Should the military be summoned in case of a bird flu outbreak?
Re: “Bush proposes military response to bird flu,” Oct. 5 news story.
The Who once wrote a song called “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” For the sake of the survival of our republic, let’s all hope that Congress fits this description. George W. Bush has announced a desire that Congress give him the authority to call out federal troops to enforce quarantines in the event of a flu pandemic.
His spokesman politely points out that Bush only wishes to use these powers “in the most extreme of circumstances,” so it should therefore be OK that he seeks these unilateral powers to declare the necessity of federal troop intervention in your neighborhood and mine.
Is it just me, or does this sound painfully familiar? Remember in 2002, when this same George W. Bush asked Congress for the power to attack Iraq at the time when he, and he alone, felt it was necessary and appropriate to do so? Bush said military action would only be as a last resort, and all other possible courses of action would be exhausted. Congress, unfortunately, abdicated its responsibility for declaration of war at that time, much to W’s delight. He then proceeded to steadfastly pursue war regardless of what the facts showed. It was readily apparent that he made no effort at all to exhaust other possible courses of action. Why should we expect him to be any more careful with unilateral powers now than he was then?
Dan Jones, Greeley
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Re: “Bird flu moves up on the radar,” Oct. 7 editorial.
Your editorial on bird flu is quite appropriate, and it’s a serious problem to worry about.
Like the Federal Emergency Management Agency, many government agencies are now headed by and staffed with Republican political cronies with no experience in their position. People should know that since April of last year, at the Department of Health and Human Services, the assistant secretary for public health emergency preparedness has been Stewart Simonson. His experience in emergency preparedness? None. He became a lawyer in 1994 and worked mostly as counsel for HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson.
If and when we start to feel the impact of bird flu, he’ll be the point man. Remember the flu crisis last year? Perhaps Sen. Wayne Allard, our resident conservative veterinarian, should look into this; otherwise, it’s “You’re doing a heck of a job, Stewie!”
Kent Phelps, Conifer
Drug education and the legality of marijuana
Re: “The true nature of drugs – and teens,” Oct. 2 Kathryn Chinn column.
Kathryn Chinn makes three important points. First, prohibition of marijuana is a failure and has led to increased criminality and greater access by youth. A controlled or regulated market would take marijuana off the streets, raise needed tax dollars, and punish distribution to children. A recent Harvard study showed regulating marijuana in Colorado would raise $80 million in new money for the state treasury.
Second, the scare tactics of the DARE program do not work. Children need science-based education on drug abuse that fairly discusses the harms of each drug. Science-based education and positive peer pressure are the best tools to reduce drug use, as shown by the reduction of cigarette smoking by teens without resorting to prohibition.
Finally, alcohol is more dangerous than marijuana. Denver is voting on a ballot initiative this fall that embodies this principle of marijuana’s relative harmlessness. The defenders of the current drug policy are on the wrong side of history. It is not a matter of if, but when, we will change our current counterproductive policies.
Brian Vicente, Denver
The writer is executive director of Sensible Colorado, a drug-policy education organization.
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