ENDING THE WAR ON DRUGS WILL SOLVE CALIFORNIA'S BUDGET PROBLEMS

By B. E. Smith

Stopping the insane and unwinnable war on drugs will save California over $3 billion every year and solve California's budget problems

I am committed to the health and well-being of every Californian, but I know that I will have no chance of being elected without support of a core constituency. I intend to use the pardon powers of the California Constitution to stop the insane war on drugs, and issue pardons to all those charged with or convicted of a victimless crime. If every person who has ever faced criminal or civil penalties for the use or sales of drugs, involving no victim, would vote for me, and get 20-30 of their friends, neighbors and relatives to vote for me, I'd have an excellent chance of being elected.

The insane drug war has incalculable costs to society. We spend billions of dollars, countless hours of workers' time, energy and dedication, law enforcement personnel, services, and equipment, criminal prosecutions, jails, prisons, probation, increased insurance costs, drug tests at work, surveillance equipment and personnel, petty robberies, burglaries and muggings to get the money to buy the drugs. The vicious cycle never ends.

It is the national drug policy to imprison all those who possess, sell or use illegal drugs. To enforce this insane policy, California would have to imprison 50% of all high school graduating seniors who admit to having taken some controlled substance during the past three years. Are we prepared, as a People, to lose one half of the future of our State and our Nation to such a senseless policy? The "War on Drugs" is a "War on our Children!" Are we prepared to make all-out war on our children and our grandchildren, lose their productivity in our society, build countless more prison beds and cells to house these young men and women? I am not!

I estimate that California will save over $3 billion each year in direct prison costs by pardoning victimless crimes. In addition, indirect savings in the courts, law enforcement costs, reduction in crime, and the like, should save hundreds of millions, if not more. And, remember, many of those pardoned will now become tax-paying citizens, adding additional millions to our revenues. It makes economic sense to stop the "War on Drugs" in California.

While I am Governor, not a single Californian will be prosecuted by the officers of this State for victimless drug offenses. The insane "War on Drugs" will end the day I step into the Governor's office.

Many Californians are disillusioned with politics as usual. I am one of them. Like them, I am disillusioned with promises-promises, but no delivery. I pledge, with all the strength God has given me that I will deliver my promise to stop the insane "War on Drugs" on the very day I step into office, but I cannot deliver unless you, my fellow Californians, grasp the reins of power from politicians and movie stars and hand the reins of power to one of your own, one of the common People.

Conventional thinking says that unless a person is a well-known politician, high-powered business person, or famous movie star, he or she can never hold serious political office in this Nation. My faith tells me that will not always be the case. I read, in the Book of Revelation, that Babylon the Great will fall # in an hour she will fall # and that the merchants who made commerce with her will stand afar off and mourn over the loss of their merchandise. And what was their merchandise? Gold and silver, and precious stones . . . and slaves and souls of men. Read for yourself in Chapter 18. And who were these merchants sending up cries over the loss of their riches? They are the great men of the earth, and by their sorceries, by their tricks, lies and cheating, they have deceived all the nations.

My friends, I believe we and our children are the slaves and souls of men and women the great men of the earth deal in. They control the media, the advertise what we wear, what we eat, how we live and which of us goes to prison for senseless and victimless crimes. They control the candidates who run for office, and they hate California's idea of political freedom. They fear that a common man or woman will be elected in our free-for-all election for Governor. They fear that the riches of Babylon will be taken from within their grasp by the vote of the People.

Each one of you has a unique opportunity, perhaps never to be seen again in your lifetime, to break the vicious cycle of control by big business, politics-as-usual, and movie idols who know nothing of everyday life in the barrios, the ghettoes, and the poor neighborhoods that are homes to so many, many Californians. Bring down Babylon with your votes and the votes of your friends, neighbors and relatives. If you don't like my politics, vote for someone else, but make sure the winner is a man or woman of the People # NOT a puppet whose strings are held by the great men of the earth.

Stopping the insane war on drugs will save California billions of dollars and countless hours of work directly and indirectly, and free these resources up to aid us in those things that really count # education, health care, and vital social services # to name just a few.

No doubt the new Governor, whoever he or she is, will have to wrangle and twist many-an arm to get the budget under control, but I will not sign any bill raising taxes. We need to chop at the root of waste in California's budget, and my axe will fall at the root of the insane "War on Drugs."

Won't you, PLEASE, get your friends and relatives out to vote for me?! Because I am a common man, I do not have the resources and funds needed to mount a glitzy Hollywood-style media campaign. Mine has to be word-of-mouth!

Help, me, PLEASE, and together, WE will have a member of the common People on the reins of California for the first time in our lives.

Vote for me, BE Smith. I stood up for you in Vietnam and before the federal government defending medical marijuana # I'll stand up for you as Governor, and never let you down!

BE Smith for Governor

http://smartvoter.org/vote/BE_SMITH

besmith@snowcrest.net

(530) 629-4356