Loss of Freedom Archives - Page 7 of 33

Feds Maintain Stronghold In War On Drugs – In Colorado!

huffingtonpost.com: Forget Mexico, Colombia…Colorado, a key swing vote state, may be swinging against Obama if his administration does not stop shutting down dispensaries. For the entire article, click here.

The state has embarked on an ambitious effort to regulate its thriving medical marijuana industry. When it comes to marijuana policy, Colorado’s voters, businesses, tax collectors, doctors and policy makers are moving forward. The lone holdout: President Barack Obama.

On Sunday, 25 medical marijuana centers across Colorado closed their doors in response to a Department of Justice crackdown which did not appear rooted in state or local law, as the administration had previously promised it would be.

Supreme Court Will Mend Divide On Immigration and Deportation

thomsonreuters.com: The Supreme Court has agreed to decide the application of its two year-old ruling on immigrants have a constitutional right to effective assistance of counsel and must be told about possible deportation as a result of a guilty plea:

The justices said they would consider whether its March 31, 2010, ruling would apply retroactively to previous convictions or would only to convictions after that date. Defense lawyers said in their Supreme Court appeal that the issue has profound practical significance.

In its original ruling, the Supreme Court decided by a 7-2 vote that an immigrant’s constitutional right to effective counsel was violated when his attorney mistakenly told him he could plead guilty to drug charges without being deported.

Federal Judge in Texas Keeps Planned Parenthood Alive – For Now

huffingtonpost.com: A federal judge has halted plans to “de-fund” Planned Parenthood in Texas:

U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel ruled that the law was unconstitutional because it bars eight Planned Parenthood clinics that don’t provide abortions from participating in the program based on their affiliation with legally and financially separate entities that offer abortions.

You Can Thank Congress for the $60 Light Bulb

Congress passed laws that ban the manufacture of incandescent light bulbs because our leaders know what is best for us. 100 watt incandescent bulbs cannot be manufactured in the U.S. now and beginning in 2014 the manufacture of incandescent light bulbs of 40 watts or greater will be banned. The U.S. Department of Energy had a contest called “Bright Tomorrow” for manufacturers of energy efficient alternatives to the 60 watt bulb. Guess what? Only one company entered the contest and it was a Dutch company. Yes, it was the winner.

BBC News: “Made by Dutch electronics giant Philips, the bulb swaps filaments for light-emitting diodes to provide illumination. Using LEDs endows the light with a long life and a hefty price tag. The first versions are set to cost $60.”

I just counted 25 60 watt light bulbs in my house. At $60 a bulb I would pay $1,500 to replace those bulbs. The simple result of this ban on incandescent bulbs will be that people will have fewer light fixtures because they cannot afford the new high tech bulbs. Congress and other state and local governments now routinely pass laws and ordinances that take away our freedoms.

No Criminal Charges Filed by Justice Department after $1.2 Billion Stolen from MF Global Investors, but It is Prosecuting Woman Who Alledgedly Harassed Whales

Did you know the Department of Justice has the whale police? I didn’t until I read this story called “Corzine Steals Billions Sans Charges, Errant Whale Watcher Faces Prison.” Instead of prosecuting the people who stole money from MF Global investors or the people in the Justice Department and the Bureau of Alcohol Firearms and Tobacco who approved and carried out the Fast & Furious plan to violate federal criminal law and sell guns to the Mexican drug cartels, the DOJ is wasting taxpayer dollars prosecuting a woman investigated for harassing whales. Yes, really.

“marine biologist and whale watching ship captain Nancy Black faces 20 years in prison, not for ‘harassing’ whales (which believe it or not is a crime), but because she has been charged with lying to Justice Department prosecutors investing allegations that some of her crew members whistled at a whale to keep it hanging around their boats. . . . Section 1001 charges are both entirely discretionary and subsidiary to any primary charges, making every indictment an act of selective prosecution. In fact, Section 1001 prosecutions are so selective that primary charges are not even necessary, meaning you can go to jail even if there is no underlying crime. Ask Martha Stewart about that.”

Title 18, Section 1001(a) of the United States Code states:

“whoever, in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of the United States, knowingly and willfully—

(1) falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact;

(2) makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation; or

(3) makes or uses any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry;

shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years or, if the offense involves international or domestic terrorism (as defined in section 2331), imprisoned not more than 8 years, or both.”

The reference above to Martha Stewart refers to the fact she was investigated for possible insider trading, but was never charged with that crime. Instead, she was charged and convicted of the felony of lying to federal agents.

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