What prevents the badass terrorists we are supposed to stay scared of from blowing themselves up in a crowded airport just short of the screening checkpoint?
After extensive meetings and hearings over many months time- The Black Market has ruled that sales of untaxed product will continue to move forward- just as in years past.
Probably even more than in years past because after the 2012 election- county prosecutors decided not to wait on meeting results involving Governor Gregoire & the federal government, Drug Czar approval, twelve months to plan rules on sales and retail infrastructure, etc.
In 2008, the US Border Patrol came to Jefferson County, WA and set up suspicionless checkpoints and bus boardings- away from border crossings and ports of entry.
Local people didn’t want the checkpoints & they were shut down.
We are told the #1 US Border Patrol objective is to stop terrorists.
The US Border Patrol explains this objective at a local public forum- this YouTube video covers Border Patrol objectives at 3:50
At that same forum a lady asked:
“What is the penalty for not identifying oneself to federal agents at an internal, suspicionless checkpoint?”
US Border Patrol said they would call in the Sheriff when a person refused to identify themselves.
Sheriff says they will not respond to a non-emergency situation involving a person peaceably refusing to interact with federal agents.
Question about providing ID is at 0:35
Checkpoints ended here in 2008- possibly due to well-informed citizens and local protests. Looks like they weren’t vital to national security after all.
No matter how advanced the surveillance state becomes- it doesn’t seem to be able to prevent the sorts of crimes that concern communities across America.
Maybe the benefits of the War on Terror are sold to us from a Land of Make Believe.
“Hundreds of law enforcement officers converged on the mall, which was put on lockdown. New Jersey State Police landed a helicopter in the parking lot of one of the state’s largest and most popular shopping malls.”
Ever notice that the surveillance society, fusion centers, war on terror crime fighting tactics, license plate scanners, monitoring of e-mails, text messages, and social media sites, tracking of cell phones, use of drones, etc. seems to fail at stopping hardcore bad guys?
“I would be absolutely satisfied if he at least stood like the rest of us,” Noles said. “I know a lot of people who went to Southeast Asia and didn’t come back. That’s why it’s so frustrating to some of us.”
Any possibility that some of those who never came back would be OK with individuals opting out on a groupthink pledge to a symbol?
You may choose to take a friend and travel to wine country.
Maybe you will stay over at a hotel or B&B.
You tour one or more wineries- you buy a bottle to take home, or maybe a dozen bottles– no doctor’s authorization required.
No controversy.
Why is marijuana any different?
Prohibition remains in place for adults age 18-20.
The law should not divide adults into groups of first & second class citizens.
You are free to do as we tell you.
Bill Hicks
Law enforcement resources should be used to go after individuals who are harming others- not for policing arbitrary pre-crime scenarios.
Government permissions, authorizations, permits, and applications for marijuana should be no more complicated than those required to use a glass of wine.
Prohibition remains in place for adults age 18-20 & for those who want to grow a plant for recreational use.
You are an adult in Washington State.
You may choose to take a friend and travel to wine country.
Maybe you will stay over at a hotel or B&B.
You tour one or more wineries- you buy a bottle to take home, or maybe a dozen bottles– no doctor’s authorization required.
No controversy.
Why is marijuana any different?
Law enforcement resources should be used to go after individuals who are harming others- not for policing arbitrary pre-crime scenarios.
No doctor’s note required for a glass of wine- why is marijuana any different?
One of the control freak’s biggest concerns is that people who get authorization to use medical marijuana are just looking for an excuse to get high.
How about the folks who line up for happy hours at bars, taverns & restaurants all across America-
Are they making up excuses to purchase shots of tequila and pitchers of beer?
What if someone shows up at work after smoking marijuana?
Employers control workplace standards of conduct- same as it always has been/same as for alcohol.
It took a constitutional amendment to prohibit the sale of a glass of wine- why no constitutional amendment to authorize a federal war on drugs, drug czar, prohibition of marijuana, etc.
You are free to do as we tell you.
Bill Hicks
A powerful central government knows what’s best for each one of us.
How about legal anti-depression meds that may bring on thoughts of suicide (0:34)
Government permissions, authorizations, permits, and applications for marijuana should be no more complicated than those required to use a glass of wine.
