Obama is using the DOJ to rob farmers

[Dwight Schrute]

Well apparently if you grow food, you aren't allowed to make money off of it or at least you aren't allowed to keep it:

http://foodfreedomgroup.com/2012/04/...farmers-money/

While being questioned, the Sowers were finally presented with a seizure order and advised that the feds had already emptied their bank account of $70,000. The Dept. of Justice has since sued to keep $63,000 of the Sowers’ money, though they committed no crime other than maintaining their privacy

When a similar action was taken against Taylor’s Produce Stand last year, the feds seized $90,000, dropped the charges, and kept $45,000 of Taylor’s money.

Former Maryland assistant U.S. attorney Steven Levin told the paper, “The emphasis is on basically seizing money, whether it is legally or illegally earned. It can lead to financial ruin for business owners, and there’s a potential for abuse here by the government

[Hellraiser97]

So let's see.

1) Intentionally circumvent Bank Secrecy Laws
2) Get busted by Feds
3) Have fringe groups take up your cause
4) ???????
5) PROFIT!

I've deposited over $10k numerous times since 9/11. It's not that big of a deal and doesn't take that much time. Whether you agree with the Bank Secrecy Act or not, if you intentionally circumvent it, whose fault is it when you get busted?

[Foosters Galore]

So they're admitting to committing a federal offense, right?

[Dwight Schrute]

So they're admitting to committing a federal offense, right?

And exactly what federal offense are the committing and what right does that give the DOJ to steal their money?

[Foosters Galore]

From your link:

“Structuring,” explains Overlawyered.com, “is the federal criminal offense of splitting up bank deposits so as to keep them under a threshold such as $10,000 above which banks have to report transactions to the government.”

[juz]

And exactly what federal offense are the committing and what right does that give the DOJ to steal their money?

did you even read the article you posted??

[TJ]

did you even read the article you posted??

$#@! YOU!! TEH AVENGERS RULE!!11 caps

[Dwight Schrute]

From your link:

Missed that. Still it's $#@!ed up and they shouldn't be able to just seize assets at their will.

[TJ]

Seriously though, Dwight, no they shouldn't. It's not just an "Obama thing," this is a big government vs. personal freedom issue.

[Foosters Galore]

where's the due process in these seizures? The article makes it seem as if the parties woke up one morning to find their bank account empty. Surely there are procedural safeguards, no?

[JMHammer]

where's the due process in these seizures? The article makes it seem as if the parties woke up one morning to find their bank account empty. Surely there are procedural safeguards, no?

Once they seize your money, you are guilty until proven innocent. The punishment no longer fit the crime. I know ignorance of the law is not an excuse, but this is ridiculous. Due process is dead, and these asset forfeiture laws are insane.

[Brisketexan]

Once they seize your money, you are guilty until proven innocent. The punishment no longer fit the crime. I know ignorance of the law is not an excuse, but this is ridiculous. Due process is dead, and these asset forfeiture laws are insane.

I agree 100%. But I will re-iterate that I think it's stupid to call this a move by Obama. These bull$#@! laws have been around for several administrations, and have been abused that entire time.

The OP is horrified because he thinks the Obama DOJ is doing something different, or unique. He SHOULD be horrified because Obama's DOJ is simply doing more of the SAME. The problem is not Obama, or Bush, or Clinton -- it is statism.

[JMHammer]

I agree 100%. But I will re-iterate that I think it's stupid to call this a move by Obama. These bull$#@! laws have been around for several administrations, and have been abused that entire time.

The OP is horrified because he thinks the Obama DOJ is doing something different, or unique. He SHOULD be horrified because Obama's DOJ is simply doing more of the SAME. The problem is not Obama, or Bush, or Clinton -- it is statism.

What you are saying is true, but the feds seem to be applying less and less common sense to these situations. I don't know if it is just a natural progression over time, or the arrogance that seems to permeate this administration at all levels. It is clear that it was a big mistake to allow law enforcement to keep part of the money they seize. That is a clear conflict of interest and the catalyst for these abuses.

[juz]

I agree 100%. But I will re-iterate that I think it's stupid to call this a move by Obama. These bull$#@! laws have been around for several administrations, and have been abused that entire time.

The OP is horrified because he thinks the Obama DOJ is doing something different, or unique. He SHOULD be horrified because Obama's DOJ is simply doing more of the SAME. The problem is not Obama, or Bush, or Clinton -- it is statism.

NO YOU'RE WRONG!
REPUBS GOOD, DEMS BAD

- Dwight Shute aka The Garnett Lantern

[MissingInAction]

I'm convinced Schrute is a grendel/briscoe sock.

[SushiHorn]

Just another reason to keep as little money as possible in the bank. The government can seize it all at any time on whatever pretext it chooses and you have to sue to get it back. Ridiculous.

The excuse for these laws is of course the Drug War. "Gotta stop those money launderers ya know!" Except that each of the big banks has laundered billions for the drug cartels without any consequences. So the stated reason is proven BS.

