In Baltimore, Residents Support Martial Law

"Neighborhoods are rotting away as the local economy crumbles giving way to a surge in homicides. Baltimore is on track for the worse year ever with a homicide rate the highest in the United States. Baltimore is home to about 615,000 people, but the city has more homicides than New York or Los Angeles, both of which have far larger populations. Earlier this year, Mayor Catherine Pugh called in the Federal Government in hopes to restore order. She was even quoted, 'violence in the city is out of control'…"

Continue ReadingIn Baltimore, Residents Support Martial Law

California Criminalizes Teaching Trade Skills To Dropouts

"A recent California law is requiring that trade schools like Bob’s deny admission to any student who has not completed high school or a state-approved equivalent. He is joined in the suit by Esteban Narez, a ranch hand who wants to learn how to shoe horses at PCHS, but cannot be admitted because he never graduated high school."

Continue ReadingCalifornia Criminalizes Teaching Trade Skills To Dropouts

Florida Upholds Town’s Ban on Eating Front-Yard Vegetables

"Hermine and Tom had used their front-yard garden to grow vegetables and other plants for 17 years. Miami Shores told Hermine and Tom to destroy their garden or face fines of $50 per day. Unable to bear the cost of the fines, they dug up their garden. In today’s decision, the court upheld the vegetable ban, concluding that it is rational for government to ban 'the cultivation of plants to be eaten as part of a meal, as opposed to the cultivation of plants for ornamental reasons.'"

Continue ReadingFlorida Upholds Town’s Ban on Eating Front-Yard Vegetables

The Secret Billion Dollar Tax You’ve Never Heard About

"Unclaimed property is one of the fastest growing sources for state revenue, and many believe that most unclaimed property is not reported. The lucrative silence surrounding unclaimed property has shifted from business entities, prior to the enactment of unclaimed property laws, to the current lucrative silence that allows unclaimed property to become a vital source of revenue for state governments."

Continue ReadingThe Secret Billion Dollar Tax You’ve Never Heard About

Federal judge says St. Louis police targeted protesters for retaliation

"Police made mass arrests that swept up journalists, onlookers and even a black undercover officer, who was reportedly beaten. This also seems like one of those 'How would we view this if it happened in another country?' moments. A judge just found the police guilty of using chemical agents on protesters because those protesters were criticizing the police."

Continue ReadingFederal judge says St. Louis police targeted protesters for retaliation

IRS To Extract $207 Billion From Small Businesses By Enforcing Obamacare

"The employer mandate is lucrative for the government. It is expected to bring in penalty payments of $207 billion over the next decade, according to projections by the Congressional Budget Office. Businesses will generally incur fines of around $2,000 per employee (excluding the first 30) if they do not offer qualifying coverage to nearly all of those who work an average of 30 or more hours a week. The penalty is activated if at least one employee then buys insurance on the health law’s marketplace and receives a subsidy for it. The per-employee fine increases each year, and can add up quickly: A company with 100 workers that ignored the law this year would owe a penalty of more than $158,000."

Continue ReadingIRS To Extract $207 Billion From Small Businesses By Enforcing Obamacare

Pre-Internet Laws Are Jeopardizing Today’s Electronic Privacy

"Under the 1986 law, email that has been stored for 180 or more days is considered to be ‘abandoned’ and can be perused by federal authorities sans a warrant. But in an era of cloud computing and services like Dropbox, most Americans certainly would beg to differ that any emails stored online had been abandoned."

Continue ReadingPre-Internet Laws Are Jeopardizing Today’s Electronic Privacy

Cop Arrested for Tampering With Breathalyzers In 20,000 DWI Cases

"The state police have insisted the part of the calibration process that Dennis skipped is 'legally required but not scientifically necessary.' However, legal experts have voiced concerns about how important every part of the calibration process is, saying that these measures are 'legally required' for good reason. Just a small percentage point on a breathalyzer could mean the difference between freedom and imprisonment."

Continue ReadingCop Arrested for Tampering With Breathalyzers In 20,000 DWI Cases

Trump’s holiday gift is more invasive airport security

"On the campaign trail last year, Donald Trump derided the Transportation Security Administration as a 'total disaster.' But his administration is making TSA more intrusive and abusive while its 42,000 screeners remain as incompetent as ever. New TSA screening guidelines will likely make Thanksgiving travel a disaster for legions of Americans — and the worst is yet to come."

Continue ReadingTrump’s holiday gift is more invasive airport security