Reducing Government Abuse of Power

How to Reduce Government Abuse of Power
East Bay Business Times - by Steve Strayer
Copied from the Web and Reprinted Without Permission

The abuse of power at all levels government in America is widespread and expanding rapidly. The self-correcting features built into our constitutions (separation of powers, checks and balances, etc.) have long ago been circumvented or ignored.

Many government officials now frivolously disregard any legal limitations on their power, since as long as anybody remembers they have been able to do so with impunity.

The courts are supposed to enforce constitutions, but judges and justices are employed by the same entities as legislators and other officials, and thus are driven by similar incentives and generally have similar mindsets.

There currently is no process capable of peacefully reining in government abuse.

The only way the trend toward expanding tyranny can be reversed and our lost liberties restored is through the restoration of accountability in government. To accomplish this goal, we must replace the current incentive structure with one that rewards performance by government employees consistent with peaceful private interests.

Since politicians and officials have become adept at thwarting any efforts at reform via established channels, any effective action will have to be achieved through direct action by private citizens.

How do we accomplish this? By making the individuals who legislate, implement and decide the legality of laws, regulations and government activities individually accountable to the Constitution, and ultimately to citizens, for their actions.

An effective process would be for citizen oversight committees to examine the activities of government agencies for violations of constitutional limitations or other rules.

A committee would notify agency management of any concerns about the legality of contemplated actions, and the agency would then either modify the proposed action to comply with the rules or drop it entirely.

In cases of blatant violation of rules or abuse of authority, citizen committees would have the responsibility to terminate employment of the individuals responsible. The committees would also have the charter to evaluate agencies' overall value to the people and to call for reductions in scope or funding as deemed appropriate.

Any action taken by a citizens' committee would be subject to override only through a popular vote and would thus be immune to reversal through legislation, judicial action or any other governmental process.

This grassroots approach to government reform would offer several side benefits. There would be some ripple effects into areas other than those addressed directly. Once government employees and managers observed the changes in emphasis within their agencies, some would come forward to point out problems and cooperate in implementing other improvements.

Once a few corrupt officials were terminated from their jobs, others would either spontaneously shape up or resign voluntarily. Many government employees would find it gratifying to alter their performance from empire building to the promotion of efficient operations.

Citizens' committees would be composed entirely of private citizens nominated and elected by private citizens. Government employees would not be eligible to serve.

Safeguards would be put into place to prevent committee members themselves from promoting an increase of their own personal power. Perhaps limiting a member's service on a committee to a single brief term might be adequate.

The approach outlined here could be implemented first in California or another state through the initiative process. The alternative to limiting government abuse through this or some other orderly process is the continued growth of government until eventually we or our descendents suffer a painful collapse similar to that experienced in many other countries throughout history.

Steve Strayer is a systems engineer from Fremont. He wrote this for Libertarian Perspective. Reach him through media@ca.lp.org.

Judge's Death Ends Chisago County Jail Crisis

Judge’s Death Ends Jail Crisis
Swenson’s Final Recusal a Big Break for Chisago County Taxpayers
Opinion and Political Commentary by Jonathan P. Glassel

In Cell Block B of the Chisago County Jail, no tears were shed upon hearing the news of the passing of Judge Swenson. Swenson will now be judged in a “Higher Court.”

No doubt Swenson will be eulogized by his elitists friends and “Good Old Boy” Cronies as a great jurist. Those who have visited his Courtroom know better. Judge Swenson was clearly not the brightest bulb on the “Judicial Tree.” What he lacked in intelligence, however was offset by his vindictiveness.

Swenson was a bitter man who waged unrelenting war against, and filled Chisago County Sheriff Todd Rivard’s jail with, underage drinkers. You see, Swenson’s son was killed by an underage drunk driver.

Many years have passed since a “sitting” Judge in Washington County killed a young girl while driving in a drunken stupor. That Judge was so drunk; the little girl was barely recognizable after being dragged for nearly a mile, to her death.

Yet Judge Swenson never waged a “Holy War” against drunken Judges. And if a drunken County Commissioner had killed his son, would Swenson have extracted personal vengeance from other “Good Old Boy” Politicians?

Not likely. You see, Swenson’s path was that of least resistance, preying on the young, the weak, the sick and the poor. Though Swenson was in a position to help these people, he chose to victimize them, choosing instead to offset the pain in his own heart from the deep personal tragedy he had suffered from the loss of his son.

And he did it with tax dollars! Vengeance on a stick, made possible by the blood, sweat and tears of local taxpayers. The trappings of power gone mad, as it were.

Had he been a prudent Jurist, Chisago County Judge Douglass Swenson would have recused himself from each and every case involving alcohol, but that was not Swenson’s way. Judges have no Judges and sit well above the law. It was not that many years ago that Swenson would return to Court after a long lunch, chewing gum like a crazy person, presumably to mask his own problems with alcohol.

Even with the knowledge that impartiality was an impossibility for Swenson, none of his colleagues attempted to reign him in.

