5 ms·
Except that civil forfeiture is extremely profitable enterprise [1]. [1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/11/23/cops-took-more-stuff-from-peopl
by cdumler 10y ago
Except that civil forfeiture is extremely profitable enterprise [1].
[1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/11/23/cops-took-more-stuff-from-people-than-burglars-did-last-year/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/11/23/cops-...
- mthoms 10y agoSo is the drug war. It all depends on where you're standing.
- dmix 10y agoPrisons, lawyers, judges, social workers running drug rehab programs, feds (DEA, FBI), local police, defense industry selling helicopters, airplanes, surveillance technology, etc, etc. An unthinkable amount of money has been spent and made from the drug war for highly questionable ROI to the public. What type of reduction in police work would take place if the drug war was ended today? 20%? 30%? The war on drugs is a job machine. DEA agents fly around like international playboys from the books I've read. Plus international governments get tons of money from the US to run their own interdiction programs. There has to be some level of influence to keep the 'war' going from these perverse incentives.
- antisthenes 10y ago> highly questionable ROI to the public Only if you exclude people working for the public sector from you know, the public. Those things create jobs for voting constituents. That's the main ROI here. Reduction in crime, drug use and increased security are just beneficial, but not necessary side effects of these initiatives.
- dmix 10y agoCreating jobs for creating jobs sake is such a terrible justification. Especially because in this scenario (like many others) it's not a controlled economic stimulus but an ongoing money drain. Milton Friedman is turning in his grave seeing this idea become mainstream. These are highly skilled people too: lawyers, judges, and highly technical law enforcement who could be working on dealing with real crimes or protecting honest hardworking citizens. Not futile show trials to appease the copyright industry.
- redblacktree 10y agoFor some. Where's my cut?
- awqrre 10y agoCan't civilians exercise their right to seize anyone's cash?
- phire 10y agoSure, Just like "Citizen's arrest" is a thing, I'm positive "Citizen's civil forfeiture" is too.
- simplemath 10y agoAsk the Bundy Clan about that
- tn13 10y agoGovernment in general a profitable venture for those in government. You have to produce nothing, please no one and you get to decide how much money is your fair share of what others have worked hard to earn.
- analognoise 10y agoSo did you make the roads you drove on to work? Impressive. How about the fire, police, schools, environmental protections, consumer protections, and court system? How big is the military defending your patch of land? I admit there are problems, but I'm always amazed when people say the government doesn't do anything, then take a car to work on public roads, listen to the radio (FCC), eat food (FDA), etc.
- joering2 10y agobut whats your point?? he did make those roads... he paid taxes in gas, insurance, purchase of a car tax, license plate tax... all that do indeed sponsor roads he drives on! as of military defending his patch of land, hard to argue. Africa is much bigger than USA -- how much they spent as a continent on defense? Bet 1000th of what US does. Other than that, he might choose to protect his own land with the second Amendment and keep military out of it, no?
- CaptSpify 10y agoSure he sponsored the roads, but the government implemented those roads. Planning, buying, organizing, maintaining, etc are all part of the work that the government does.
- joering2 10y agoI still don't get it. Who do you think paid for planning, buying, organizing and the cost of maintaining of all that??
- 10y ago