When the Looter is the Government

[4est_4est_Gump]

George Will
Washington Post

"When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that justifies it."
Frédéric Bastiat

This town’s police department is conniving with the federal government to circumvent Massachusetts law — which is less permissive than federal law — to seize his livelihood and retirement asset. In the lawsuit titled United States of America v. 434 Main Street, Tewksbury, Massachusetts, the government is suing an inanimate object, the motel Caswell’s father built in 1955. The U.S. Department of Justice intends to seize it, sell it for perhaps $1.5 million and give up to 80 percent of that to the Tewksbury Police Department, whose budget is just $5.5 million. The Caswells have not been charged with, let alone convicted of, a crime. They are being persecuted by two governments eager to profit from what is antiseptically called the “equitable sharing” of the fruits of civil forfeiture, a process of government enrichment that often is indistinguishable from robbery.

Now, what could motivate this?

Ah yes, the War on Drugs trumps property right...

It's that good, ol'time Christian Crusading morality passion play...

Since 1994, about 30 motel customers have been arrested on drug-dealing charges. Even if those police figures are accurate — the police have a substantial monetary incentive to exaggerate — these 30 episodes involved less than 5/100ths of 1 percent of the 125,000 rooms Caswell has rented over those more than 6,700 days. Yet this is the government’s excuse for impoverishing the Caswells by seizing this property, which is their only significant source of income and all of their retirement security.

The government says the rooms were used to “facilitate” a crime. It does not say the Caswells knew or even that they were supposed to know what was going on in all their rooms all the time. Civil forfeiture law treats citizens worse than criminals, requiring them to prove their innocence — to prove they did everything possible to prevent those rare crimes from occurring in a few of those rooms. What counts as possible remains vague. The Caswells voluntarily installed security cameras, they photocopy customers’ identifications and record their license plates, and they turn the information over to the police, who have never asked the Caswells to do more.

...

A federal drug agent operating in this region roots around in public records in search of targets — property with at least $50,000 equity. Caswell thinks that if his motel “had a big mortgage, this would not be happening.”

“Equitable sharing” — the consensual splitting of ill-gotten loot by the looters — reeks of the moral hazard that exists in situations in which incentives are for perverse behavior. To see where this leads, read IJ’s scalding report “Policing for Profit: The Abuse of Civil Asset Forfeiture” (http://******/aYME1), a sickening litany of law enforcement agencies padding their budgets and financing boondoggles by, for example, smelling, or imagining to smell, or pretending to smell, marijuana in cars they covet.

Lest we forget, the War on Drugs is a truly bi-Partisan effort; only the Libertarians oppose it.
__________________
Don't shoot me! Ahm just the passion play's Player Piano player.
A_J, the Stupid

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Its how the GSA ends up with 1000s of surplus buildings it cant unload till WALMART buys the vacant property for a supercenter.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Then we can all head out to Vegas and party like it's $19.99...

 

[The_Trouvere]

Is that you Slug? I hoped you had left.

48.22 posts per day

Yes, I guess it is.

 

[Ishmael]

George Will
Washington Post

"When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that justifies it."
Frédéric Bastiat



Now, what could motivate this?

Ah yes, the War on Drugs trumps property right...

It's that good, ol'time Christian Crusading morality passion play...



Lest we forget, the War on Drugs is a truly bi-Partisan effort; only the Libertarians oppose it.
__________________
Don't shoot me! Ahm just the passion play's Player Piano player.
A_J, the Stupid

You do know that the solution is right there in front of them. Go out and get as big a mortgage as they can. Of course it may be a little late now.

Ishmael

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

You do know that the solution is right there in front of them. Go out and get as big a mortgage as they can. Of course it may be a little late now.

Ishmael

Are you suggesting that in today's day and age, the only protection from government is not a sound business model, but to be too big to fail?

 

[Ishmael]

Are you suggesting that in today's day and age, the only protection from government is not a sound business model, but to be too big to fail?

Following on the principle that actions speak louder than words.......Yes.

Ishmael

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

*chuckle*




... and I'm a man of great experience...

 

[Beco]

Its how the GSA ends up with 1000s of surplus buildings it cant unload till WALMART buys the vacant property for a supercenter.

A lot of that is because there is a lack of talent at the top of GSA. Tons of examples of selling at the bottom, buying at the top of the market....Their construction is usually twice what others would have. Sad

 

[JohnnySavage]

A lot of that is because there is a lack of talent at the top of GSA. Tons of examples of selling at the bottom, buying at the top of the market....Their construction is usually twice what others would have. Sad

That's because of Davis-Bacon and Project Labor Agreements. The government pays extra to keep union labor alive.

 

[phrodeau]

What angle could they use so that they can blame Obama for it?

 

[Beco]

That's because of Davis-Bacon and Project Labor Agreements. The government pays extra to keep union labor alive.

regulation and stupidity.....thats what I think. To many examples to name here....

 

[koalabear]

HEADLINES FROM THE YEAR: 2029


Ozone created by electric cars now killing millions in the seventh largest country in the world, Mexifornia, formerly known as California . .

White minorities still trying to have English recognized as Mexifornia's third language.

Spotted Owl plague threatens northwestern United States crops and livestock.

Baby conceived naturally! Scientists stumped.

Couple petitions court to reinstate heterosexual marriage.

Iran still closed off; physicists estimate it will take at least 10 more years before radioactivity decreases to safe levels.

France pleads for global help after being taken over by Jamaica . No other country comes forward to help the beleaguered nation!

Castro finally dies at age 112; Cuban cigars can now be imported legally, but President Chelsea Clinton has banned all smoking.

George Z. Bush says he will run for President in 2036.

Postal Service raises price of first class stamp to $17.89 and reduces mail delivery to Wednesdays only.

85-year $75.8 billion study: Diet and exercise is the key to weight loss.

Average weight of Americans drops to 250 lbs.

Global cooling blamed for citrus crop failure for third consecutive year in Mexifornia and Floruba.

Japanese scientists have created a camera with such a fast shutter speed they now can photograph a woman with her mouth shut.

Abortion clinics now available in every High School in United States

Senate still blocking drilling in ANWR even though gas is selling for 4532 Pesos per liter and gas stations are only open on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Massachusetts executes last remaining conservative.

Supreme Court rules punishment of criminals violates their civil rights.

Average height of NBA players is now nine feet, seven inches.

New federal law requires that all nail clippers, screwdrivers, fly swatters and rolled-up newspapers must be registered by January 2030.

IRS sets lowest tax rate at 75 percent.

Floruba voters still having trouble with voting machines.

 

[RoryN]

HEADLINES FROM THE YEAR: 2029

Ozone created by electric cars now killing millions in the seventh largest country in the world, Mexifornia, formerly known as California . .

White minorities still trying to have English recognized as Mexifornia's third language...

http://chzgifs.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/whothehellpunchesakoalap1.gif

 

[unregistered]