http://www.lewrockwell.com/…

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, which includes Pittsburgh, instituted a 10 percent tax on alcoholic drinks this year. The local restaurant and bar owners obtained twice as many signatures as required to put a referendum on the ballot asking simply whether the tax should be reduced to 0.5 percent. The county council, trying to preempt this, created their own referendum asking whether to replace the drink tax with an increase in property taxes. Now the county solicitor is further attempting to stop the tax cut referendum by claiming that it’s illegal since it doesn’t raise taxes elsewhere to make up for the shortfall that would be brought about if the drink tax were to be reduced to 0.5 percent. Meanwhile, these same “public servants” prattle endlessly about the glories of democracy; but what good is democracy if the voters are only allowed to choose from the questions and candidates the powers that be permit to appear on the ballot?

Apparently, when it comes to taxes, they are only supposed to increase, or at least remain constant. Of course, for this to happen the taxpayers’ bank accounts have to decrease, but that’s okay. We peons should be expected to make do with less, but government never should.

Pennsylvania Constitution: Article 1, Section 2:

All power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority and instituted for their peace, safety and happiness. For the advancement of these ends they have at all times an inalienable and indefeasible right to alter, reform or abolish their government in such manner as they may think proper.

Looks like they may need Section 21:

The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned.

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.

http://ap.google.com/…

A college student claimed it was all a joke when he put his vote in this fall’s presidential election up for sale on the Web auction site eBay. But prosecutors didn’t see the humor.

University of Minnesota student Max P. Sanders, 19, was charged with a felony Thursday in Hennepin County District Court after allegedly asking for a minimum of $10 in exchange for voting for the bidder’s preferred candidate.

“Good luck!” Sanders wrote under the eBay handle zepdrummer612. “You’re (sic) country depends on You!”

Sanders was charged with one count of bribery, treating and soliciting under an 1893 state law that makes it a crime to offer to buy or sell a vote.

According to a criminal complaint, the Minnesota secretary of state’s office learned about the offering on the Web site and told prosecutors. Investigators sent a subpoena to eBay and got information that led to Sanders.

The student told investigators he made the eBay posting, adding, “That was a joke. It’s no longer listed,” according to the complaint.

“We take it very seriously. Fundamentally, we believe it is wrong to sell your vote,” said John Aiken, a spokesman for the office. “There are people that have died for this country for our right to vote, and to take something that lightly, to say, ‘I can be bought.’

“It’s a real shame,” he said. “I can imagine the conversations being held in American Legion Clubs and VFWs about whether this is a joke or not.”

The scarcely used law had its heyday in the 1920s, when many people sold their votes in exchange for liquor, Assistant County Attorney Pat Diamond said.

“There are two things going on here in terms of why it’s a crime,” he said. “One is the notion that elections should be a contest of ideas and not of pocketbooks — at least not in the sense of straight-out ‘I can buy your vote.’ The second notion is that everybody gets one vote, and you don’t get to buy another one.”

Sanders and his attorney, Steven Levine, declined to comment Thursday. The charge carries up to five years’ imprisonment and a $10,000 fine.

As for the offer on eBay? It got no bids.

It’s OK to vote one way or another for free but the second it’s in exchange for something we’re going to have to pull out the guns to keep you from soiling the wonderful institution of mob rules democracy.

Montana:

• McCain: 76%
• Paul: 22%
• No Preference: 2%

South Dakota:

• McCain: 70%
• Paul: 17%
• Huckabee: 7%
• Romney: 3%
• Uncommitted: 3%

http://hosted.ap.org/…

Republican:

• Dick Zimmer: 46%
• Joe Pennacchio: 40%
• Murray Sabrin: 14%

Democrat:

• Frank Lautenberg: 59%
• Robert Andrews: 35%
• Donald Cresitello: 6%

I’m not seeing which set of Republican delegates won but I’d imagine the McCain people. As I’ve gathered Zimmer is a liberal NJ RINO. Probably doesn’t have a chance against Lautenberg.

http://www.cnn.com/…

Republican primary:

• McCain: 87,341 votes, 70%
• Paul: 29,741 votes, 24%
• Uncommitted: 7,974 votes, 6%