Politicians reflect moral rot. During last year's budget negotiation meetings, President Barack Obama told House Speaker John Boehner, "We don't have a spending problem." When Boehner responded with "But, Mr. President, we have a very serious spending problem," Obama replied, "I'm getting tired of hearing you say that." ... MORE
by Katie Rucke. The police department's license to steal. The rights afforded to people by the U.S. Constitution do not extend to their property. This means that when a law enforcement official suspects that someone’s property — including his or her car, money, home or gun — was involved in a crime, the official can seize that property and ... MORE
by James Nye. California today, America tomorrow. The first few weeks she was awesome,' said Bracamonte to ABC News about her squatter. 'She would come places with us, help out the kids. She was really great.' But overnight things changed for the stay at home mother and her electrical contractor husband. 'All of a sudden she ... MORE
The police department's license to steal. "When it comes to civil forfeiture laws in Texas, you have no property rights." That headline, from last month's Texas Observer, sums up a lot of criticism surrounding civil forfeiture, the law that allows police to seize property that was used to commit a felony. The language of the statute has been called ... MORE
Former legalized theft advocate changes tune. Sometimes, justice prevails. In January, 21-year-old Sylvia Solano slammed her 2003 BMW
into a brick wall. By the time cops arrived, she and her passenger—both
uninjured—were sitting atop the obstinate barrier, clearly intoxicated.
A breathalyzer confirmed she had a blood alcohol ... MORE
by Barnini Chakraborty. Motel owner Russell Caswell wasn’t expecting to find himself at the center of a national controversy when FBI agents came knocking on his door. They said they wanted his Tewksbury, Mass., business – and the land it was on – because they suspected it was a hotbed for drug-dealing and prostitution. The agents, who were ... MORE
by Calvin Sneed. Video from Channel 9. Over the past few months, we've been examining the way that police officers can seize vehicles during routine traffic stops. We discovered that, during many stops that take drunk drivers and drug couriers off the roads, innocent people can get their vehicles seized, too. One particular situation caught ... MORE
Why is it that evil proliferates? What mechanism keeps it going? Who is to blame? Why are there so many wars and occupations? Why such huge amounts of theft (“taxes”, fines, fees and “civil forfeiture”)? Why are so many nonviolent people in jail? What keeps the “War on Some Drugs” going? Why does the police state expand and expand? ... MORE
by Radley Balko. Policing for profit. Despite some recent exposure in national media outlets such as the New Yorker and “PBS Frontline,” the practice of civil asset forfeiture appears to be as popular as ever. Civil asset forfeiture is the twisted policy that lets police seize any property they believe is connected to a crime (usually a drug crime). ... MORE
Minnesota applies constitutional protections. When cops can help themselves to cash, cars, boats and houses of citizens who have never been charged with a crime, the system is badly broken. Minnesota has become one of the handful of states to do something to fix it. The sight of a lawman in the rear-view mirror can be a reassuring ... MORE
Theft without due process because it's government. Do you think the Internal Revenue Service
and other government agencies should have the right to seize your
assets, including your bank accounts, when you have not been convicted
of wrongdoing? The fact is, the IRS and other government agencies do this all of the time, and often without ... MORE
Freedom means hope for the living. What is the connection between freedom and rising from the dead? When America was in its infancy and struggling to find a culture and frustrated at governance from Great Britain, the word most frequently uttered in speeches and pamphlets and editorials was not safety or taxes or peace; ... MORE 
by Wyatt Andrews. Whose going to stop them? Two months ago, Mary Grice, a career employee at the Food and Drug Administration, was notified the U.S. Treasury had confiscated her state and federal tax refunds totaling $4,500. The government had taken the money before she knew there was a problem. "To be honest, I was ticked off," ... MORE