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Show edjtor@statesrijian.usu.e iu I staltesman@cc.usu.e Oct. 17, 2007 f age OwrView A Fall break a chance to clear out the brain* AboutllS \ i Editor in Chief Seth R. Hawkins < i ^ Arie Kirk \ ! Assistant News Editor Liz Lawyer '• A s tests, projects and papers pile up, we all anticipate having a long weekend this Friday. * • '; Receiving a fall break is a new tradition for USU' students that was long overdue. Even if it is only one day, at least it gives us a chance to sleep in on a weekday that isn't a federal holiday or the day before we stuff our faces with turkey and pumpkin pie. It's nice to have a break just for the sake of having one, especially when we used to be accustomed to UEA weekends and Halloween parties in grade school. Those were the times when we had even more days to forget about school work and just have fun. ASUSU President Peter McChesney said this is the second year USU students have had the break. McChesney said we may never get more than a day, which is a shame for those who would have spent it draining their minds, carving pumpkins or in haunted houses. However, even if we only get one day and the University of Utah gets a week, at least its better than no-fun BYU students who don't get anything. In the future, receiving more days off in the fall from lectures and homework is unlikely, McChesney said - at least not for a while. We may as well be grateful for what we get. For some students, the three-day weekend won't be a big deal. They may even continue to spend the day with textbooks. Even then, those students can be glad they can study in pajamas and eat junk food all day. There will also be the students that decide not to set alarms clocks, others who will leave town and a bunch who will spend the weekend either drunk or running away from chainsaw men in corn mazes. Thanks to ASUSU, Executive Council and the administration, we all have an excuse not to think all day Friday. We couldn't ask for anything more. Except for maybe golf carts to take us to classes. News Editor Features Editor Manette Newbold , Assistant Features Editor ' Brittny Goodsell Jones Sports Editor Samuel Hislop Assistant Sports Editor David Baker "LADfe ^GENTIHIEN-.MKTO&Y £ NOT^ OPTION!" Transforming North America: A not-so-modest proposal I n November 2002, Robert Pastor gave a Independent Task Force on the Future of North speech titled "A Modest Proposal" to the America, which is composed of many promiTrilateral Commission in Toronto, Canada. nent individuals from all three nations, includIn his speech, Pastor, professor of international ing many former government officials. Pastor relations, vice president of international affairs has been one of the leading advocates of this and director of the Center for North American group's agenda. Studies at American University in Washington, The Task Force has set 2010 as the goal for D.C., discussed the direction he feels should be the implementation of its plans. followed in North America. He laid out specific The Council of Foreign Relations is the recommendations he feels should be followed sponsor of the Task Force in the U.S. The CFR by the governments of the U.S., Mexico and describes itself as "an independent, nonpartiCanada. If implemented, Pastor's ideas would san membership organization, think tank, and prove to be the destruction of our Constitution publisher dedicated to being a resource for and the freedoms it protects. its members, government officials, business Pastor's over-arching theme was the need executives, journalists, educators and students, for citizens of the three nations to begin view- civic and religious leaders, and other interested ing themselves as citizens of North America. To citizens in order to help them better understand help achieve this goal, he proposed the estab- the world and the foreign policy choices facing lishment of Centers for North American Studies the United States and other countries." in the three countries. Among the CFR's members are prominent Pastor also proposed the formation of sev- Americans such as Vice President Dick Cheney, eral unelected institutions that would oversee Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Tom the direction taken by the governments of the Brokaw, David Rockefeller and former secNorth American nations. retaries of state Colin Powell and Madeleine The first institution proposed by Pastor was a Allbright. North American Commission. This commission Many of the plans mentioned by Pastor are would define the agendas of summits attended slowly taking shape. The North American Free by the leaders of the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Trade Agreement has already paved the way It would then "monitor the implementation of for many of these proposals. President Bush the decisions and plans" made at these sum- has met several times with Canada's prime minmits. ister and Mexico's president. The Security and Pastor suggested that such plans might Prosperity Partnership, which sets guidelines include a North American Passport and a North and plans for the "harmonization" of tne regulaAmerican Customs and Immigration Service, tions of the U.S., Mexico and Canada, has been t turns out the "war on terror" is not the only war our governwhose officials would be trained in a North developed as a direct result of these summits. ment is losing. The "war on drugs," too, has been a national American professional school. Also among the A "North American Competitiveness Council" embarrassment. Decades of a draconian prohibition and zealpossible plans would be a continental plan for has been created. This council is composed of ous, often unconstitutional, law enforcement efforts to rid the infrastructure and transportation, a plan for business leaders in all three nations. Its purpose country of illegal drugs have failed us. harmonizing regulatory policies and a customs is to advise the leaders of these nations on poliWe need to get serious about drafting an effective drug union. cies which would allow for greater continental policy and lift dated taboos over drug legalization and decrimiPastor also proposed