With a lot of focus on federal elections in the US, Americans should not let it go unnoticed that local tyrants are stomping civil liberties.
September 16, 2024
By: Bobby Casey, Managing Director GWP
That’s not to say that the federal government hasn’t done things that directly affect people. Sadly, it has. But politics isn’t just one election. It’s layers of tyranny. And the local governments have been some of the worst.
Arizona: Free Speech in Surprise
Local tyrants are stomping civil liberties in the city of Surprise, Arizona for young mother, Rebekah Massie, who was arrested during her speaking time addressing the city council:
On the day of the meeting, Massie told council members she had concerns with the city attorney’s contract being renewed with a raise. She said that there had been “numerous violations or alleged violations” of legal standards, and his performance did not warrant the raise.
Her crime? Criticizing individual council members at a public meeting! She was later also charged with trespassing, and noted that long-form charges would be submitted for resisting arrest and obstructing governmental operations.
Free speech activist group, Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), took up the case and filed a federal charge against the city for constitutional violation of free speech as the first amendment is unequivocally clear:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Indiana: Police Stealing Money from FedEx Packages
Civil asset forfeiture is a long-standing, widely abused policy that distills down to nothing more than policing for profit. Once again, under the guise of civil forfeiture, local tyrants are stomping civil liberties. According to the the Institute for Justice:
The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office has sued to forfeit $2.5 million in currency from at least 130 FedEx parcels in transit from one non-Indiana state to another over the past two years.
“Sued to forfeit” should be read as “stolen” because the cash was actually taken while en route from one state to another. Moreover, neither the sender nor the intended recipient were told what the criminal charges connected to the forfeiture were.
Because neither the sender nor recipients are in Indiana, this forces them to find an Indiana attorney who can defend them against these unspecified claims.
Indianapolis is home to the second-largest FedEx hub in the US, processing roughly 99,000 parcels per day. The countersuit is represented by Institute for Justice with the plaintiffs Henry and Minh Cheng, who run a small California jewelry wholesaler business.
A client was trying to send them a cash payment for some jewelry, and the package was intercepted and seized.
California: Speed Controls on Automobiles by 2030
State Senator, Scott Wiener, introduced a bill that originally called for a mechanism in cars to throttle speeds if the car exceeded ten miles over the speed limit. He since rolled that back to just a visual and audio indication of when the car goes over the speed limit.
This is Senate Bill 961. It passed both the Senate and the House and now awaits :
Senate Bill 961 requires every passenger vehicle of the 2030 model year and beyond to “utilize a brief, one-time, visual and audio signal to alert the driver each time the speed of the vehicle is more than 10 miles per hour over the speed limit.” … Once the bill becomes law, violations would not carry mere civil penalties but “would be punishable as a crime.”
The odd part of all this is, insurance companies offer an opt-in to monitor speeds along with a lower premium incentive. They offer this everywhere except… you guessed it… California. Why?
This is due to California Proposition 103, passed by popular initiative in 1988, which “instituted a regulatory system where the Insurance Commissioner must approve a rate applied for by an insurer before its use.” The 40-year-old prior-approval system prohibits auto insurers from adjusting rates based on driver behavior.
This isn’t surprising given the state, but the local tyrants are stomping civil liberties when it comes to choice and self-regulation.
Georgia: “Anti-Dog-Eat-Dog Rule”
Remember the Atlas Shrugged character, James Taggart? He introduced was was called the “Anti-Dog-Eat-Dog Rule“:
The Anti-dog-eat-dog Rule is passed by the National Alliance of Railroads in section 145, allegedly to prevent “destructive competition” between railroads. The rule gives the Alliance the authority to forbid competition between railroads in certain parts of the country. It was crafted by Orren Boyle as a favor for James Taggart, with the purpose of driving the Phoenix-Durango out of Colorado.
It was blatant cronyism. And this is exactly what happened in South Fulton, Georgia. Local tyrants are stomping on civil liberties, and this time it’s against a small business owner.
Awa Diagne decided to open her own hair braiding shop. She put in $20,000 on a deposit, paperwork, and fixing up the establishment only to have her license turned down by the city. Why?
One member said that it was “not fair” that an existing salon would “have to compete” with Awa. The Council even said that Awa should forget the thousands of dollars she invested, start over, and find a new location where she wouldn’t be “competing with anyone.” The Council rejected her permit—not because her shop was unsafe or failed to meet any regulations, but rather to stifle competition from other politically favored businesses.
It’s unfortunate that federal elections have become heightened due to the bloated amount of power government has taken. But the local tyrants are stomping civil liberties and Americans should not lose sight of that. Many still have the power to move or even leave the country to more favorable jurisdictions.
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