New Drug Policy, Same-ish as the Old Drug Policy

Like everything Obama-esque, yesterday's announcement of a new strategy to fight drug use is superior to the proven tactics of failure Republicans are pushing, but falls far short of what's needed.

President Obama's new approach to the war on drugs, er, I mean, how to reduce drug use and its consequences — besides being a bit wordier than its predecessor — is also commendably more complex in substance. In a video statement, Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowski highlights the new emphasis on "evidence-based treatments" for drug addicts. The administration also highlights the public health and economic rationales for managing drug abuse, rather than simply treating the problem as a criminal matter.

That said, the "war on drugs" may be dead, but its progeny remain alive and well. Obama strongly opposes marijuana legalization. His approach pours even more money into existing border and law enforcement efforts. And the administration's proposal for dealing with drugs includes a zero-tolerance policy for drivers that have even trace amounts of drugs in their system — including marijuana, evidence of which stays in the human body for around 30 days after use.

Sound like hope and change to you? Because it sounds like weak sauce to me.

The outlines of the Obama presidency are becoming increasingly clear. The administration's strategy is this: compromise, sometimes even preemptively, for incremental change. Operate under fear of the right-wing attack machine, and trust that progressives will stay on board, even where their ideals are compromised.

Public option and universal health care? Compromised. Restore balance to our nation's judiciary after almost a generation of elevating conservative activists? Compromised. Install a true progressive in the Justice Department office that produced the torture memos? Compromised. Immigration reform and repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in the first year? Compro. Mised.

Don't get me wrong. I am under no illusion that things would be better under a McCain/Palin presidency, but the kool-aid's wearing thin on those hope and change promises. This "new" approach to drug policy seems like another item in a long list of issues where progressives are left to squint, scrunch our noses, scratch our heads and look around to see if anyone else notices that this is a decidedly and unambiguously weak and moderate administration, ready to trade good policy to avoid a fight at the drop of a dime.

Yeah, that sentence was long. But at least it wasn't rendered frail, uninspiring and disillusioning in hopes of avoiding a fight.

Photo Credit: The White House