Capitalism

They Are All Awry

This entry was posted in Capitalism Domestic Terrorism Drug Laws Law Enforcement Libertarianism on by

The drug terrorists in action again:

Lawndale residents were on edge and Chicago police on alert Tuesday afternoon after a police officer shot a 17-year-old youth in what authorities described as an undercover drug bust gone awry.
As dozens of uniformed officers and detectives combed the crime scene in the 1800 block of South Harding Avenue, more than 75 people gathered around, many angrily protesting the shooting and shouting obscenities.
The shooting unfolded around 11:40 a.m., when an undercover officer, a member of the narcotics and gang division, attempted to make a drug buy from an unidentified 17-year-old male, Chicago police spokesman Pat Camden said.
The teen and another male signaled to the police officer that a deal would be made, Camden said. The pair led the officer to a narrow vacant lot between two houses on South Harding.
Before the transaction could be made, the youth allegedly displayed a handgun and told the officer to turn over his money, Camden said. The officer obliged, Camden said, and handed over a series of bills that had been marked by police.

Sure, the kid may have deserved being taken down for the alleged attempted theft. However, the undercover officer terrorist was attempting to entrap the victim in order to enforce unjust and immoral legislation. When those who are charged with protecting us interfer in the non-fraudulant exchange of goods and services amongst free people it time to hire someone else.

Beyond Raich

This entry was posted in Capitalism Drug Laws Federal Government Law Enforcement Libertarianism War on Terrorism on by

Why exactly are the drug terorists waging this war on supposedly free people? Dennis Perrin has a few thoughts in answer:

Still, it seems comical that at this late date we’re dealing with shit like this, esp given the larger and more pressing horrors of the world. But systems of control are self-perpetuating, as are the delusions that keep them humming. And criminalizing marijuana requires massive delusion and lying by those who seek control. To be expected. To paraphrase Bill Hicks, alcohol and cigarettes do nothing creative for you and accelerate your chances for death, yet they’re legal. Weed, on the other hand, opens a door in your mind and lets you see how you are getting royally fucked on a regular basis, yet it’s illegal. Coincidence . . .?

Go read the rest!
Via Arthur Silber.

Supreme Court Supports Federal Thugs

This entry was posted in Capitalism Constitution Drug Laws Economics Law Law Enforcement Libertarianism on by

In Gonzalez V. Raich the US supreme court ruled in favor of the federal thugs, justice department and congress, who would deny individuals living in the land of the supposedly free the authority to grow and use marijuana for medical purposes.
They had an opportunity to fix years of misapplication of the commerce clause and to reaffirm the concepts of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as they recently did in Lawrence. They failed.
There is more The Volokh Conspiracy, How Appealing, Scotus Blog and I’m sure all over the media and blogosphere as the day goes on. The full decision is here (PDF).
Update: Information on using so-called democratic means as called out in the opinion can be found at the Marijuana Policy Project site.
Update2: Zombyboy has a somewhat less radical reaction than the above and concludes with:

What we get today is two irrational decisions rolled up in one: the decision to expand commerce control over increasingly non-commercial endeavors and the decision to continue to insist that marijuana is a more dangerous drug than any of the opiates that are commonly prescribed to relieve pain. Sorry, but I just don

Chicago Crime

This entry was posted in Capitalism Economics Health Care Information Law Enforcement Marketing on by

This is good stuff!
I expect that we will see this propagate across the country and I expect that this kind of stuff is the smallest tip of the iceberg. For this specific application I’d like to see a map of arrests as well. Something that shows where the arrests are happening and how effective law enforcement is in resolving real crimes…like, murder, burglary, theft, battery, etc.
There will be many, many more creative add-ons to the Google interface. I’d be shocked if Google didn’t have more really hot stuff in the pipeline.
With just a little thought it is possible to identify applications that could change some significant markets and greatly enhance peoples lives.
Via beSpacific.

Tax Simplification

This entry was posted in Business US Capitalism Economics Federal Government Government Libertarianism Taxation on by

Bryan suggests:

If Congress wanted to simplify the tax code all they would have to do is eliminate all deductions other than the standard deduction and the individual deduction. The whole tax form would look like the 1040EZ. They don’t want to do that because they gain power by having people pay them to include special deductions.

Or provide special subsidies, etc.
That the congress critters and their state level ilk have not done this already, as a first step, is a perfectly good reason to fire them all.