Pot makes people slobs as well.. Apparently..

Present company excepted, of course.. :D

Michale

Not a big fan, but Drudge did a nice tribute to Prince...

http://sjfm.us/temp/PrinceDrudge.jpg

Michale

"I've long called this exactly what it is: highway robbery."

While a lot the abuse DOES take place on highways, it is really more akin to the practice of privateering, where a government awards contractors a license to practice piracy. The distinction between pirate and privateer was always pretty thin, with a revolving door between the two "industries," although I'm pretty sure revolving doors weren't actually invented until well after the Golden Age of Piracy. This is my second pirate reference in one week, which is my self imposed limit.

The tenfold increase in forfeitures in a fourteen year span is just what you would expect given the incentives...sound policing gives way to revenue enhancement.

I've long called this exactly what it is: highway robbery. I was glad to see Bernie specifically addressed it, personally. It is unconstitutional on many levels, and it needs to stop.

Two Words...

Attorney General Loretta Lynch

Michale

Pot makes people slobs as well.. Apparently..

Michale

The Washington Post has been doing a great job investigating seized asset fiascos. They've been running a series on it.

Here's a quick link to many of these stories:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/newssearch/?query=forfeiture

Most interesting recent one:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2015/11/12/the-booming-business-of-asset-forfeiture/

"Nationwide, forfeiture revenue has exploded. Since 2001, annual federal forfeiture revenue has increased from less than $500 million to more than $5 billion in 2014—a tenfold increase in just 14 years. And available data show forfeiture revenue across 14 states more than doubling from 2002 to 2013."

I've long called this exactly what it is: highway robbery. I was glad to see Bernie specifically addressed it, personally. It is unconstitutional on many levels, and it needs to stop.

-CW

There you go. Sorry!

-CW

THAT was frakin hilarious!!! :D

Here's one for you...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKiG_JKlc6o

:D

Michale

https://youtu.be/vQ7jHHC2bvg

Regarding your middle paragraph. Profit or lack of it aside, the potential for corruption is huge and fully realized with a huge number of real life examples. How much scandal? Just Google "asset seizure police scandals" The list goes on and on, and contains the usual Internet weeds, but you are still left with reputable investigative organizations regularly turning up flagrant abuses, including:

Pasadena Star News, Vox, New Yorker, NPR,Forbes, Think Progress, Minnpost, Mother Jones, California Innocence Project, Omaha World Herald, Washington Post, Detroit News, Washington Times,Daily Herald, The Guardian, BBC, University of Richmond Law Review, Wall Street Journal......

In spite of Impoundment Lot/Storage Bay overhead.

What could possibly go wrong? :^/

Michale

What's yer opinion of anyone who would push, support or be involved in such activities??? :D

Michale

Officers do not profit from these types of seizures. They don't get a percentage of seized property's worth. And technically, the departments rarely ever turn a profit from seizures. Seized items must be held and kept for quite some time in order to allow the owner an opportunity to seek legal actions in order to reclaim their property. That means the department has to pay for the item to be stored. Property can be auctioned off, but the money gained from that usually has to be used for funding specific programs like DARE.

I still do not understand how this is constitutionally legal for departments to do. I understand that it has been used as a tool against drug dealers, but taking property that might have been involved in illegal activities without actually charging the owner for said "illegal activities" doesn't cut it.

Considering the euphoria that Obama's election brought to everyone, myself included, and the complete and utter disappointment his administration has been...

Such feelings are completely understandable...

Michale

A few folks. Most seem to be reacting to Trump, mostly, but not entirely, negatively. Some people have been FOR either Bernie or Hillary and they are generally more positive. Many have seemed pretty disconnected or just against everyone. Some, like this woman, seemed not so much cynical as hopeless. Sad rather than angry.

Have you run into anyone who WASN'T so cynical?

Mailwoman, black, 30's. She's very friendly, usually smiling. When I asked: what do you think of the election season to date? she stopped smiling. She became very listless and said:

"Actually I'm getting tired of it. All the lying. People sayin' what they're going to do…I don't believe them. And it doesn't matter what people like me think anyway. It never matters what we think."

She didn't want to say any more.

We probably won't hear much about it, although it would be interesting. Anticipating an actual debate between the two of them, I expect the usual suspects will ask the usual questions.