most of us would simply like a balance
there doesn't seem to be a balance currently
I'm not sure I buy that. People see things that they don't like and the desired balance is always "less". But it's entirely possible there's already a balance.
I'm reminded of meeting with the caterer in preparation for the reception with my now ex-wife. My soon to be MIL was worried that if we had an open bar, people would take advantage and get hammered.
The caterer basically said that open bar or cash bar, 20% of the guests wouldn't drink. Open bar or cash bar, 60% of the guests would have an appropriate amount of alcohol. Open bar or cash bar, 20% would get drunk. It seems that there are more intrinsic factors in behavior than whether folks have to pay for their drinks.
The truth is that a certain percentage of people like getting f&@^#d up, whether it's alcohol, or drugs, or whatever. That demand will NEVER go away completely. And they'll find a way to get what they want.
We can't even keep drugs out of prisons. You think "border security" is going to keep them out of the country? Some of these drugs, anyone with a chemistry set can produce. Are we going to outlaw chemistry? (Or tightly regulate it,
like Texas?) Doesn't seem to be stopping drugs.
In fact, everything that we've done to stop heroin has caused the much more dangerous--and much easier to conceal--fentanyl to proliferate.
"Securing the border" isn't going to change that.