On Tue, 7 Aug 2001, Greg Broiles wrote:
According to the Wall Street Journal online -
Mr. Ashcroft said Congress should: 7 Make bulk cash smuggling a crime. Mr. Ashcroft said the only law currently on the books to combat smuggling is a requirement that shipments of more than $10,000 be accompanied by a report from the U.S. Customs Service. The Supreme Court has ruled that failing to file reports isn't a serious enough offense to warrant confiscating the cash, so at worst couriers for organized crime serve a short jail sentences -- "a virtually
.. ugh. Guess who's likely to end up with the burden of proof following the seizure of cash pursuant to his proposals .. and guess how hard it's going to be if your evidence consists of oral testimony to the effect that the cash was saved $10 or $20 at a time over a number of years.
Never mind that. They drop to $5k/mule (talk about absurd - there's this story about this Chinese emporer, some bloke who made him happy, a chess board, and a bunch of rice...). Doubles the transport cost. I predict an almost immediate increase of marijuana cost of approx. 20-25%. Stock up now! (just kidding, really) At some point they'll have to come face to face with the fact that there is no (zero, nada, nil, none, nope, not happen') ethical or moral justification for regulation of 'consensual crimes' in a democracy. That the only thing it demonstrates is that power corrupts. That to stop somebody from willingly smoking a doobie is about the silliest fucking thing any 'rational' man can come up with. When they see the light they will see that taxation will more than make up for any social 'disruption' it might cause. People are people, outside of murder, physical assault, or theft as long as both parties say "I do!" it ain't nobodies business. -- ____________________________________________________________________ natsugusa ya...tsuwamonodomo ga...yume no ato summer grass...those mighty warriors'...dream-tracks Matsuo Basho The Armadillo Group ,::////;::-. James Choate Austin, Tx /:'///// ``::>/|/ ravage@ssz.com www.ssz.com .', |||| `/( e\ 512-451-7087 -====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'- --------------------------------------------------------------------