Bob Kelleher on Drugs

Republican challenger

The war on drugs has been lost

Drug use is on the rise in Montana. In 1970 the federal bureau of prisons had less than 21,000 inmates--16% of whom were drug offenders. By last October the number of inmates had jumped almost 600%--to over 120,000. In that time drug sentences jumped 340%. The cost of maintaining a federal prisoner a year will almost pay for a year's tuition at Harvard or Yale!

Half of the drug busts involved marijuana! The war on drugs has been lost--like prohibition against alcohol in the days of gangster Al Capone. Sen. Duane Grimes, R-Clancy, chair of the Drug Study Committee, reported to Gov. Martz and Attorney General McGrath in September after an eight-month study that the war on drugs in Montana is a failure and that we need two more treatment centers in addition to MCDC in Butte. Also lost are the taxes that could have been used for treatment centers or education. Why not ask Montana voters if the want to legalize and tax marijuana?

Source: Bob's Message to Montana Schoolkids (15-min. TV interview) Oct 1, 2002

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*Other candidates on Drugs:*		*Bob Kelleher on other issues:*
*MT Gubernatorial:* Brian Schweitzer *MT Senatorial:* Jon Tester Kirk Bushman Max Baucus *2008 Senate retirements:* Wayne Allard(R,CO) Larry Craig(R,ID) Pete Domenici(R,NM) Chuck Hagel(R,NE) Trent Lott(R,MS) Craig Thomas(R,WY) John Warner(R,VA) *2008 Presidential Contenders:* Chuck Baldwin(C) Rep.Bob Barr(L) Sen.Hillary Clinton(D) Sen.Mike Gravel(L) Alan Keyes(C) Sen.John McCain(R) Rep.Cynthia McKinney(G) Ralph Nader(I) Sen.Barack Obama(D) Rep.Ron Paul(R)	*2008 Senate Races:* AK:Stevens v.Begich v.Cuddy v.Sikma AL:Sessions v.Figures AR:Pryor v.Kennedy CO:Schaffer v.Udall DE:Biden v.O`Donnell GA:Chambliss v.Martin v.Buckley IA:Harkin v.Reed ID:Risch v.LaRocco v.Rammell IL:Durbin v.Sauerberg v.Stafford KS:Roberts v.Jones v.Slattery KY:McConnell v.Lunsford LA:Landrieu v.Kennedy MA:Kerry v.Beatty v.Underwood ME:Collins v.Allen MI:Levin v.Hoogendyk v.Boman v.Nikitin MN:Coleman v.Franken v.Barkley v.Cavlan MS4:Wicker v.Musgrove MS6:Cochran v.Fleming MT:Baucus v.Kelleher NC:Dole v.Hagan NE:Johanns v.Kleeb v.Larrick NH:Sununu v.Shaheen v.Blevens NJ:Lautenberg v.Zimmer Pearce v.Udall OK:Inhofe v.Rice OR:Smith v.Merkley v.Brownlow RI:Reed v.Young v.Tingle SC:Graham v.Conley v.McBride SD:Johnson v.Dykstra TN:Alexander v.Tuke v.Lugo v.Heyward TX:Cornyn v.Noriega v.Jameson VA:Gilmore v.Warner WV:Rockefeller v.Wolfe WY4:Barrasso v.Carter WY6:Enzi v.Rothfuss	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Jobs Principles Social Security Tax Reform Technology War/Peace Welfare Other Senators House of Representatives SenateMatch (matching quiz) Senate Votes (analysis) House Votes Bill Sponsorships Affiliations Policy Reports Group Ratings

Page last updated: Sep 27, 2008