Why hasn’t the Department of Homeland Security been able to keep heroin out of the US?
Think terrorists are smart enough to pose as drug traffickers- then cross into the US free of screening, scanning, pat downs, special IDs, inspection of personal items, etc.
If you read the local papers you will see support for the US Border Patrol based on a potential to capture Spanish speaking people who have illegally crossed into the US.
The US Border Patrol emphasized this task by providing Spanish language interpretation for the US Forest Service and language translation for local law enforcement agencies.
Has the Port Angeles Border Patrol prevented any person from Latin America from illegally entering the Olympic Peninsula?
When is the last time the Port Angeles Border Patrol made an arrest linked in any way to the US/Canada border?
Read more on the post 911 Olympic Peninsula Border Patrol story here.
Think of the waste involving perishable food- produce, deli items, seafood, milk & dairy, meats, bakery items, etc.
Anyone who can find news about these items being donated to charity- please post in comments.
For those who question why on base shopping should exist in the first place- these are the traditional DOD military benefits that were used to entice people to stay for multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Recommendations for saving:
Phase out decades of ongoing, undeclared wars overseas. Phase out the Drug War, allow U.S. farmers to answer the global demand for Industrial Hemp.
If you have any thought of doing 20 years in the US Armed Forces in order to make use of the traditional DOD military healthcare benefits that were used to entice people to stay for multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan- please read comments following this post.
Just spent the past 30 mins. trying to pay TRICARE annual dues on the web.
Keep getting directed to a new page that asks me to upgrade my account- then tells me I already have an account- then asks me what page I want to go to.
Extremely frustrating.
If the TRICARE payment option was as easy as ordering retail products/booking travel reservations, etc. on the web- you would never hear me complain.
Just trying to send money- that is all.
I liked the old system- write a check once a year and mail in time to arrive prior to the end of Sept.- never had a problem.
“While testifying under oath, Officer Michael Reichert admits to planting drugs or drug scents on cars in hotel parking lots for K9 “training” without notifying the owners. He then lets unsuspecting motorists drive away with drug scents still on their vehicles.”
Weekend heroin bust impossible without DHS failing to keep heroin out of the US-
Heroin traffickers are frequently successful at what they do. If terrorists were just as interested in entering the US- it appears that federal departments and agencies would have no way to stop them.
Think terrorists are smart enough to pose as heroin traffickers- then cross into the US free of screening, scanning, pat downs, special IDs, inspection of personal items, etc.
After extensive meetings and hearings over many months time- The Black Market has ruled that sales of untaxed product will continue to move forward- just as in years past.
Probably even more than in years past because after the election- county prosecutors decided not to wait on meeting results involving Governor Gregoire & the federal government, Drug Czar approval, twelve months to plan rules on sales and retail infrastructure, etc.
Nov 2012-
Prosecutors in large and small counties in Washington are throwing out marijuana cases involving untaxed product that were pending prior to election day:
Fusion centers, license plate scanners, monitoring of e-mails, text messages, and social media sites, tracking of cell phones, use of drones, and other powerful surveillance state tools will put these guys right out of business.
Ditto for gang and cartel activity, heroin trafficking, child abduction, etc.
What does this tell young people about voting on election day?
How does each vote count when federal representatives do not support state election outcomes?
Congressman Reichert,
It took a constitutional amendment to prohibit the sale of a glass of wine- why no constitutional amendment to authorize a federal war on drugs, drug czar, prohibition of marijuana, etc.
Smaller government & the Constitution- right up until somebody wants to grow a marijuana plant in the back yard, shut down undeclared wars overseas or marry the lover of their choice.
The freedom talk is just for federal holidays and overseas military operations.
A powerful central government knows what’s best for each one of us.
How about legal anti-depression meds that may bring on thoughts of suicide (0:34)
Government permissions, authorizations, permits, and applications for marijuana should be no more complicated than those required to use a glass of wine.
“Jones said there would be no other statement in response to further questions about Bates’ removal, which The Bellingham Herald first reported Monday.”
Imagine a school district wanting to expand staff and facilities and, at the same time- suppressing public information Re: the number of students enrolled, teachers on staff and number of students graduated in the past 36 months.
