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William F. Buckley

Michael considered fate at 18:53   |   Permalink   |   Post a Comment

Also, William F. Buckley expired today at his home. For a conservative, he was pretty well spoken and I always admired his 1996 statement to the New York Bar Association on legalizing drugs in America. I believe I've mentioned it here before, but here it is again for those who might be interested, along with commentary from many others. The whole page is a worthwhile read, even as dated as it is some 12 years later.

So goes the opening line:

WE ARE speaking of a plague that consumes an estimated $75 billion per year of public money, exacts an estimated $70 billion a year from consumers, is responsible for nearly 50 per cent of the million Americans who are today in jail, occupies an estimated 50 per cent of the trial time of our judiciary, and takes the time of 400,000 policemen -- yet a plague for which no cure is at hand, nor in prospect.