Back in the day, when the wars began (can anyone remember that far back), they were fought on a Keynsian model--you caught the users, made deals, and worked your way up to cut off the head, the dope dealers.

Everybody learnt that Keynse didn't know jack when Reagan took over and supply side became the norm. Instead of putting money in the pockets of the have nots so they'd buy, you'd put money in the pockets of the haves so they'd have more? Trust me, Reagan said, and millions did, or at least those with millions to begin with. We all see where supply side has gotten us in the world of finance; pick a stock, any stock, I dare you.

So the sons and daughters of Reagonites figure that it worked so well in the war on middle class that they'd try it on the war on drugs. See, they'd go out and catch the pushers, the ones making illegal drugs (in this case performance enhancers) available, the ones telling our kids how to use them (I'm sorry, when you get to my age they're all kids), and instead of sending those bozos to jail, they'd do like good ole Ron would--they'd reward them with a pass, and with the ability to make money off of book deals and what not, and have them "flip" on the athletes that they sold to.

Now, as a person who had prosecuted drug cases (well a few) back in the day, I found this approach wrong headed and extremely disturbing, especially when "flipping" witnesses often produced "proof" of crimes that was nothing of the sort, that was only the word of a drug pusher propped up by the power and authenticity of the prosecutor. I thought it wrong with regard to Bonds, I thought it wrong with regard to Vick, and I thought it wrong with regard to Clemens (the jury is still out on where the prosecutors will go with that one; by the way, I'm dying to see what kind of season Pettite has now that he is right with his maker and off the juice (twice my aunt tilly).

Now we see on the front page of the NY Times that it is happening again in the world of track and field. They caught the culprit dead to rights. Have him nailed. Is the guy in jail? No. Is he talking book deals? Yeap. And, who are these prosecutors charging after? Some greybeards (couldn't resist) who are out of their sport but who this dirt ball Guillermo Heredia has the goods on. Now, in this instance, we are talking more than just a soda can full of used needles and what not; seems Mr. Heredia might actually have the goods.

Only problem is, nobody in the Western World cares, except the NY Times which is desparate to sell newspapers. Well, you might say, getting the old timers for their indiscretions will discourage the kids of today who are the budding stars from using, and that is what it is all about, the kids, we do it for the kids. Only problem is that the Times quotes Heredia as saying that he is not exactly out of business. Nope, he don't sell no more, and just to placate the federalies, he don't have any clients who are Americans.

What he does is consulting, which is what everybody with yank in this country gets to do after they get caught, everybody but the former Attorney General of the United States, who apparently can't even get a nibble from any law firm in the US (Times p. 14), making an apparent, prima facie case of racial discrimination, only the Justice department that Gonzalez headed won't bring in it because they don't believe in it. (yeah, I know it's off topic and a cheap shot, but hey, who's writing this ramble, me or you).

So, the government's star witness, who has an extensive network of suppliers outside of the US continues to "consult" with world class athletes on how they can help themselves win gold without detection (wink, wink) even while he is the government's star witness against our old greybeards.

I know what I make of all this, I've been saying it for years. The rest of you will continue to insist that the war on drugs, any drug, is worth fighting, and that this supply-side approach is a correct way to go. I'm tired of trying to convince you otherwise.

I do have a word of advice though. Not that I'm some kind of track and field expert or anything, but, if I were a betting man, I'd love to have Heredia's current client list. And, oh, we really must do something about getting performance enhancers out of sports. Right!