Brave Senator Wants to Ban Tobacco

Those of us who view smoking bans as draconian affronts to private property rights have often asked, "If tobacco is so destructive, why not ban it altogether?" Admittedly, we aren't all that sincere when we ask that question. We all know the reason tobacco hasn't been banned is because the unhappy souls who despise smokers are greedy unhappy souls, and they need the revenue generated by that evil plant to fund their misguided crusade to shape the rest of the country in their own image.

Well, wouldn't you know it? Some principled idealist is actually talking about banning tobacco -- and he happens to be a Republican. Newsmax.com reports:

Sen. Tom Coburn, who is also a medical doctor, is calling for an outright ban on the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products.

"What we should be doing is banning tobacco," the Oklahoma Republican declared on the Senate floor during a debate on a tobacco regulation bill.

"Nobody up here has the courage to do that. It is a big business. There are millions of Americans who are addicted to nicotine."

So, Senator Coburn fancies himself as someone with courage. Well, since he wants to use the most powerful government in the world to crack down on private businesses and consumers, he can afford to be brave.

Too bad he hasn't the cojones to take his oath of office seriously and actually abide by the Constitution he swore to support and defend. I guess there's a fine line between being brave and just plain insane.

All Your Water Are Belong to Us!

D.C.'s Idea of Private Property

Why do you drive on a parkway and park on a driveway? Well, in the capital city of the Land of the Free, the question is moot. Residents can't park on a driveway -- even if the driveway is on their own property. From WTOP Radio:

Beverly Anderson is mad as hell. She just started to get tickets for parking in her own driveway.

That's right. The District of Columbia is ticketing people who park their cars in their own driveways.

"This is clearly an attempt by the city to extort money out of property owners," Anderson tells WTOP.

Anderson has received two of the $20 tickets in the past month. Anderson has owned the Capitol Hill house (and the driveway, so she thought) for more than ten years and has never gotten a ticket. And she's not alone.

The law in question states:

"Any area between the property line and the building restriction line shall be considered as private property set aside and treated as public space under the care and maintenance of the property owner."

Basically what that means is most property owners in the District don't own the land between their front door and the sidewalk, but they are responsible for taking care of it. It's why you can get a ticket for drinking beer on your front porch in the Nation's Capital. You're technically on public space. It's also why the city can ticket you for parking in your own driveway if you don't pull your car deep enough into the driveway beyond the facade of your house or building.

To be clear, we're not talking about people who park in shallow driveways and let the rear of their cars block the sidewalk. The cars are off the road, off the sidewalk and in the driveway -- just not far enough back for the city.

So, when a private individual bullies someone for money, it's called extortion. But when an agent of the state does it, it's called public service. I think I have it figured out now.

Feds Try to Crack Down on Small Farms

From WorldNetDaily:

House Resolution 875, or the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009, was introduced by Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., in February. DeLauro's husband, Stanley Greenburg, works for Monsanto -- the world's leading producer of herbicides and genetically engineered seed.

DeLauro's act has 39 co-sponsors and was referred to the House Agriculture Committee on Feb. 4. It calls for the creation of a Food Safety Administration to allow the government to regulate food production at all levels -- and even mandates property seizure, fines of up to $1 million per offense and criminal prosecution for producers, manufacturers and distributors who fail to comply with regulations. ...

... Another "food safety" bill that has organic and small farmers worried is Senate Bill 425, or the Food Safety and Tracking Improvement Act, sponsored by Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.

Brown's bill is backed by lobbyists for Monsanto, Archer Daniels Midland and Tyson. It was introduced in September and has been referred to the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee. Some say the legislation could also put small farmers out of business.

Like HR 875, the measure establishes a nationwide "traceability system" monitored by the Food and Drug Administration for all stages of manufacturing, processing, packaging and distribution of food. It would cost $40 million over three years.

In a country that treats raw milk (you know, that stuff humans have been consuming for thousands of years) like crack cocaine, this doesn't come as a surprise.

Police Harrass Store Owners, Arrest Priest

They say there are always two sides to every story, but I just can't imagine what the cops' side of this story might be:

On the evening of his arrest, at around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 19, Father Manship walked into My Country Store, a convenience store in East Haven run by Ecuadorians. Inside, the police were removing over 60 expired license plates that had been hung as decorations in the store. The license plates were government property, the officers had said, and they were confiscating them.

Manship entered the shop, took out a digital camera, and began videotaping the East Haven police officers who were removing license plates from a wall in the rear of the store.

The officers immediately ordered Manship to stop videotaping, seized his camera and put him under arrest, according to Manship. Within minutes of his arrival, everyone in the store fell silent as Father Manship was led out in handcuffs. He was charged with interfering with a police officer and creating a public disturbance.

Read the full account here.

As a rule, I never give the benefit of the doubt to those who carry guns on behalf of the government and are charged with enforcing the interests of the state.

