THE WAR ON DRUGS: AMERICAN DEMOCRACY UNDER ASSAULT

摘要: As Americans enter the post-Cold War era, anticommunism is fast yielding ground to fears of a new scourgedrugs. The "drug problem," course, has been with us for years, but only recently it come be perceived by public as paramount threat national security, even surpassing traditional concerns about Soviet aggression.1 This threat, moreover, now regarded one acute urgency. In poll conducted earlier this fall Washington Post and ABC News, fully 91 percent respondents agreed that drug problem had reached "crisis" proportions.2 Reflecting well reinforcing mood, President George Bush, on September 5, 1989, used occasion his first address nation since taking office discuss an issue "so important, so threatening, warranted talking directly you, American people." Drugs, president announced public, are "the gravest domestic facing our today." keeping tone set predecessor's "formal" declaration war drugs in 1982, Bush then outlined line attack, at center which ambitiousand dangerously intrusive-law-enforcement program. Bush's plan, National Drug Control Strategy, calls significant expansion criminal-justice systemin terms prisons, U.S. attorneys, marshals, judiciary. By its own reckoning, plan proposes 1990 budget "73 supply reduction 27 demand reduction."3 czar William Bennett, who drew up left no doubt path administration embarked when he stated, "A massive wave arrests top priority drugs."4 thinking behind curb use, must made difficult or expensive obtain. If can severely curtailed, prices will soar; limited availability high prices, argu-