Student Protests Parking Tickets by Paying Fine With 11,000 Pennies

Posted by $ nickursis 9 years, 9 months ago to Government
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I'm ok with this, someone at least is standing up to stupid government looting. I believe he has a good point and is practicing something we can agree with. The state should not be stealing 80% of the parking fines for other purposes.

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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 9 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    The answer to the question will be. "But what's really interesting is the new common core curriculumn for Californians?"
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 9 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I apologetic for spelling Al Bore's name incorrectly. OK here goes. Bore and Soreass take all their followers on a wildnerness excursion in South Americas North Eastern Coastal area. It was quite hot on the equator that day

    "Here Geo. have some refreshing local koolaid?

    Geo. drank it down then stumbled and dropped his dixie cup where upon Borel fined him for polluting the pristine wilderness.

    Geo. I'm afraid we'll have to revoke those carbon tax credits. Geo! Geo! Are you sure it's siesta time?

    The local tribal hunters showed up and observed "Dumba Ass Gringos that's not kool aid that for blow gun darts."

    "Oh really how does that work?"

    Hows that?
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  • Posted by $ nickursis 9 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    That actually wasn't too bad for our Imperial wizards. I would say though, that unless it is connected to illegal activity, terrorism, or corruption, you should only have to tell them the amount and leave it at that. It should not be the govts business if you want to haul a million out, if it is legitimately yours. But the moment you tell them you have it, it will be tied up for years proving that it wasn't illegally obtained, or a political contribution. So even honest people try to avoid the rats from knowing they have the cheese. Nice work researching, where did you find it?
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  • Posted by $ nickursis 9 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I know, I read that thread, I am sure they have a few dozen Rules of Acquisition that apply here....
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 9 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    United States v. Bajakajian, 524 U.S. 321 (1998), is a case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States regarding the Excessive Fines clause of the Eighth Amendment. This case is the only occasion on which the Supreme Court has held that an imposed fine was unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment.

    Background[edit]
    In 1993, Hosep Krikor Bajakajian had attempted to leave the United States with $357,144 without reporting this to customs officials as required by 31 U.S.C. § 5316, which requires the reporting of all international movements of currency with value in excess of $10,000. The Government sought forfeiture of the entirety of the $357,144. None of the money was found to have been connected with any other criminal action whatsoever. Bajakajian was traveling to Cyprus via Italy, and the cash was intended to pay a debt. He was also initially charged with lying to customs, but this charge was dropped.

    Bajakajian pleaded guilty to failure to report and opted for a bench trial on the forfeiture of the $357,144. A United States district court judge found the forfeiture of the whole $357,144 to be grossly disproportionate and in violation of the Eighth Amendment. He ordered forfeiture of $15,000 in addition to the maximum fine of $5,000 and three years probation for failure to report. Bajakajian had been eligible for six months in prison, but the Judge did not impose this sentence.
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  • Posted by $ nickursis 9 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Don't go all soft and sentimental on us Michael. You might get picked up as a environmentalist, or worse, an Al Gore supporter....:)
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  • Posted by $ nickursis 9 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Excellent point. This goes hand in hand with the one posted a couple weeks ago about California using fines to make money. Looting 101 says "Take all you can squeeze out of the little buggars".
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  • Posted by $ nickursis 9 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    You are indeed correct sir! I agree 100%. But think of the emotional impact when the government actually acknowledges the truth of their worthless fiat. It would maybe be enough to start the Revolution. Most people today refuse to acknowledge how worthless money is.
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  • Posted by $ nickursis 9 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I think they are up to costing 3 cents to make a penny, but the pressure to "stay the course" and the political societal pressure to not indicate to the unwashed masses just how worthless their money is, keeps it going. I think CircuitGuy is on the right track.
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  • Posted by $ nickursis 9 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Oh great, I have a huge collection of the little guys, maybe I need to find all the 83s and weight them, thanks. I have noticed they are so light that you can barely tell they are there. I was waiting for some genius to start using plastic, but the plastic may be worth more than the penny.
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  • Posted by superfluities 9 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    1982 and earlier pennies are solid copper, of course if can find a rare 1983 all copper penny it's worth $15,000(you find them by weighing them).
    The mint reported it costs 1.1 cents to make a new slug penny.
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  • Posted by CircuitGuy 9 years, 9 months ago
    It blows my mind that we keep coins that have no value like the penny and nickel. It's also wasteful that we use paper notes for $1 and $5 instead of coins.
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 9 years, 9 months ago
    Once upon a time about twenty or thirty years ago a divorceé paid alimony with $300.00 worth of Pennies sent rough the other attorneys office. He was pulled into court and fined for not paying alimony on time. The judge rule and explained "The Penny is the only level of money that is not legal and valid for all debts etc. etc."Your honor would a check suffice?" "If it doesn't bounce and the same for your fine." Then he turned to the ex-wife's attorney and asked "Did you give back the pennies?" "No your honor?" "Then I shall expect to see that amount on your income tax statement."

    Obviously the student were not business majors. My guess would be pre-law.
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  • Posted by Flootus5 9 years, 9 months ago
    Good sentiment. I was going to add that he should have paid the $110 by calculating the value of the copper in the coins. But, oh, silly me, they took most of the copper out years ago.

    It will probably just add to the rationale to do away with the penny.
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  • Posted by $ jdg 9 years, 9 months ago
    Perhaps we should amend the Constitution so that all fines go to charities (or to the victim, when there is one). If governments can't use them as a revenue stream, they won't be as predatory in imposing them as they are now.

    (Does anyone know of even one case where a fine has been ruled "excessive" under the 8th Amendment?)
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  • Posted by Herb7734 9 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    There are enough laws on the books so that you can be either pro or con on the same issue and back it up with a law. I'd vote for any congress that devoted itself to getting rid of laws rather than making more.
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  • Posted by Riftsrunner 9 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I think if the protest was serious, I would have paid in pennies anyway and let the courts decide whether the law was punitive or not (and any fines levied would also be paid in pennies). Pennies are legal tender and if the port authority refused to take them it seems that no matter the law they have to accept them no matter what amount i decided to use for payment.
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  • Posted by $ nickursis 9 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    There usually is some obscure law to be used, just so the govt can steal faster...and limit the ability of the poor people getting raked over to do anything. Self preservation...
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  • Posted by SaltyDog 9 years, 9 months ago
    Many years ago, there was a protest over the raising of the tolls on the bridges and tunnels between New York and New Jersey. Drivers decided to pay the tolls in pennies. Some official of the Port Authority of NY & NJ found an obscure law that limited the amount of pennies that could be used to pay tolls to, if memory serves, 24 cents. I assume that it was a valid law because no one ever heard anything about the protest again.
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