Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1+some 2/3/84; site dual.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!dual!fair From: fair@dual.UUCP (Erik E. Fair) Newsgroups: net.space,net.columbia,net.politics Subject: How to Solve NASA's budget problems Message-ID: <375@dual.UUCP> Date: Tue, 27-Mar-84 02:51:59 EST Article-I.D.: dual.375 Posted: Tue Mar 27 02:51:59 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 22-Mar-84 00:09:30 EST Distribution: net Organization: Dual Systems, Berkeley, CA Lines: 60 Today a bust in Columbia yielded several tons of cocaine, which `undoubtedly' was bound for the U.S. The estimated `street value' of this cocaine is 1.2 billion dollars. It was also estimated that the size of this haul is approximately 25% of the total amount of cocaine consumed by the U.S. in one year. - source: KPIX 11pm News, San Francisco, Mar 20 1984 I assert: 1) There are drug addicts/dependents in the U.S. using controlled substances illegally. 2) The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is unable to stop the suppliers of controlled substances from reaching the buyers (addicts/etc.). 3) The U.S. spends at least 500 million dollars on the DEA and related drug control programs. (This is a guess, I bet it's close. Does anyone have the real numbers?) 4) The U.S. Space program is woefully underfunded. I propose: 1) The DEA should cease to try an stop the illegal importation of controlled substances. 2) The DEA be subsumed within NASA, and that its new purpose should be the importation and distribution of what are now `controlled substances.' 3) The new DEA should be self-supporting (i.e. no appropriations from Congress) 4) The revenues from this effort should be directed toward the exploration and expansion into space. 5) The addicts should be allowed to freely purchase drugs, and use/abuse them, or not. To Quote J. Pournell, `Think of it as Evolution in Action.' Notes: This is not the first time that the drug problem has been attacked from the angle `legalize & tax', but why not get the gov't in there full swing? Can't you see the FDA doing brand name cocaine testing for the height of the high? Basically I'm tired of having my tax dollars spent on what I consider to be a fruitless non-productive activity: the DEA. (Grumble) Erik E. Fair dual!fair@Berkeley.ARPA {ihnp4,ucbvax,cbosgd,decwrl,amd70,fortune,zehntel}!dual!fair Dual Systems Corporation, Berkeley, California P.S. I don't use `controlled substances' of any kind, unless you include that which might be found mixed in with a certain carmel coloured carbonated beverage... :-)