http://freekeene.com/…

From the NH Free Press‘ Kat Kanning:

Russell Kanning’s vote for the November 2008 elections is up for sale! He’s doing this to demonstrate what’s really going on in the elections. Politicians promise you all sorts of goodies in order to buy your vote: new welfare programs, new roads, new wars, the list goes on and on. Russell just wants to lay it all on the table and deal honestly, so you can buy his vote directly. He’s delegated the actual task of auctioning off his vote to me. He’ll be voting in the City of Keene, NH. Bidders from the Keene area have the added incentive that he can vote for city issues for you, in addition to the presidential and congressional rat-races. I would be auctioning off my vote too, but when city officials heard about my auction plans, they removed me from the voter rolls in their fiefdom. About a year ago, we both asked the City of Keene to take us off their voter rolls, which they refused to do in Russell’s case.

Place your bid!

FK EDITOR’s UPDATE 8/24 EARLY AM: Ebay has pulled the auction. It’s sad how obedient businesses are to the state.

IIRC FTL had covered the recent story of the guy who had tried to sell his vote on eBay and was being charged with a felony so should have known this would happen. I’ve not looked to see it’s also illegal by New Hampshire law but I suspect it is and the punishment would not be welcome. I’ve considered doing this given my relative indifference to the candidates likely to be on the New Jersey ballot come November. There are two concerns. First is obvious, being fined and/or jail time. Second is losing blog of bile if I personally hosted the auction. No matter if you are share hosting, colocating or have an actual T1 coming into your home those companies which provide the service will have no problem terminating your account at the will of the government. I believe those who were charged with selling their vote in 2004 used Craig’s list. I don’t recall if Craig’s list did or would now take down the posts.

We will see if the government busybodies react to this act.

Russell Kanning has his driver’s license “violation” trial.
The judge harasses the press.
Ian presses for answers from City Government

Links to related videos will be posted here when they are available (entire trial and city manager interview):

(no links ready yet)

If interesting I’ll post the entire trial and city manager interview when available.

http://nhunderground.com/…

I showed up in court today, so the thugs didn’t have to come to my house and break down the door and accidentally kill anyone … or go to the wrong house and hurt others.
The judge found me guilty of driving after suspension of driving priviledges in NH
He fined my 300 bucks … he asked when I would pay it and then said I could do “community service” and I said I could probably do that.

Yes … I am free … and I did do some driving today.
coconut … have that video on my desk by morning
I will have to find out where I can do my community service. There should be someplace where I will be helping people and not empowering the bad guys.
They didn’t get any money out of me.
I cost them money.
We had pizza.

coconut had filmed the ordeal and when released I’ll post that here. From other reports on NHUnderground.com Russell agreed to 30 hours of service at $10/hour to pay off the $300 fine. I understand the compromise of service to jail but in a way it seems to be a step backwards philosophically. When Russell was sentenced to jail for nonviolent, statute crimes he was acting under his own volition and the government people aggressed against him in order to place him in their jail. In this case he’s agreed to community service so he’s not harmed and/or thrown in jail again but this decision is made under duress. He’s going to be nonviolent regardless as that’s how he is and if he defended himself he’d likely be seriously harmed so by agreeing to community service he’s submitted to their tyrannical ways actively vs previously just continuing on and putting all responsibility on them. Not that I wouldn’t have done the same nor am I ignoring the fact he showed up to court at their request. Just pointing out the differences in approaches.

There is also this dilemma. If you go to jail you aren’t giving them the resources the government needs to survive. No wealth transfer to them. They have to expend resources in order to deal with you. While with community service, assuming you get to choose, you’d be creating wealth outside the system. Likely fighting the system for as long as possible to the point before they imprison you and then agreeing to community service, again assuming you get to choose it, would be the best route. You’d drain some government resources, bypass possible acts of violence, and create wealth in the private sector. You’d still be bowing down to the aggressors as pointed out above but in almost an agorist fashion helping bleed the beast.

Today I came home to another personally delivered envelope from Mr. Marcus on behalf of the Census Bureau. It looks like it was placed in the second floor’s mailbox and they noticed it addressed to “Occupants of: APT 1.” The “APT 1″ written in pen. It was the same envelope Edward delivered the first time and that he failed to give me on when we had our face to face chat. It has the same US Census 2010 pamphlet as before [page 7 & 8] and the same general warning letter [page 3] but as you’d expect there are some differences. If you look at page 2 there is the Request for Appointment slip. On the one received today the top section is again blank, the Census Bureau Representative and Telephone number are the same but the remarks say:

I am following up on the survey you received in the mail and did not return. I have been to your home and you have refused to allow me to interview you either in person or on the phone. Title 13 of the US Code imposes Penalties for non response to this survey. It is a very brief interview you can do on the phone by calling me. If you do not reach me leave a phone number & a time to call back.