Death by Environmentalism

I wrote about the tragic cost of environmentalism several years ago, how idiotic environmental regulations led to the deaths of four brave firefighters. A similar tragedy, though on a much bigger scale, has been playing out in southern Australia.

It has been suggested that the wildfires there that have been burning out of control because of global warming. According to Australian Green Party leader Bob Brown, "[The fires] are a sobering reminder of the need for this nation and the whole world to act and put at a priority the need to tackle climate change." What an arrogant, self-righteous fool.

Those directly affected by the wildfires know the real reason for the extent of death and destruction:

Angry residents last night accused local authorities of contributing to the bushfire toll by failing to let residents chop down trees and clear up bushland that posed a fire risk.

During question time at a packed community meeting in Arthurs Creek on Melbourne's northern fringe, Warwick Spooner -- whose mother Marilyn and brother Damien perished along with their home in the Strathewen blaze -- criticised the Nillumbik council for the limitations it placed on residents wanting the council's help or permission to clean up around their properties in preparation for the bushfire season. "We've lost two people in my family because you dickheads won't cut trees down," he said.

Personally, I think Mr. Spooner was being was being too kind. These environmentally (un)conscious morons have very little respect for human life.

Environmental Discrimination in the U.K.

Like the U.S., the E.U. has imposed a draconian ban on traditional light bulbs. The goal is to phase out incandescent bulbs by 2012.

This policy, however, has generated a great amount of concern among those with poor vision. The problem is that the new energy-efficient bulbs do not give off enough light, which could make life even more difficult if not outright dangerous.

The bureaucratic response? "No big deal."

State vs. Hockey Family

Minnesota prides itself on being the State of Hockey, but one family in Minnetonka has been prevented by the state from playing hockey on their own property. This KSTP report explains:

Another example of environmental extremism run amok.

Crime DOES Pay...if You're the Government

Government officials don't have to be responsible with money because it isn't theirs to begin with, and when they find themselves a little short on cash, they simply raise taxes or impose fines. In Rhode Island, for example, the state wants to start taxing drivers based on the mileage put on their vehicles. In addition to paying for roads and bridges (things that should already be receiving adequate funding), the money will be used to prop up the outdated and financially strapped public transit system.

In Gwinnett County, Georgia, a move is on to force residents to take part in a mandatory recycling program. Did I say "mandatory"? I meant to say that it's voluntary -- as long as residents are ready to shell out $500 each time they choose not to participate.

These kinds of regulations might be enough to give some people the crazy idea that they can vote with their feet and just pick up and move to a community that actually celebrates freedom. No such luck. This is America, after all. Where state or local governments fail to stick it to law-abiding citizens, the federal government is there to pick up the slack. Farmers are finding this out thanks to a proposal by the Environmental Protection Agency that would require certain farms with dairy cows, beef cattle, or hogs to pay an annual fee because of their livestock's greenhouse emissions. No, they're not kidding.

These types of regulations are always implemented under the auspices of providing for the "common good." But in reality they are nothing more than fund-raising schemes that end up making criminals out of otherwise law-abiding citizens.

When you and I are in a financial pinch, we are forced to reassess how much we spend and make the necessary adjustments. We don't have the luxury to go out and rob our neighbors -- except, of course, for those lazy compassionate types who try to "spread the wealth" through the ballot box.

The state, however, can do whatever it wants to pad its pockets. It's why police forces are maintained. If you believe otherwise, then just haven't been paying attention.

Property Rights Dead in the City of Angels

Especially if you own a home-improvement business. From the L.A. Times:

The Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Wednesday requiring certain home improvement stores to develop plans for dealing with day laborers who congregate nearby in search of jobs.

The ordinance mandates that proposed big-box stores obtain conditional-use permits, which could then require them to build day-labor centers with shelter, drinking water, bathrooms and trash cans.

Councilman Bernard C. Parks, who first proposed the ordinance four years ago, said that this was just the first phase and that he planned to address existing home improvement stores next. He said the businesses needed to be held accountable for their role in attracting dayworkers.

Exactly how this is the fault of the businesses in question isn't explained. But I wouldn't expect that to matter to those whose political careers are built on class envy.

Home Chemists Beware

The Worcester Telegram reports that Victor Deeb, a retired chemist, was detained by authorities and had his chemicals confiscated because he was conducting scientific research in a residential area. However, since the chemicals in his possession were "no more dangerous than typical household cleaning products," he wasn't cited for anything.

What's next? A ban on home chemistry sets? (Actually, you'd probably better stock up now.)

I especially liked what Marlboro city code enforcement officer Pamela A. Wilderman had to say: "This is Mr. Deeb's hobby. He's still got bunches of ideas. I think Mr. Deeb has crossed a line somewhere. This is not what we would consider to be a customary home occupation."

Forget the chemicals. Mr. Deeb's real crime? He had ideas!