No matter how advanced the surveillance state becomes- it doesn’t seem to be able to prevent the sorts of crimes that concern communities across America.
Maybe the benefits of the War on Terror are sold to us from a Land of Make Believe.
As always– the big law enforcement success story comes with zero reporting or questions from newspeople about why the proud War on Terror is unable to keep heroin out of the US.
Welcome Home Troops
Thanks for your service
JFK speaks about the role of the press in a free society-
Heroin traffickers are frequently successful at what they do. If terrorists were just as interested in entering the US- it appears that federal departments and agencies would have no way to stop them.
Think terrorists are smart enough to pose as heroin traffickers- then cross into the US free of screening, scanning, pat downs, special IDs, inspection of personal items, etc.
Word of US Border Patrol involvement in the above incidents was immediately released to the public.
Again- why is the public told that USBP arrest statistics involving the local homeland security mission must remain secret?
Looks like information that reflects favorably on DHS immediately goes public, while public information not reflecting favorably must be kept secret or confidential, as seen here: Local whistleblower steps forward-
Show of hands- how many smaller government folks are OK with having the Border Patrol around to act as a federal reserve force for local law enforcement agencies?
These are the folks who celebrated independence from a powerful central government earlier this month.
The Sound of Freedom
If we hear the sound of freedom- is it OK to act like free people?
Freedom Isn’t Free
Freedom isn’t free?
If a house is prevented from burning, is it because firefighters protect our rights and freedoms?
Think of your local fire dept.- it serves a clear-cut purpose, no need for people to repeat phrases or slogans in order to justify its existence.
We don’t claim that firefighters protect our rights and freedoms- as if they are part of some kind of civil rights organization.
Support The Troops
What exactly does this mean?
Fight them over there so we don’t have to fight them here.
Meanwhile the folks who move heroin into the US do so free of screening, scanning, pat downs, special IDs, inspection of personal items, etc.
Don’t worry-
The Super Bowl and public affairs will be safe-
If not for veterans- you’d be speaking German now.
The free and well armed people who populate the North American continent could be forced to speak a language not of their choosing?
Please see Operation Sea Lion.
Interaction found on local news sites:
Just be glad The Troops are defending your right say that-
Americans wouldn’t have the freedom to post comments on newspaper websites if people had not given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan to protect that freedom?
Hey school teachers- where did this idea come from? Were US troops sent to Vietnam so that Americans could be free to send letters to the editor?
Is there any case in which the US Armed Forces have been sent to distant lands on a mission to protect freedom of speech?
Is protecting freedom of speech even part of training scenarios?
If The Troops are fighting for your freedom to share ideas on the web why would you be scolded for doing so?
If the US was turned into one giant military base it looks like many would be OK with that.
Several posts indicating that the event was no big deal & that people should be thankful for the sound of freedom/missions meant to keep us safe.
Very little in the way of questioning anything related to military forces which have been elevated to a higher status in American culture since the big 911 failure.
The US Armed Forces were irrelevant in defending American rights and freedoms, our physical security, & The Constitution on 911.
Ditto for all other federal agencies and departments.
We’re not in the habit of winning decades of undeclared wars overseas- why would we think they have any bearing on American rights and freedoms?
One or two comments scolding others and reminding them that their right to post comments is protected by the people wearing a uniform.
Americans wouldn’t have the freedom to post comments on newspaper websites if people had not given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan to protect that freedom?
Hey school teachers- where did this idea come from? Were US troops sent to Vietnam so that Americans could be free to send letters to the editor?
Is there any case in which the US Armed Forces have been sent to distant lands on a mission to protect freedom of speech?
Is protecting freedom of speech even part of training scenarios?
If The Troops are fighting for your freedom to share ideas on the web why would you be scolded for doing so?
One or two comments indicating that the Army must do training.
One or two comments saying – back in my home town- we’re proud to be near military operational zones, etc.
The training is meant to keep us safe?
I still haven’t been able to figure out how the War on Terror works.
Heroin traffickers are frequently successful at what they do. If terrorists were just as interested in entering the US- it appears that federal departments and agencies would have no way to stop them.
Think terrorists are smart enough to pose as heroin traffickers- then cross into the US free of screening, scanning, pat downs, special IDs, inspection of personal items, etc.
Welcome Home Troops