In addition there is a new page which reads:

Please cooperate in our survey which is helpful to determining the requirements of households in your area.

Every resident of the United States is obligated to participate in this survey and there are penalties involved for not co-operating.

The American Community Survey is conducted under the authority of Title 13, United States Code, Sections 141 and 193, and response is mandatory. According to Section 221, persons who do not respond shall be fined not more than $100. Title 18 U.S.C. Section 3571 and Section 3559, in effect amends Title 13 U.S.C. Section 221 by changing the fine for anyone over 18 years old who refuses or willfully neglects to complete the questionnaire or answer questions posed by census takers from a fine of not more than $100 to not more than $5,000. The U.S. Census Bureau may use this information only for statistical purposes. We can assure you that your confidentiality is protected. Title 13 requires the Census Bureau to keep all information about you and all other respondents strictly confidential. Any Census Bureau employee who violates these provisions is subject to a fine up to $250,000 or a prison sentence of up to five years, or both.

Tricksy they are. This is why the whole “ignorance of the law is no excuse” statement is absolutely ridiculous. They thugs in Washington DC obviously wanted to raise fines so instead of going through existing law and replacing values they go and add a new one that trumps the old values unless the law explicitly says it doesn’t. So this TITLE 18 > PART II > CHAPTER 227 > SUBCHAPTER C > § 3571 Sentence of fine reads:

(a) In General.- A defendant who has been found guilty of an offense may be sentenced to pay a fine.

(b) Fines for Individuals.- Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, an individual who has been found guilty of an offense may be fined not more than the greatest of-

(1) the amount specified in the law setting forth the offense;

(2) the applicable amount under subsection (d) of this section;

(3) for a felony, not more than $250,000;

(4) for a misdemeanor resulting in death, not more than $250,000;

(5) for a Class A misdemeanor that does not result in death, not more than $100,000;

(6) for a Class B or C misdemeanor that does not result in death, not more than $5,000; or

(7) for an infraction, not more than $5,000.

(e) Special Rule for Lower Fine Specified in Substantive Provision.- If a law setting forth an offense specifies no fine or a fine that is lower than the fine otherwise applicable under this section and such law, by specific reference, exempts the offense from the applicability of the fine otherwise applicable under this section, the defendant may not be fined more than the amount specified in the law setting forth the offense.

According to Section 3559 since in Title 13, Section 221 there is no classifying letter grade and no imprisonment is authorized, refusal or willfully neglecting to complete the questionnaire is an infraction. According to Section 3571 as shown above an infraction can carry a fine of not more than $5,000.

So it appears that ol’ Ed is trying to intimidate me. I had told him prior I was well aware of the Census law and knew my fine was not more than $100. Well it seems my criminal code knowledge was lacking. Not that this changes anything. In a similar case where two individuals, Russell Kanning and David Ridley, had been issued a fine from the federal government for distribution of handbills and refused to pay the fine they were imprisoned for a period of time. Dave for 4 days I believe and I’ve not yet tracked down Russell’s length though I’ve sent Dave an email asking for the numbers and any info he feels is relevant. You can find his story here, here, here and here.

I found TITLE 13 > CHAPTER 7 > SUBCHAPTER III > § 241 Evidence interesting:

When any request for information, made by the Secretary or other authorized officer or employee of the Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof, is made by registered or certified mail or telegram, the return receipt therefor or other written receipt thereof shall be prima facie evidence of an official request in any prosecution under such section.

Does this mean that the hand delivered requests can not be prima facie evidence? Not that they need to worry as they sent me two booklets, a postcard and a letter which they likely have receipts for or could make up if need be.

Also interesting is I finally talked with the occupants of the other apartment in my building and found that they had been contacted by the Census Bureau separately and filled out theirs and returned it several weeks ago. They also informed me that they had been looking for me (our friend Edward Marcus I’m sure) but had forgotten to tell me. What are the odds that both apartment addresses would be chosen or are they just lazy?

I’ll provide a PDF of the new documents tomorrow.

http://freekeene.com/…

Why was Russell, one of the more well known civil disobedience activists in New Hampshire, arrested?

From nhfree.com his wife Kat posted:

Russell, as you know, is a Christian.  When he married, he really meant for life.  His wife kicked him out without just cause.  She got everything…kids, house, all of Russell’s personal possessions (which she wouldn’t give to him).  Last he saw her she was driving a brand new Escalade.  After she kicked him out, she got a restraining order claiming he was violent (Mr. Pacifist, violent  ).  She refused to let him see his children.  She refuses to let him even call his children.  He decided he was not going to be a slave to some woman who treated him like that - to pay for her to take his children away from him.   He’s offered to take the children.  He wanted nothing more than to stay there and raise the kids, be a family.  She chose otherwise.  Now he’s in jail for not paying child support.  The kids don’t even know why he doesn’t call or see them - the mother lets them think he just doesn’t care.  He won’t be mean enough to her to tell the kids what’s happening.