By the Cops, the Courts, the Corporations and Congress. Call it what you will—taxes, penalties, fees or fines—but the only word that truly describes the constant bilking of the American taxpayer by the government and its corporate partners is theft. We’re operating in a topsy-turvy Sherwood Forest where instead of Robin Hood and ... MORE
Showing posts with label theft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label theft. Show all posts
John W. Whitehead: The Stealing of America
By the Cops, the Courts, the Corporations and Congress. Call it what you will—taxes, penalties, fees or fines—but the only word that truly describes the constant bilking of the American taxpayer by the government and its corporate partners is theft. We’re operating in a topsy-turvy Sherwood Forest where instead of Robin Hood and ... MOREWalter E Williams: Our Unwillingness To Defend Ourselves
Welcoming the barbarians. The U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that 2012 losses because of personal identity theft totaled $24.7 billion. The money losses from identity theft pale in comparison with the costs of paperwork, time and inconvenience imposed on the larger society in an effort to protect ourselves. ... MOREReport Shows Police Using Asset Seizure To Bolster Budgets
by Katie Rucke. The government is not us. 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 keep it. ... MORE
Walter E Williams: Spending And Morality
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." ... MOREJason Snead: Civil Forfeiture Criticized in Congress
Politician comes out against legalized theft. The growing national chorus in favor of civil asset forfeiture reform
gained new allies in the halls of Congress last week. Denouncing civil
forfeiture as an “ugly development,” Representative Tim Walberg (R–MI) took to the floor of the House of Representatives to call for the practice to be ... MORE
Report Show Police Using Asset Seizure To Bolster Budgets
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 ... MORENanny Uses California Law To Assist In Home Invasion
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 ... MOREPaul Flahive: Civil Forfeiture Laws Under Fire
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 ... MOREJason Snead: Civil Forfeiture Backfires On Former Sheriff
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 ... MOREAlarm Raised By Growing Gov't Power To Seize Property
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 ... MOREPolicing For Profit: Getting the Car Back is Bittersweet
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 ... MOREPaul Bonneau: Evil Rationalizations For Good People
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? ... MOREDespite Exposure, Asset Forfeiture Racket Is Humming
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). ... MOREWASH TIMES: Putting A Stop To Civil Asset-Forfeiture
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 ... MOREVIDEO: 10 Dumbest Quotes About Video Games
The option-destoyers are relentless. Actual quotations from high-profile idiots!
Man's Las Vegas Casino Winnings Legally Stolen By Cops
Incentives of the drug war. After a successful run at the casinos in Las Vegas, a man carrying a large sum of cash fell victim to a thieving police officer on his way back to California. Without charging him with a crime or even giving him a speeding ticket, the cop seized 50,000 and let him go. This practice of highway robbery is perfectly legal. ... MORE
Civil Forfeiture Drives Mistrust Of Government
by George Will. Earnest moralists lament Americans’ distrust of government. What really is regrettable is that government does much to earn distrust, as Terry Dehko, 70, and his daughter Sandy Thomas, 41, understand. Terry, who came to Michigan from Iraq in 1970, soon did what immigrants often do: He went into business, buying Schott’s ... MORE
Richard Rahn: Abusive Civil Asset Forfeiture
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 ... MOREJeff Berwick: Stealing Every Last Penny From Americans
More evidence the government is not us. All of a sudden the government lays claims to your savings. They can't prove you owe them a dime, but you're deprived due process. The legal bills become overwhelming, and so you let your money be stolen. You simply have no choice. Sound outlandish? It's not. Not in the "Land of the Free" ... MORE
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)