, on paper at least, they're supposed to consider. One of the best examples I can think of is MDMA. IIRC, in this case, the jury - a panel of experts tasked by the government to determine the therapeutic potential of the drug - voted that it be placed on Schedule III. Sure enough, soon afterwards, the DEA placed MDMA on Schedule I. For this, and for many other "above-the-law" and "anwser-to-no-one" transgressions, I hope they rot in hell.

If the DEA is ever disbanded (which is something they'll probably successfully resist for some time no matter what fraction of the US population wants them gone) I see the same thing happening that happened to the KGB when the USSR crumbled, or the samurai right before the Meiji restoration -- they'll take their violent tactical training and sell it to the highest bidders as hired muscle, which will turn out to be powerful players in the criminal fringe.

I could imagine many of them creating and/or joining a PMC.

Also, I believe you're absolutely correct in that many of them appear to exibit narcissistic (and perhaps even sociopathic) behavior. Abuse (and especially repeated abuse) of police powers and regulations (imo) should be considered a felony; yet when it comes to the DEA, abuse of those government-granted law enforcement powers appears to come with the job.

SO glad I Live in CAnada

As am I drunken_etard. However, I fear we are the Obama administration's lapdog. They tell us to fetch, we usually do so without question. Or when they fetch, we usually follow. This must change.

Notice how soon after Washington and Colorado legalized cannabis, Canadian politicians - Conservatives and Liberals alike - began to come forward and confess that they've used cannabis in the past, and also that laws regarding possession should be reformed. One example would be Justin Trudeau. Another being Rob Ford, a Conservative who admitted that he's smoked "a lot" of marijuana in the past. It was rather funny afterwards how our fascist PM avoided being seen with him, and furthermore, refused to speak to the media regarding Ford's confession. Another reason why I can't stand the fucking Conservatives.

 

[bloodshed344]

don't you all think peoples drug use should be monitored so if they're out of control they can get help instead of jail time

No... there's never any good reason for monitoring everyone or registering everyone. That is the sign of a police state.