Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 20 March 2018
Trump calls for death penalty to 'get tough' on drug pushers

By JONATHAN LEMIRE whose product causes mul-
DARLENE SUPERVILLE tiple deaths, would be con-
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) stitutional. Doug Berman, a
— Embracing the tough law professor at Ohio State
penalties favored by glob- University, predicted the is-
al strongmen, President sue would go all the way to
Donald Trump on Monday the U.S. Supreme Court.
brandished the death pen- John Blume, a professor
alty as a fitting punishment and director of Cornell Law
for drug traffickers fueling School’s death penalty
the opioid epidemic. program, said the federal
The scourge has torn drug kingpin law has yield-
through the rural and work- ed few “kingpins” or major
ing-class communities that dealers, mostly ensnaring
in large numbers voted for mid- to low-level minorities
Trump. And the president, involved in the drug trade.
though he has come under The president’s plan drew
criticism for being slow to criticism from some Demo-
unveil his plan, has seized crats, including Sen. Dick
on harsh sentences as key Durbin of Illinois, who said
to stopping the plague. “we can’t arrest our way
"Toughness is the thing that out of the opioid epidem-
they most fear," Trump said. Protesters gather near the Manchester Central Fire Station in Manchester, N.H., Monday, March 19, ic” and noted that “the war
The president made his 2018, where President Donald Trump madee an unscheduled visit. Trump is in New Hampshire to on drugs didn’t work in the
announcement in New unveil more of his plan to combat the nation's opioid crisis. ‘80s.” Opioids, including
Hampshire, a state hit hard (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) prescription opioids, heroin
by opioids and an early and synthetic drugs such as
marker for the re-election to happen folks. ... I want to President Rodrigo Duterte, about previously for big fentanyl, killed more than
campaign he has already win this battle." who authorized extrajudi- pushers, the ones that are 42,000 people in the U.S. in
announced. Trump called The president formalized cial killings of drug dealers. killing so many people, and 2016, more than any other
for broadening education what he had long mused Outside a local firehouse that penalty is going to be year on record, according
and awareness about drug about: that if a person in that Trump visited before the death penalty." to the Centers for Disease
addiction while expand- the U.S. can get the death Monday's speech, some- He added: "Other countries Control and Prevention.
ing access to proven treat- penalty or life in prison for one compared the two don't play games ... But the Much of what Trump high-
ment and recovery efforts. shooting one person, a leaders with a sign that ultimate penalty has to be lighted Monday was largely
But the backbone of his similar punishment should said: "Donald J. Duterte." the death penalty." repackaged ideas he’s al-
plan is to toughen punish- be given to a drug dealer "Drug traffickers kill so many The Justice Department ready endorsed. The presi-
ments for those caught whose product potentially thousands of our citizens said the federal death dent also discussed how his
trafficking highly addictive kills thousands. every year," Trump said. penalty is available for lim- policies, including building
drugs. "This isn't about nice Trump has long spoken ap- "That's why my Department ited drug-related offenses, a U.S.-Mexico border wall
anymore," Trump said. "This provingly about countries of Justice will be seeking including violations of the and punishing “sanctuary”
is about winning a very, like Singapore that harshly so many tougher penal- "drug kingpin" provisions in cities that refuse to comply
very tough problem and if punish dealers. During a trip ties than we've ever had federal law. with federal immigration
we don't get very tough on to Asia last fall, he did not and we'll be focusing on It is not clear if the death authorities, will help reduce
these dealers it's not going publicly rebuke Philippines the penalties that I talked penalty, even for traffickers the flow of drugs.q
Abortion impasse may shut down effort to reduce premiums

By RICARDO ZALDIVAR when repealing "Obam- 20 percent to 40 percent, standing support for restric- tion has long been restrict-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The acare" was the GOP's de- after two years of relentless tions on abortion funding is ed by a series of laws known
polarizing politics of abor- mand. But the fine print of increases. well-known. as the Hyde amendment,
tion have burst into the the GOP offer includes re- The office of one of the Abortion is just one of sev- which prohibit taxpayer
congressional budget de- strictions on abortion fund- leading Democratic nego- eral divisive social issues funds from being used to
bate, overwhelming bipar- ing that Democrats have tiators, Sen. Patty Murray of complicating prospects for pay for abortions, expect
tisan efforts to help millions already rejected, a "poison Washington, on Monday a $1.3 trillion spending bill in cases of rape, incest or
of consumers who buy their pill" to abortion rights sup- called the Republican offer that would keep the gov- when the woman's life is
own health insurance poli- porters. They say the pro- "partisan," saying in a state- ernment open and pro- endangered.
cies get relief from soaring posal could block abortion ment it came as a surprise. vide funding increases for Abortion remains a legal
premiums. coverage by some health In an interview last Friday, military and domestic pro- medical procedure in the
On Monday, Senate and insurance plans consum- Murray said her GOP coun- grams. United States, covered by
House Republicans re- ers purchase with their own terparts have only recently Others include a Republi- many employer plans. How-
leased their latest plan to money. started raising the issue of can demand for stronger ever, the abortion rate has
stabilize the Affordable Lawmakers of both par- abortion restrictions. "conscience" protections dropped significantly, from
Care Act's insurance mar- ties have been negotiating "To me that is just unac- for clinicians, and a Demo- about 29 per 1,000 women
kets. It calls for new federal over a health insurance sta- ceptable," Murray said. cratic maneuver to protect of reproductive age in 1980
money to offset the cost of bilization bill for months, but "Why would they add it on family planning money for to about 15 in 2014. Better
treating the sickest patients chances it will be added to at the last minute?" She Planned Parenthood clin- contraception, fewer unin-
and restores insurer subsi- the budget deal appear to complained that some Re- ics, which provide birth tended pregnancies and
dies that President Donald be dwindling. Some experts publicans were taking the control for many low-in- state restrictions may have
Trump terminated last year. estimate such legislation stabilization bill "hostage." come women. played a role, according to
That's clearly a shift from could reduce premiums by Republicans say their long- Federal funding for abor- a recent scientific report.q