the creation of a North economic integration. nalization. American Parliamentary Group, which he sugPlans for the integration of infrastructure have Now I know what you're thinking: "If this guy wasn't high when he wrote this, then he's probably looking for cheaper pot." gests might "raise the sensitivity of American also been put in place. Construction has begun Wrong. I'm just a concerned citizen upset that his tax dollars are Congressmen and ... encourage all to think hard on several "corridors" running from Mexico about what they share." to Canada. Most conspicuous is the NASCO being wasted. The third institution advocated by Pastor corridor, which would begin in Mexico and cut Each year, we squander $42 billion dollars on this disastrous would be a "Permanent Court of Trade and through the Midwest to Canada. Also included policy. But still, dangerous traffickers threaten our communities, Investment." in this corridor is a proposed inland port in hundreds of thousands of Americans are crowding our jails on These institutions would be acting indepenKansas City. The Canamex Corridor, which dubious drug-related charges, and tons of illegal drugs flow dent of our government and would greatly begins in Mexico and cuts through Arizona, across our borders unimpeded. influence the decisions of our elected represenUtah, Idaho and Montana on its way to Canada, Expert analysis, based on government statistics, estimates tatives. is also being planned. that the illegal drug industry rakes in over $110 billion dollars a Pastor also called for the need to establish The ideas of Pastor and his fellow members year. By banning drugs, the government has ceded all control of a North American Development Fund, which of the Independent Task Force on the Future potentially dangerous substances to criminals. Those that peddle illegal drugs, then, can run an underground operation free of would be funded by taxpayers in all three of North America greatly threaten our nation's nations and administered by the World Bank independence, and thus the liberty of all of taxation, regulation, and price and quality control. us. The officials who would be filling the posiIn legalizing the drugs in question, we deny criminals this and the Inter-American Development Bank. The need for a continental currency was tions proposed by Pastor would be appointed, lucrative market. The federal government could regulate drug advocated by Pastor. One option he suggested not elected by the people of any of the three production, under the auspices of the FDA, to ensure their qualcould be the Amero, proposed by Herbert nations. Therefore, these officials would also ity and relative safety. And as with cigarettes and alcohol, the Grubel, professor of economics (emeritus) at not be accountable to the people for their government could tax these drugs for revenue. At the very least, we need to decriminalize many drugs. Drug Simon Fraser University and senior fellow at actions. The institutions proposed by Pastor and his use needs be perceived as a public health issue, not a crime. the Fraser Institute in Vancouver, Canada. This would eliminate the power of our Congress "To colleagues would, effectively, create a new govWe only exacerbate problems when we maintain the current coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of ernment with executive, legislative and judicial "lock 'em up" mentality. According to the FBI's Uniform Crime foreign coin ... " Report, a record 829,625 Americans were arrested for violatPastor is an influential member of the d See CHANGES, page 15 ing marijuana laws last year. Of those arrested, 89 percent of those were charged with possession—not trafficking or selling, but nonviolent possession. This strikes me as an absurd policy. It diverts time and resources away from violent crime, sexual Tell us what you think. abuse, terrorism and a host of more pressing criminal issues. Submit a letter to the editor at The government's obsessive fixation with marijuana is not in www.utahstatesman.com law enforcement's interest either, as it has engendered distrust with millions of people who now view the police as an instruThink back to the days when you were young, when life seemed ment of oppression, not protection. easier. There was no worrying about school, working to make a The drug prohibition is politically motivated and the product buck or trying to keep up an active dating or social life. All you had of years of misinformation. to do was follow the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have Many of today's prohibited drugs were once legal and widely done unto you. This simple message taught the importance of being used in America. Throughout the 19th century, opium derivakind to others and went hand in hand with another key principle: when tives and marijuana were utilized in medicines for tneir pain-killyou have more than someone else, it is good practice to snare with ing properties. All of these drugs were also used recreationally. them. Cocaine, as I'm sure you know, was even a common ingredient At first it was toys. Now, years down the road, toys aren't the currency of in Coca-Cola. It was only when these drugs became associ. the world, sad as that may be. Money, time, effort and energy are the currencies. ated with minorities and, later, the anti-war movement that they As citizens of the wealthiest country on Earth, we have quite a lot when it comes to became criminalized. material goods. Shouldn't we share this gift with others? Apologists for the current policy warn of an inevitable Recently, there have been numerous drives at USU to donate material goods, increase of drug use if we end the prohibition. Their fears, hows^ich as shoes and denim, to people across the world who don't have these luxuries. Are these great examples of doing good to others, or are they becoming a bit too dSee DRUGS, page 15 much? What's ypur Jake? Jell us at www.utahstatesman.com/messageboard. Legalization of drugs has its benefits I Copy Editor : Rebekah Bradway ( Photo Editor Tyler Larson Assistant Photo Editor ; Patrick Oden , Editorial Board Seth R. 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