It's a control mechanism. They are trying to discourage cash so that they can track everything that you do and so that all of your wealth is subject to arbitrary confiscation. They are trying to take this a step further with a "cashless" economy. That will eliminate liquid financial wealth held outside the banks.

And just coincidentally this will remove the critical barrier to infinite leverage since banks will never have to be concerned about people coming in to demand their money. Legal tender issued by our elected government will be replaced entirely with accounting ledger entries that exist only in the records of banks. The control possibilities are enormous. Your (government sponsored) bank card could easily morph into a ration card that controls and limits ALL of your purchases as well as tracking them.


edit:
Launder billions of drug profits and hundreds of billions of unknown origin in blatant violation of the law and you get a taxpayer bailout. Make a technical mistake in the size and timing of your bank deposits and the government robs you at gunpoint.

[BrothaHorn]

$#@! the Beast!!"

[Dwight Schrute]

NO YOU'RE WRONG!
REPUBS GOOD, DEMS BAD

- Dwight Shute aka The Garnett Lantern

1. I'm not a Republican. Neither party is worth a $#@! but at least the Republicans do have some party members worth a $#@!.
2. Learn to spell.
3. Contrary to what lies you hear online, this is my only account on here.
4.?????
5. EABOD.

[hayden_horn]

1. I'm not a Republican. Neither party is worth a $#@! but at least the Republicans do have some party members worth a $#@!.
2. Learn to spell.
3. Contrary to what lies you hear online, this is my only account on here.
4.?????
5. EABOD.

You share IP addresses (multiple) with garnett. This is a fact. And you post JUST LIKE him. You are him. Finkle is einhorn. Don't hide behind the fact that because Garnett was banned and therefore unable to post that you aren't the same.

[Dwight Schrute]

You share IP addresses (multiple) with garnett. This is a fact. And you post JUST LIKE him. You are him. Finkle is einhorn. Don't hide behind the fact that because Garnett was banned and therefore unable to post that you aren't the same.

No I don't. Just because someone says something online doesn't mean it's true fool. Besides, I have an IP blocker on my personal laptop and half my posts come from work. But hey keep believing what other idiots online tell you.

[hayden_horn]

I was the one that looked it up, fool

[MissingInAction]

No I don't. Just because someone says something online doesn't mean it's true fool. Besides, I have an IP blocker on my personal laptop and half my posts come from work. But hey keep believing what other idiots online tell you.

If you have one shred of not stupid in you then you should know not to open this can of worms.

[Dwight Schrute]

I was the one that looked it up, fool

Oh so you are the one who is making $#@! up on here? Glad we know who the real troll is.

[hayden_horn]

Lulz

[MissingInAction]

release the hounds

[hayden_horn]

release the hounds

Busy at the moment. I'll deal with this guy in a bit, if, say, a train doesn't hit him first.

[MissingInAction]

I see what you did there.

[Tennesseehorn]

Former Maryland assistant U.S. attorney Steven Levin told the paper, “The emphasis is on basically seizing money, whether it is legally or illegally earned. It can lead to financial ruin for business owners, and there’s a potential for abuse here by the government

One of the biggest understatements in the last 100 years!

[wildcat09]

Clearly Obama is responsible for the war on drugs.

[TJ]

Oh so you are the one who is making $#@! up on here? Glad we know who the real troll is.

Ban this insufferable $#@!et's IP address and all associated accounts.

[Dwight Schrute]

Ban this insufferable $#@!et's IP address and all associated accounts.

lol this coming from a pathetic $#@! who tries to hold down a persona as being the cool guy online despite the fact that he contributes precisely $#@! to any conversation in any thread and people are seeing through your bull$#@! dude. Give it up man, no one believes you are a cool guy when you've spent the last 4 years of your life doing nothing more than racking up posts on a message board.

[TJ]

[theropods]

Busy at the moment. I'll deal with this guy in a bit, if, say, a train doesn't hit him first.

He may be insinuating that both of these posters are hitby socks. I sometimes wonder if this site isn't really just a ponzi scheme involving hitbyatrain socks.

[DigglerontheHoof]

Clearly Obama is responsible for the war on drugs.

He's not responsible for it, but he sure as hell isn't easing up on it. New boss/old boss yada $#@!ing yada.

[Rick Simon - S&S PI, Inc]

No I don't. Just because someone says something online doesn't mean it's true fool. Besides, I have an IP blocker on my personal laptop and half my posts come from work. But hey keep believing what other idiots online tell you.

Haha. Nice. An IP Blocker.

[hayden_horn]

He may be insinuating that both of these posters are hitby socks. I sometimes wonder if this site isn't really just a ponzi scheme involving hitbyatrain socks.

Nope. Neither are hitby

[washparkhorn]

It would nice to have a master list of socks.

BC is not my sock.



I'm not kidding. He's not.

[Dwight Schrute]

90% of the accounts here are my socks, including (the smart) half of posters in this thread.

[MissingInAction]

90% of the accounts here are my socks, including (the smart) half of posters in this thread.