The War On Drugs
George Bush Sr. addressed the war on drugs early on in his first address to the American public. He asked for nearly $8 billion from Congress to fund the war, of which 70% would go to law enforcement. The problem was that only 30% went to prevention. The federally-funded D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistant Education) program proved later on to be inaccurate and unsuccessful at motivating kids to say no. By 1992, there were more people in jail for drug charges than there were for all crimes combined in 1980. There was also very little allocated towards treatment. However, the campaign did produce a 22% decrease in cocaine use. Escobar escaped right in the midst of Bush's reelection campaign, so he emphasized the war on drugs once again with American-funded resources to catch him and terminate him if necessary. While the American support did prove to be crucial in capturing El Patron, it didn't help Bush win the election. Bill Clinton edged him out to become the next president by winning 43% of the popular vote to Bush's 37%. If that math doesn't add up, it's because independent Ross Perot took 18% of the vote. The highest for a third party nominee in history.
To view Bush's full address about the war on drugs click here.
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