Government

Non

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Eugene Volokh does not appear to think highly of the French non vote on the proposed EU constitution:

As best I can tell from what I’ve read recently, the substantive arguments for the French “no” vote weren’t very sound, either; and peevishness at the political classes’ seeming arrogance doesn’t strike me as a great reason to vote no.

He does not go into detail on what those substantive arguments were but there is one argument that I find quite compelling: the document is 485 pages long. Only a lawyer or a judge could love a constitution of that size.
Consider the brevity of the US Constitution and the huge bureaucratic and legal bloat that has occurred in a modest 200 years. Heck, with 485 pages to start with the EU will need bariatric surgery before it even leaves the starting gate.
Related notes:
Lynn Kiesling “…concluded that it was a curate’s egg.”
Steeph has probably already voted no today in the Netherlands. He has studied it much more thoroughly than the average voter!

Indonesia Illigitimacy

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

Indonesia demonstrates that, like most other modern governments, its laws, its government do not deserve the respect of its citizens or others around the world:

Accused Australian drug smuggler Schapelle Corby has been found guilty by an Indonesian court of importing marijuana into Bali.

Interfering with the consensual exchange of goods and services between individuals is not a legitimate governmental function.
In this case it looks like the victim might not even have been involved in the drug trade.

Prison Industry on the March

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

Well, it certainly isn’t freedom on the march if Wisconsin representative sensenbrenner has his way with HR1528. Scrutiny Hooligans nicely summarizes just one part of this heinous legislation this way:

To wit, if you see your neighbor smoking a joint on his back porch at 11pm while his kids are safely tucked into their beds 25 feet away, then you must contact law enforcement within 24 hours or be subject to criminal prosecution by the U.S. Government and be sentenced to at least 2 years in prison. Your neighbor will be sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in prison.

Go read more and weep.
If you are even the slightest bit comfortable that stuff like this even gets introduced as possible legislation then perhaps you should move yourself over to North Korea.
Via Skippy.

Setting a Good Example!

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Locals everywhere should consider the example of Korasuv:

Local residents have seized control of Korasuv, a border town in eastern Uzbekistan, driving out representatives of the central government…..
Meanwhile, the residents of Korasuv are meeting to discuss how to run their own affairs, free of interference from the authoritarian government, says our correspondent in the town.

This may be shortlived as it is doubtful that the central government gang, like such entities through history, will not react violently.
Nevertheless, central governments gangs in all countries and of all types, federal, state, district, county, what have you, should take heed. This may be another palpable sign that your end is near.
Via Green Ink!

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.