Your Tax Dollars, Their Agenda

If Republicans in the House get their way, the nation's drug czar may soon have the power to spend millions of tax dollars to defeat pro-medical marijuana ballot initiatives and candidates. The idea is an unprecedented assault on our democratic system.

A provision quietly slipped into this year's Office of National Drug Control Policy's authorization bill would give the White House office the ability to use its annual $195-million antidrug advertising budget to oppose any initiative or candidate supporting the legalization of an illegal drug. The measure would turn the public treasury into a campaign chest for the president's party, allowing the White House to purchase radio, television and print ads in furtherance of its own political goals. The tactic of using the people's money to influence their views and election results has a familiar ring. It follows a script written by the corrupt regimes of Africa and Latin America.

The impetus behind this push apparently stems from the campaigning Drug Czar John Walters did last fall against an initiative in Nevada that would have essentially decriminalized marijuana. After the initiative failed, a pro-legalization advocacy group complained to state officials that Walters' activity violated campaign disclosure rules. Walters was found to be immune from the state laws, but Nevada's attorney general wrote that "it is unfortunate that a representative of the federal government substantially intervened in a matter that was clearly a State of Nevada issue."

Now, House Republicans want to erase any bar to such campaigning. Apparently they don't like the way the drug debate is going at the state level. Eight states have passed ballot initiatives legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Other voter reforms, such as sending addicts to treatment rather than jail, have also succeeded. The Bush administration wants to be able to put its finger on the scale of future elections.

The ONDCP authorization bill is currently before the House Government Reform Committee where it is being held up by opposition to this provision. There should be no compromising here. Once we allow the executive branch to use tax money to influence voters, we will have opened a dangerous door.

© 2003 St. Petersburg Times

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