Alternative News

Americans Realize Washington Is the Problem, Support Cap to Control Spending

"Here’s some new polling data that seems very encouraging. Americans, by an overwhelming margin, think that Washington is causing serious harm to the nation. That same poll also found strong support for a limit on federal spending, which warms my heart since I’ve been trying to build support for a Swiss-style spending cap in America. I also was shocked to see another poll that found French and Italians were more supportive of spending cuts than Americans." Continue reading →

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Camden, NJ Agrees to Pay $3.5M to Victims of Police Corruption

"The City of Camden has agreed to pay $3.5 million in damages to 88 people whose convictions were overturned because of widespread corruption in the Camden Police Department. The settlement stems from a series of lawsuits filed against Camden Police in federal district court and state superior court over the last two years, after five officers were charged with a number of federal civil rights violations from conduct involving evidence planting, fabrication of reports and evidence, and perjury." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCamden, NJ Agrees to Pay $3.5M to Victims of Police Corruption

German activists start campaign to destroy surveillance cameras

"German activists are attempting to destroy security cameras in anticipation of the European Police Congress in Berlin in February, according to Michael Ebeling, an opponent of public surveillance writing for France 24′s The Observers. The group organizing the actions, CAMOVER, believe such cameras lead police to discriminate and use stereotypes in search of criminals and criminal activity. They are encouraging people to participate in the 'game' until Feb. 19, when the congress convenes. The country’s Interior Ministry claims the cameras have been shown to reduce crime by almost 20 percent." Continue reading →

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Uncle Sam’s Marijuana Patch

"Not many people are aware that the United States government has been dispensing cannabis to several patients across the country for over three decades. The hypocrisy of a government that seizes personal property, locks people in cages and ruins lives for doing exactly what the government has been doing for more than 30 years is simply astounding." Continue reading →

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Plead Guilty or Go to Prison for Life

"The efficient transformation of defendants into prisoners cannot be the standard by which we assess our criminal justice system. If the possibility of sending someone like Chris Williams to prison for the rest of his life is so obviously unfair, why does the law allow it, let alone mandate it?" Continue reading →

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Economic Riots and TrampleFests

"This is just a peek at what lies ahead. In a Detroit suburb, rioting ensued when a government organization attempted to hand out welfare freebies in the form of Section 8 Housing Vouchers. The county was giving out 1,000 vouchers and at least 4x that many people showed up to get the freebie. The Michigan State Police had to come in and suppress the out-of-control redistribution celebration gone wild." Continue reading →

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Does Facebook Help the Prosecution, But Not Defense?

"[P]rosecutors generally have an easier time than defense attorneys getting private information out of Facebook and other social networks, as highlighted in an ongoing Portland murder case. In that case, the defense attorney has evidence of a Facebook conversation in which a key witness reportedly tells a friend he was pressured by police into falsely incriminating the defendant. Facebook rebuffed the defense attorney’s subpoena seeking access to the conversation, citing the federal Stored Communications Act, which protects the privacy of electronic communications like e-mail – but which carves out an exemption for law enforcement." Continue reading →

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Americans Used to Tar-and-Feather Tax Collectors

"Last September, Deputy IRS Commissioner Steven Miller promised a Republican-controlled congressional subcommittee that the agency would not enforce the Obamacare mandate. He lied, of course. Despite the fact that the agency is not a legislative body, last December it created 159 pages of Obamacare-related regulations. Since the rules are invasive and deliberately confusing, it’s not surprising that many business owners are looking for ways to minimize their exposure to the IRS’s scrutiny. This has prompted the agency to warn that it will soon issue 'anti-abuse rules' intended to punish business owners who use existing regulatory loopholes found in the law." Continue reading →

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Medical marijuana proprietor gets 10-year prison sentence

"A man who owned several medical marijuana dispensaries in California that ostensibly operated legally under state law was sentenced on Monday to 10 years in prison on charges that he violated federal law restricting production and sales of the drug. Aaron Sandusky did not try to fight the charges, admitting to producing and selling medical marijuana in a manner approved by state law. 'I want to apologize to those with me and their families who have been victimized by the federal government who has not recognized the voters of this state,' Sandusky said in court. 'I want to apologize to the families who are suffering and who have to go through this.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMedical marijuana proprietor gets 10-year prison sentence