October 6, 2009
No immunity from the Denver police
What I am about to recant is a true story the transpired on the night of October 5th 2009. At approximately 11:30 pm, I was stopped by one of Denver’s finest for supposedly not fully stopping at a stop sign. What I thought would be a routine traffic stop quickly turned into one of the most humiliating experiences of my life. Upon the officer’s return to my window, I expected to be presented with a ticket for my supposed infraction, but instead I was ordered out of my vehicle. When I inquired why, the officer repeated his order and opened my car door. Again, I repeated my question, “what is the problem officer”. However, the officer’s third request was accompanied by yanking me from my vehicle, lunging me against my quarter panel, and applying restraints in what seemed to be an all too familiar deft move for our city protectors. Nonetheless conspicuously absent in this mechanical gesture of the officer, was the reading of my rights.
Once I was placed inside the squad car the officer informed me that I had an outstanding bench warrant for failure to appear in court. I immediately asked to which charge I failed to appear for. His reply was “failure to immunize”. Now, for those not up to par on the subtitles of Denver’s animal control laws, all dogs must have current immunization records. Yet, as any dog owner in Denver will stipulate, a dog must possess current immunization records in order for a license to be issued. I know this law well, as my beagle was in violation upon my relocation to Colorado. In 2008, I was cited for failing to have a license, failing to have current immunization, and not having an intact permit (a fee paid to not have a dog spayed or neutered). Wishing to remain law-abiding, I complied with the requirements of Denver’s animal control laws within the allotted time period. Moreover, I possess the records to substantiate the lawfulness of my beagle’s existence; unfortunately, it is not something I carry within my vehicle. Thus began my 10-hour period of incarceration.
My first stop was the District station where I was fortunate to be isolated in a dark cell. While restrained to the wall, the first two hours passed relatively quickly. Entering into the third hour, I was joined by a local drunkard who made the wait for the arriving paddy wagon entertaining. Once the transport arrived, two others and I were quickly loaded on route to what I suspected was to be Denver city jail; however, to my chagrin, the officers transporting us had other plans. Perhaps not wanting all the transporting space to be unutilized, we made two other subsequent stops on our way to our primary location. About an hour later, the other master criminals and I debarked at the beginning of the booking process. Upon arrival, each unwilling participant was subjugated to another round of frisking and of course, the infamous mug shot. Although quite pleased with my own picture, it was apparent that the majority of my comrades for the evening were not as amused at the undergoing process as I. Once processing had ceased, I was escorted to the unbearable accommodations of Denver’s holding tank. Here, amongst the squalor of abandoned cloths, discarded food scraps, dried feces and spit on the walls, and nearly non-existent toilet facilities I would spend the next several hours. Luckily the vantage of the officers through the plexy glass and an oft-repeated video on how to protect oneself from rape in prison made the time fly by. Then all of a sudden, and for reasons unbeknownst to me, the officers on duty made it a priority to start booking around 5:30 am although it proceeded methodically slow. Here I was able to post my bond of $100 for release from my terrible crime. Sadly though, issuing a bond is a time consuming process and because of the pathetic efforts of my jailers, I was destined for another 3 hour wait while my fingerprints where run to make sure that I was not a terrorist. While I waited for Homeland security to verify that I wasn’t Osama bin laden, I had the privilege of getting to know no less than 12 of my fellow criminals when we were placed in a room no more than 8’ by ‘8. Unfortunately, being that I possessed the dubious distinction of being the only prisoner who posted bond, I was last to be processed, at the spiteful pleasure of the officers. Naturally, by this time, as temperatures soared in the tiny room, my patience dwindled.
Finally came the moment of my release and I at last had the opportunity to examine the summons, which I was said to miss. My observation of the summons and release paperwork yielded several facts. First, the summons was never delivered to me, as the law requires. Second, my first and last name were spelled incorrectly, and last, and perhaps the cudagra was learning upon my release that I wasn’t cited for my initial traffic infraction. Maybe I was granted immunity…
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April 15, 2008
The Check is in the Mail
With tax day now passed, it is only a few short weeks until the arrival of our 2008 economic stimulus checks. To no surprise, the return of tax money has Americans excited. But while many are impatiently waiting by the mailbox and making plans for spending their rebates, they might be overlooking a few economic realities about our generous government.
