Securing our borders against drugs and all other illegal activities is obvious and long overdue. A wall or electric fence are two of many options, at least to keep trespassers out. But shutting down drug supply will work only if we can adapt our methods to the ruthlessness of the cartels, not allowing liberal media to think that they have a right to mediate ALL discussion and framing of the issue. Philippine President Duterte took the only path available against drug trafficking.
Whatever is left of our morality “industry” in America should concentrate on the even-more-important demand side of the equation. Start by going after the 1960s dictum that drugs provide the answers to most of life’s problems. Prescribing pills is at the heart of American medicine. Makes things simple. Better living through chemistry.
Before pervasive drug solutions, however, people used to take more personal responsibility and would curb bad dietary behavior or suffer consequences. Now statins tell us it’s ok to indulge—and on and on. National health care programs are making society medically weaker as time goes by. Unfortunately, this is tacitly ok with so many providers who make their $$$$ on needy sick people. Best not to acknowledge how this works.
Sugar is as good an example as tobacco used to be when it comes to protecting a status quo that is hopelessly entwined with profit-taking and long-held consumer biases.
The other malaise in American society is commercial-based television. Pharmaceutical companies have free access to gullible viewers who thought they were just kicking back to enjoy some mindless entertainment. Take this or that drug to feel happier and pain free. Don’t worry about changing your dysfunctional lifestyle. Government programs will pay, as taxpayers well know.