Swenson’s decisions have harmed many of Chisago County’s most vulnerable, its youth, opening a door to drug addiction first introduced to them in Swenson’s Prisons.

But the prisons of Swenson’s mind were, perhaps most damaging to the taxpayers of Chisago County, who pay for Chisago County Todd Rivard’s “return customers” first indoctrinated into “the system” by Chisago County Judge Douglas Swenson.

Swenson had a great opportunity to be a “Champion” of the less fortunate, yet he chose to exploit the very people he should have been defending.

Judge Swenson chose poorly.

History remembers only the “Great Reformers.” Many follow a new religion, because of the Protestant Reformation of Martin Luther, Abraham Lincoln adorns the five dollar bill and Martin Luther King’s reformation defined a nation struggling with racism and bigotry.

However, the world will little note, nor long remember Judge Swenson.

In summation, there was little wit about Judge Swenson. Therefore, one can only surmise his conspiracy with Chisago County Sheriff and Chisago County Attorney Janet Reiter to fill the the Chisago County jails with less than violent offenders, was an unwitting one.

Take away Swenson’s avid incarceration of our children and Chisago County has no “Jail Crisis.” No need to build a $40,000,000 boondoggle paid for by the hard work and sweat of local taxpayers.

As Judgeships are not handed out in boxes of Cheerios, we can only surmise Swenson bought his. Not with cash, but with a host of “Good Old Boy” favors to his cronies, as is required of the current selection process.

It has long been the habit of Judges to resign shortly before the end of their final term. A tribute, as it were, to the very system that allowed them to “purchase” their Judgeship from the Governor in the first place. An extension of “Good Old Boy” Politics at its worst.

Once appointed, it is nearly impossible to replace even the most incompetent of Jurists in the General Election. Most of these “Lawyers in a Robe” run unopposed as did Swenson, depriving the Electorate of Jurists even remotely concerned with taxpayer dollars.

We, the Electorate cannot tolerate any more “Good Old Boy” Politicians disguising themselves as “Learned in the Law.”

The Judicial Code of Chisago County is Justice by the Numbers. Judges Robert Rancourt and John H. McBride, Chisago County Attorney Janet Reiter and Chisago County Sheriff Todd Rivard dispense justice by the numbers, i.e., full jails equal public safety and thereby assure their re-election.

It should be noted for the record that Chisago County has not sent a felony drug dealer up the river in memorable history, preferring instead to fill our jails with Jaywalkers and minor offenders.

Washington County has many prudent and competent Judges. We can too, if we simply take the time to lobby our elected officials from the Chisago County Board, to the Legislature and directly to Governor Pawlenty.

Good Times Flea Market-Hugo

Obama Deregulates Flea Market!
President Urges Americans to Redistribute the Wealth
Story by Uncle Lars Bob

It has long been the position of Government that “if it moves, tax it, if it still moves, regulate it, if it stops moving, subsidize it.

However, in a startling announcement made before a rare joint session of Congress, President Obama’s plan to deregulate the Flea Market was met with a standing ovation from both sides of the isle.

Unprecedented bipartisan support for the President’s plan is expected.

President Obama spoke, “We must rebuild America’s economy from the ground up. We must encourage the creation of small business enterprises throughout this great country.

We can create jobs by encouraging people to redistribute the wealth that has long languished on shelves in their garages and basements.

The people of this country must be allowed to buy, sell and trade their fleas seven days a week, 365 days a year, well except on Christmas and Fishing Opener, of coarse.”

In ancient times, fleas were transported to market by camels traversing the great Sahara desert to markets near the Mediterranean Sea.

From ports in North Africa, fleas were openly traded throughout known world.

In recent years, due to the Global economy, most fleas entering the United States have been imported from China, though fleas from all countries may be found if one looks hard enough.

The Flea Market fell on hard times during the economic boom of recent decades as it was cheaper to import new fleas from China than to resell pre-owned fleas. As such, many perfectly good fleas met their demise at the landfill.

However, a great many wise investors stored their fleas in attics, basements and garages knowing someone would be able to use those perfectly good fleas, someday.

Though rarely discussed in “polite” circles many leading scientists fear that fleas may be inbreeding.
We all know how that stuff in the corner seems to multiply over time.

This may be attributed to the shortage of “round to its” created by the misguided economic policies of past administrations.

Also at play is Einstein’s lesser known, but most accurate equation, “E=T Squared” which proves time travels exponentially faster as one ages.

The older we get, the faster time flies.

We can remember with great clarity, the events of our childhood, when time traveled slowly. Now that we are older, we cannot remember what we did yesterday as time leaps forward at breakneck speeds.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, Surgeon General Dr. Sanjay Gupta is quietly urging people to take advantage of the down times, finish those projects while “round to its” are in ample supply, get your fleas to the nearest outdoor flea market, rent a booth, get some fresh air, make some money, enjoy the company of other flea marketers, redistribute your wealth and trade those fleas before they can inbreed!

In case you haven’t figured it out yet, this is not a real news story. Its intent is informative humor. Our apologies if we failed to give you a small chuckle. We sincerely hope a visit to our Flea Market will make you smile.


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