To begin with, even for those at the highest payout, the stimulus will yield about six hundred dollars per person while single persons will receive a few hundred dollars. Initially this may sound like a windfall, but comparatively the few hundred dollars that will be returned to the hundreds of thousands that shall never come back suddenly diminishes the enthusiasm for grandiose purchasing. In fact, at current prices, six hundred dollars might purchase food for a month, or fuel a car for two or three, but it hardly constitutes the kings ransom. Of course for those that are receiving less, dreams have to be even more moderate, such as a nice dinner for two or maybe a bigger payment to a lapsed credit card. In any case, a few hundred dollars will not alter the average American’s lifestyle, at least not for very long.
Meanwhile, let it not be forgotten that we shall receive our own money as the refund. That’s right, tax money is our money. People are unaccustomed to thinking this way since their only experience free of taxation is in that brief instant of every pay period before their checks are subdivided. However, the truth is that every worker deserves the complete fruit of their labor. Therefore, somehow the notion that we have gained monetarily from a refund check is preposterous since the refund is simply the return of our property that was taken without consent from us in the first place.
Finally, if the nominal amount of our own money being returned is not enough to deter us from an impulsive shopping spree, take heed, you refund checks have been already spent for you. How can this be you ask? The operation of government is already organized to cost us our refunds, and more.
Specifically, the government needs money to function, so they tax. That tax money is then allocated to the various corners of bureaucracy. In most cases, the tax money is spent before it is received. Thus, government operations require a consistent budget, which they shall receive as long as the tax money keeps flowing in. However, when there is a shortfall in tax revenue, the government either has to cut its services or borrow money.
Since the stimulus bill did not include any provisions for reducing government services, its safe to assume that the loss of revenue from taxes will be covered with borrowed money. Thanks to the Federal Reserve, even the government cannot borrow without cost, so ultimately it will cost more to cover the shortfall then just the lost tax revenue; there will be interest to pay as well. Who shall cover the cost of the interest? The American taxpayer. Thus, I suppose it is a tragic irony that if we were simply allowed to keep our own money, we would not have to pay later for its return.
Thereupon, maybe the best use of the check is to save it; it may be worth more as a collector’s item, as it may be the last one we shall ever see.
Janurary 1, 2008
IS PAUL A PROBLEM?
As I am a Libertarian, I am reluctant to write my concerns for the Ron Paul phenomenon, but there are many dangers to the Libertarian Party that Paul’s success generates which I feel have yet to be addressed.
Now, admittedly, on the surface the Ron Paul Revolution has many attractive features for Libertarians. Most notably, Libertarians recognize that Congressman Paul is fundamentally one of us even while his political affiliation has changed. He is a life member of the National party and he was the Libertarian nominee for President in 1988. Therefore even as Paul spreads his vision of expanded freedoms, personal responsibility and limited government under the Republican banner, he is validating the primary tenants of Liberty. In seeing his success activating so many, who would otherwise be political bystanders, with a message distinctly Libertarian, Libertarians are seeing their political perspective welcomed by millions of Americans, and it has many at a fever pitch.
Thereupon, it is precisely this blind admiration that troubles me. On the one hand, if Paul becomes overwhelmingly successful, he could illustrate a needlessness of the Libertarian Party. Consider that his success supports the perception that the party of Liberty is the Republican Party. If this perception should become widely accepted, many Libertarians will switch affiliations, as some already have, and may never return. This in turn would lessen state registrations that would ultimately threaten ballot access in many states. Simply put, the loss of ballot access is fatal for a party that is still in its infancy.
On the other hand, it is highly probable that Ron Paul’s campaign could fail in its bid for the Presidency. If this should be the case, the Libertarian party faces a daunting challenge. A quick move to expand and absorb the social and business networks of the failed Paul campaign must be made before the enthusiasm of the recently energized wanes completely. If we cannot enlist even our strongest supporters and we fail to capture the political fallout of the Paul campaign, we will have demonstrated our weakness as a political party and demoralized even our strongest supporters.
Obviously then, the only clear path for a Libertarian victory is a narrow one. In order to profit from the Revolution, we must first strengthen ourselves. This begins with educating others of the Libertarian message, recruiting activists, embracing and supporting Libertarian candidates, and gaining members who donate time and money to Libertarian causes. Only after we strengthen ourselves can we hope to insure that the Ron Paul Revolution does not roll right over the top of us.
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