WASHINGTON, March 2, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Robert Weiner, life-long Democrat and former spokesman for the White House Drug Policy Office and the House Narcotics Committee, and policy analyst Brad Star, in The Washington Times, wrote an op-ed criticizing the party for denying the success of U.S. drug policy in reducing violent crime by cutting regular drug use by 40%, and "driving the rhetoric" and legalization. In a statement sending around the op-ed, Weiner said, "Sometimes we need to challenge even our friends to get to the truth and put it out." The second, by Weiner and Kyle Fleck, is about how "science based" and "evidence based" are "not dirty words" despite the Trump administration banning them from CDC's website and agency directives.
Op-eds
***March 1, 2018: "Denying Success of Anti-Drug Policy" in The Washington Times by Robert Weiner and Brad Star
Weiner and Star begin, "Known as a 'murder capital' a few decades ago, Washington D.C. is experiencing an encouraging decrease in violent crime. In 2017 there were 116 homicides in the district, a rate of 16.72 murders per 100,000 people, which continues a sharp decline from 80.6 murders per 100,000 in 1991."
They continue, "This drastic decline can be attributed to the fading of the crack epidemic and the U.S.' implementation of a stronger drug strategy. While there has been a surge in opiate-related deaths over the past decade, overall drug use in the U.S. has nearly halved since the late 1970s. Crack is down by a whopping 70 percent. Yet Democrats have been deafeningly silent on the topic of anti-drug success and its role in the U.S.' decreasing crime rate. The party's legalization voting base, not policy, is driving the rhetoric. They are engaging in a subtle strategy of silence."
The authors cite pro-legalization statements by DC Mayor Bowser, New York Mayor de Blasio, and NJ Senator Cory Booker, but point out exceptions including Democratic-appointed Drug Czars Four-Star Gen. Barry McCaffrey (an independent) and Dr. Lee P. Brown.
The print version of the article puts in bold, "Democrats are reluctant to acknowledge antidrug successes because legalization is so overwhelmingly supported by young people, a bastion of Democratic votes." The article creates a sub-headline: "The Democratic Party's legalization voting base is driving the rhetoric against (A.G.) Session's directive" allowing states to prosecute marijuana violations in states that have legalized despite federal law" against possession, cultivation, or sale.
Link to published article: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/feb/28/the-democratic-partys-legalization-voting-base-is-/
*** February 14, 2018: 10,000 Experts to Make America "Evidence-Based Again" in the Austin American-Statesman by Robert Weiner and Kyle Fleck
Weiner and Fleck begin, "High on the list of concerns for the American Association for the Advancement of Science at their annual meeting is the Trump administration's antagonism to language used widely in the scientific community: 'science-based' and 'evidence-based.' Apparently, these words are so anathema that the current administration has banned CDC from using them on its websites and in agency directives."
Link to published article: https://www.mystatesman.com/news/opinion/commentary-000-experts-plan-make-america-evidence-based-again/0A2x42UgwRdwPqAOV5oGFM/
*** Radio
The Alan Nathan Show (200 stations) Bob discusses guns, Russia, immigration, and politics with Alan each week:
March 1, 2018 scroll to 30:41
www.mainstreetradionetwork.com/audio/shows/BATTLELINE-HR1-180301.mp3
February 20, 2018 scroll to 29:55
www.mainstreetradionetwork.com/audio/shows/BATTLELINE-HR1-180220.mp3
February 14, 2018 scroll to 17:20 (2 segments)
http://www.mainstreetradionetwork.com/audio/shows/BATTLELINE-HR1-180214.mp3
Contact: Robert Weiner/Ben Lasky 301-283-0821, cell 202-306-1200 [email protected]
SOURCE Robert Weiner Associates
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