A very powerful piece in the New York Times by John Tierney has really been affecting people. It’s hard to read the story of Stephanie George and not get pissed off.
Mandatory Sentences Face Growing Skepticism
Also, check out this chart, showing clearly how closely tied our increases in incarceration are to drug enforcement (nothing new, but a dramatic look).
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Yup – massive incarceration for the most minor of petty crimes. BUT – the largest money-laundering operation ever, run by HSBC, settled for a fine, paid by the bank, and not one perpetrator even charged, let alone jailed.
How is this not unequal treatment under the law? Petty “crimes” (which we all know are not crimes – who is the victim of a “drug crime”?) are viciously punished with permanent relegation to the oppressed underclass, while massive criminal fraud by bankers is completely unpunished.
Disgraceful and corrupt. How can this government expect to be respected when it doesn’t respect basic principles of justice? When bankers can buy a get-out-of-jail free card through bribes (campaign donations) made with our money?
Off with their hundred-dollar coiffed heads!
I suppose our ranting about no banks being charged for money laundering finally paid off,,with a token slap on the wrist of course.
The fine was probably about 10% of the profits HSBC banking made off the laundered drug money,,
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Then there’s Purdue Pharmaceuticals, convicted of a felony and fined $600 million for promoting the use of Oxycontin. Still in business. Yes indeed, a corporation can be convicted of a crime.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12131233
CVS Pharmacies paid over $77 million to settle allegations of promoting the use of street meth. Still in business.
http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/local_news/blackstone/woonsocket-cvs-meth-fine
Merck just agreed to cough up $39 million for dummying up the trials to get the FDA to approve Vioxx which killed thousands and thousands of people. Isn’t it great that the FDA approval process is there to protect the public?
http://blogs.lawyers.com/2012/11/merck-39-million-vioxx-fraud/
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That wasn’t all for Merck on the Vioxx fraud, just the most recent. They had settled another action for $4.85 billion while denying responsibility. Yeah, lots of innocents cough up billions when they did nothing wrong.
http://www.nature.com/news/2007/071113/full/450324b.html
Still in business.
And hey, let’s not forget the cigarette manufacuturers saying for years:
“Tobacco is safe”.
How many died? Who was held accountable? Which company donated millions to members of Congress?
They aren’t even trying to hide it any more – our government can be bought. Who benefits from such a corrupt and useless bureaucracy?
Protect & Serve (themselves!)
It’s not just bad cops anymore, it’s the whole freakin’ Government.
Philadelphia prosecutors withdraw drug charges against 37; more to come
The Philadelphia district attorney’s push to dump cases connected to controversial narcotics officers entered a new phase Wednesday as prosecutors withdrew charges against 37 accused drug dealers in just one courtroom.
Court officials said they expected an additional 61 cases to be withdrawn as early as Friday, and one judge on Wednesday dismissed charges against an alleged major dealer who was initially held on $2 million bail.
Six members of the Philadelphia Police Department’s aggressive Narcotics Field Unit were transferred last week after District Attorney Seth Williams declared that he would not use them in drug investigations in any capacity.
http://tinyurl.com/a2mv3cd
This is why we must stop the “bounty money” for drug arrests.
OT –
Patrick Leahy Floats Legalizing Marijuana Possession At Federal Level For Pro-Pot States
http://tinyurl.com/ayacogk
This is where they keep hemp prohibited,,if they do not allow more than an ounce in possession it will be under such strictly regulated production that no open field growing will be allowed,,hence,no hemp to threaten all the corporations that bought the policy,,masters served.
I also think it would only delay hemp production because knowledge will override,,eventually.
Guess we’ll see just how important it is to them to keep the shadow economy intact, hmmm? I’ve thought about this on and off. How do you keep the shadow economy alive in a legalized scenario? Obviously, you cannot allow open, regulated production and sale. At the same time, th ball is rolling and they have an interest in preserving….what? This: http://tinyurl.com/ye5khvq
We know it ain’t about saving the chilluns’, it’s about the MONEY. All of a sudden, your cartels aren’t threatened, your Bankster friends get their slice just like before, and your private prison buddies don’t have their rice bowls broken. It’s not brilliant, it’s the last grab to save a vestige of the sweet gig they have themselves. I’ve said all along I expect that the Feds will step in and threaten the State schemes. They lost personal prohibition. That’s effectively gone. What’s left to salvage?
