Hillary Rodham Clinton announced yesterday that the United States
would be sending $1.4 billion U.S. dollars to Mexico to the
so-called Merida Initiative. This aid package is aimed at helping
Mexico to train and equip its Federal agents in their anti-drug
efforts.

What another huge waste of the tax payer’s money.

Normally I stay away
from politics on this
blog but I am getting
sick and tired of
watching our
Government tax and
spend on the backs
of the American public.

This is just another example of this.

Let me explain:

According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy; as of
July 17, 2009 the Federal and State Governments have spent
$27,792, 332,999 on fighting drugs this year. The “war on drugs”
has been going on since Richard Nixon was President of the
United States in the 1970s, and it has been a rather expensive
venture.

What Does the War on Drugs Involve?

Before looking at how much it costs to maintain the war on drugs,
it is important to take a look at what it means.
While Richard Nixon was the President who made the declaration,
Ronald Reagan’s administration is commonly referenced in
connection with the war on drugs.

It was in 1986, during Reagan’s presidency, that mandatory
minimum sentencing laws were passed for drug offenses.
Mandatory minimum sentences require a certain amount of jail
time for drug offenders depending on the type of drug, the
weight of the drug involved, and the number of prior convictions.
Judges are not allowed to decrease the amount of jail time for
any reason other than acting as an informant to help the
prosecution.

The intent of minimum sentencing laws was to get to the drug
“king pins” who rank high in the drug trafficking schemes, but
they are often the ones who are able to “name names” and
avoid lengthier prison sentences. Instead, extensive sentences
may be required for low-level, non-violent drug offenders who
cannot provide helpful information to the government.

Someone is arrested for violating a drug law every 17 seconds.

Someone is arrested for violating a cannabis law every 38 seconds.
Public health costs must also be taken into account. Because
the federal government bans funding for needle exchange
programs, many heroin users share dirty needles, spreading
diseases like HIV/AIDS. By 2000, more than 250,000 HIV/AIDS
infections could be attributed to the use of dirty needles by
injectable drug users. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention,
HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report, 11(No. 2). 1999)

As you can see, this so-called war on drugs is a black hole that
is swallowing up billions of our federal & state tax dollars yet
does nothing to curb the use, manufacturing and delivery of elicit
drugs. Therefore, why would our elected officials think that if we
can not clean up things here at home, giving the Mexican
Government $1.4 billion would allow them to come up with better
results?

Secondly, the Mexican government has proven to be one of the
most corrupt governments in the free world. Over and over again
you see stories of the Mexican Federal police being corrupted and
paid off by the local drug cartels. Convicted murderers and drug
kingpins escape prosecution and incarceration with the help of
local authorities. In fact recently these bad guys escaped prison
with inside help.

Lastly, the Mexican Government has proven that they are
incapable of making their country prosperous and corruption
free. Police are being shot down in record numbers with no
justice coming to those who commit these heinous crimes. Their
economy is so poor that millions flee to the United States. These
illegal aliens put a strain on the American economy by burdening
our society with their use of our health care, school system,
un-paid taxes, crimes committed, jail terms and property damage.
Just this year in Colorado alone, there have been three high profile
deaths caused by illegal Mexicans crashing their cars into innocent
victims. In all cases the person involved did not have a driver’s
license, insurance or documentation allowing them to drive let
alone be here in the U.S. The tragedy is that at least 3 people
including a 7 year old boy would still be alive today if Mexico had
an economy and living conditions that made people want to stay
and prosper.

Now I don’t hold the U.S. blameless. I won’t go into all the reasons
the U.S. is culpable in allowing and sometimes supporting these
illegal workers to sneak across the border. However, to give
Mexico $1.4 billion is absolutely a damn waste of money and
instead they should use the money to hire more border patrol
agents, and complete the security fence on the border.

It’s time Mexico cleans up their own mess and keeps their hands
out of the American tax payer’s pocket.