Stupid Congress Tricks: anti-terror bills target cash

[measl at mfn.org]

On Wed, 3 Oct 2001, Declan McCullagh wrote:

> Whoever... knowingly conceals more than $10,000 in currency or other 
> monetary instruments on his or her person... shall be guilty of a currency 
> smuggling offense (and) shall be imprisoned for not more than 5 years.

Wow!  We *must* use the Comrade's bank, or we vill be berry berry zorry!

> Upon a showing by the property owner by a preponderence of the evidence 
> that the currency or monetary instruments involved in the offense giving 
> rise to the forfeiture were derived from a legitimate source and were 
> intended for a lawful purpose, the court shall reduce the forfeiture to the 
> maximum amount that is not grossly disproportional to the gravity of the 
> offense...

Your money was _legit_?  Oh, no problem then!  We just want a little
something for our efforts.  Not much, just "the maximum amount that is not
grossly disproportional to the gravity of the offense (which you *would*
have committed, if the money wasn't legit.  But since your money *is*
legit, you get off lightly, with a mere tap on the wallet, er, wrist.  How
about 30/70?  I don't want to be unreasonable, after all, I have to
justify this to the Colonel.  Yes, yes, I know you appreciate this - just
take your 30 percent, and don't let me catch you sneaking cash around
again!

-- 
Yours, 
J.A. Terranson
sysadmin at mfn.org

If Governments really want us to behave like civilized human beings, they
should give serious consideration towards setting a better example:
Ruling by force, rather than consensus; the unrestrained application of
unjust laws (which the victim-populations were never allowed input on in
the first place); the State policy of justice only for the rich and 
elected; the intentional abuse and occassionally destruction of entire
populations merely to distract an already apathetic and numb electorate...
This type of demogoguery must surely wipe out the fascist United States
as surely as it wiped out the fascist Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

The views expressed here are mine, and NOT those of my employers,
associates, or others.  Besides, if it *were* the opinion of all of
those people, I doubt there would be a problem to bitch about in the
first place...
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