Other Voices
Drugs, illegal immigration, Iraq. We hear about these and other problems until we are weary. What is it about these problems that we cannot solve them? Maybe it isn't the problems. Maybe it is something about us.
In his book, "A History of the American People," Paul Johnson uses the failure of Prohibition to illustrate four characteristics of the American people, characteristics that continue to dog us as we wrestle with the problems and issues that face us today.
First, says Johnson, Americans are born utopians. We believe that we can and should lick any and every problem. Life can be perfected. Second, we believe that the way to perfect life is by passing the right laws. Third, while we are quite willing to legislate the ends, we lack the ruthlessness to legislate (and pay for) the means. Fourth, we passionately believe in the unrestricted freedom of enterprise. If there is a market, there should be a corresponding product.
Prohibition was an attempt to end drunkenness and the other evils associated with alcohol abuse. The chosen means was law. Supporters of prohibition naively believed that if the Constitution were amended, people would stop drinking and problems would evaporate faster than a spilled shot of 100 proof vodka. While we legislated the ends - no more alcohol - we failed to legislate the means - ruthless enforcement. And, besides, there was clearly a market for alcohol. Prohibition not only failed to eliminate alcohol and its effects, but it spawned additional problems by boosting organized crime.
Moving from history to the present, we have declared a war on drugs. As part of our war we have passed laws making drugs illegal to grow, import, manufacture, sell, or use. Over the years the laws have become increasingly more restrictive and the penalties increasingly harsh. Now we have to enforce those laws.
The federal budget allocates $8.8 billion to enforce our drug laws. In federal budget terms, that is not much money to begin with, but add to that the fact that in 1997 the drug business in the United States was a $57 billion a year enterprise. Total drug seizures in 1995 were $645 million, a spit in the proverbial bucket. Effectively fighting drugs takes billions of additional dollars and armies of additional agents. Will Americans foot the bill? And will Americans allow drug agents to work with a level of ruthlessness that matches their adversaries? It is not likely.
Illegal immigration continues to be a problem. Believing we can beat it, we have passed laws and hired agents to patrol our borders. Our border with Mexico is 1,945 miles long. We will the end - no illegal immigration - but not the means - a sufficient number of enforcers. Now if we fenced the entire boarder, uncoiled miles of razor wire, hired thousands of additional agents and trained them with automatic weapons, could we seal the border with Mexico? Yes, but we find the thought appalling.
Does this mean that we should give up and not bother trying to ameliorate these and other problems? No, not at all. It does mean that there are factors that are part of the very fabric of our national character which inhibit effective problem solving.
Two of the four characteristics cited by Johnson ought never to change. The American belief that we can improve the world and our refusal to do so by totalitarian means help define our greatness as a nation. Our naive belief in the efficacy of law and in the goodness of the market ought to be reexamined and reconsidered as we seek to change the things we can.
Tonkowich is pastor at Peninsula Hills Presbyterian Church in Los Altos.