Huh? What’s with the downie? It’s just opinion and personal prognostication. I’m not advancing that as my preference, just a prediction. Otherwise, if I’ve missed something…I’d like to know. Thumbs down tells me nothing.
Wow. Impressive. I swear that it’s like someone threw a light switch.
Matt Taibbi on HSBC travesty. An epic drug war rant.
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/outrageous-hsbc-settlement-proves-the-drug-war-is-a-joke-20121213
Too big to jail.
Glenn Greenwald wrote about HSBC today as well.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/12/hsbc-prosecution-fine-money-laundering
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“Federal agents investigating several border departments west and south of McAllen arrested Jonathan Treviño, the son of Lupe Treviño, sheriff of Hidalgo County, and Alexis Espinoza, the son of Rodolfo Espinoza, Hidalgo’s police chief”
“It’s just going to get real, real nasty, real, real quick,â€
http://watchdog.org/64516/tx-feds-probe-south-texas-drug-task-force/
there’s a rousing musical comedy in there somewhere…
So Malcolm… just to update one of those pecious ModBee moments, I’d like to point out that linda was right about my two teens (only 1 is still a teen, the daughter is 21) turning into drug addicts because they knew I poked smot. Wait… no, she was wrong. my bad…
Daughter has a 4.0 gpa in college, son working full time, has a band good enough to take 2nd in a recent 25 band Battle of the Bands…
Just bragging AND pointing out how f’ing wrong these prohibs are, about most everything.
and while I’m blabbing, that puppy, Toby, I helped rescue from Afghanistan? The thankful crew (my young friend and the one whose family Toby will be joining is the pilot) of the medivac chopter I helped, sent me a US flag flown on mission, along with an accompanying official certificate signed by the crew members. Very cool thing for this old vet.
huh – “modbee”? Valley boy, eh? Used to live among the Amonds (cause we shake the ‘ell out of ’em) myself. Hows the Tule fog these days?
online in Modesto only dividab… tho’ I lived in fresburg for many years in the early ’80s. Oregon is much mo’ better
WA has the better air also. Miss the ride over to Pismo to escape the fog, tho!
went to college in Santa Maria, mid to late ’70s. And yeah, tule fog in the valley generally means great weather at the coast. The stretch from Kettleman City to Atascadero is where I had a gun pulled on me while hitchhiking. I know the area real well, have some deep roots thereabouts. Too bad there are so many people in CA… it’s paradise otherwise.
Hi Allan, so glad to hear you’re so proud of your well rounded kids —I have a sneaky feeling that it could be a universal phenomena pertaining to the majority of us old potheads. I won’t go into detail, suffice to say that my daughters (13 & 34) are also experiencing a similar degree of social success. Great story about that puppy and battle flag!
I actually miss that ol’ Witch of the West, Linda Taylor 🙁
that little fiddle player is 13 now? My how time flies…
Something must have taken the wind out of Linda’s Good Ship Prohibition sails ’cause she don’t venture into public waters no mo’ (other than at her stanco insider). She and I did occasionally agree, on topics other than the wod of course.
I suspect she may have lost her enthusiasm after all those downright malicious Rootkit attacks 🙂
I remember buyin marijuana from a constable in McAllen during a battle of the bands,,,38 years ago,,times ain’t changed that much.
former drug czar Barry McCaffrey in 1996:
“We have created an American gulag […]”
and yet he is one of those whose hands helped in the gulag’s building. Complicit is the word…
When I think of all that the wod has wrought, from the genocide of indigenous people in Latin America to the deaths here of folks like Kathryn Johnston… House of Death and the houses of death of which we never hear… deforestation of rainforests… enrichment of thugs…
… and they call US the criminals. Feh indeed…
We are not criminals, but we ARE outlaws (tho those of us who live in WA or CO are no longer even outlaws).