Hillary Clinton is a 'Trump asset' says Amash

Rep. Justin Amash labels Hillary Clinton a 'Donald Trump asset' over accusations about Gabbard - Washington Times:

October 19, 2019 - "Hillary Clinton is boosting President Trump’s voter base by suggesting Russia is rooting for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to win the White House, Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan ... stated ... on Twitter after Mrs. Clinton referred to Ms. Gabbard, a Hawaii Democrat seeking her party’s presidential nomination, as a 'Russian asset.'

“'The thing we know for sure is that Hillary Clinton is a Donald Trump asset,' Mr. Amash wrote on Twitter. 'Hillary does — and did — drive many people into the arms of Donald Trump.... Her attack on Tulsi does likewise.'

"Mrs. Clinton, the former Democratic presidential nominee who lost to Mr. Trump in 2016, caused an uproar after suggesting in an interview released this week that Russia is 'grooming' the Hawaii congresswoman and current White House hopeful to drop her bid for the party’s nomination and instead run in 2020 as a third-party candidate. 'She is a favorite of the Russians,' Mrs. Clinton said without mentioning Ms. Gabbard by name.

"Ms. Gabbard fired back Friday, saying she would not run as a third-party candidate and blasting Mrs. Clinton as 'the queen of warmongers, embodiment of corruption, and personification of the rot that has sickened the Democratic Party.' Her campaign has since challenged Mrs. Clinton to enter the Democratic primary....

"Amash was first elected to Congress in 2010 and is currently serving his fifth term representing Michigan’s Third Congressional District, which includes Grand Rapids, the state’s second-largest city. He left the GOP in July, weeks after becoming the first Republican member of Congress to publicly accuse Mr. Trump of committing 'impeachable conduct.' Democrats have since initiated impeachment proceedings against the president.

"The U.S. intelligence community has assessed that the Russian government interfered in the 2016 race using a range of tactics meant to undermine public faith in the democratic process, denigrate Mrs. Clinton’s campaign and harm her electability. The Department of Justice has since filed criminal charges against a number of Russian nationals implicated in the effort, several accused of meddling in the race on social media in part by posting content encouraging American users to vote for a third-party presidential candidate."

Read more: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/oct/19/rep-justin-amash-labels-hillary-clinton-a-donald-t/
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SC judge rules civil forfeiture unconstitutional

South Carolina Judge Declares Civil Forfeiture Unconstitutional - Nick Sibilla, Forbes:

October 22, 2019 - "Letting South Carolina police and prosecutors seize and keep cash, cars, and other valuables and use the proceeds to pad their budgets violates the Fifth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments, a circuit court judge in Horry County, South Carolina ruled. In a 15-page decision, 15th Judicial Circuit Judge Steven H. John declared that South Carolina’s civil forfeiture laws, which let the government 'seize unlimited amounts of cash and other property when no crime has been committed,' run afoul of the U.S. and South Carolina Constitutions’ guarantees of due process and bans on excessive fines.

"The court’s decision comes on the heels of a wide-ranging, multi-part investigation into civil forfeiture by the Greenville News. Across the state, South Carolina agencies seized $17.6 million between 2014 and 2016. More than 1,500 individuals (or roughly 40% of all forfeiture cases in the state) had their property taken, despite never [being] convicted of a crime. Their reporting further found that '65 percent of all money police seize is from black males' (like the defendant in the Horry County decision, Travis Lee Green), even though African American men account for a mere 13% of the state’s population.

"Galvanized by the investigation, South Carolina lawmakers, led by Rep. Alan Clemmons, backed legislation that would completely abolish civil forfeiture. Unfortunately, the bill ... stalled. A fully revised version is expected for next year’s session....

"This past February, in a landmark case litigated by the Institute for Justice, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Eighth Amendment’s ban on 'excessive fines' applies to cities and states, not just the federal government..... Following the decision, Judge John asked attorneys for the Solicitor’s Office and Green to each 'submit a brief outlining the constitutionality of the South Carolina civil forfeiture statute.' Fully briefed, in August, Judge John excoriated South Carolina’s civil forfeiture laws, which 'place the burden on the property owner to prove their innocence' and grant the government 'unfettered authorization to seize unlimited amounts of property from citizens without regard to the proportionality of the offense committed'...

"Under state law, the seizing agency gets the first $1,000 of any cash seized, as well as 75% of the remainder. Prosecutors receive 20% of the proceeds, with the remaining 5% sent to the state’s general fund. Law enforcement agencies can then use forfeiture proceeds to cover program expenses (like salaries for forfeiture officials). According to Judge John, 'South Carolina forfeiture programs have de facto power over their own spending' [which] creates 'an institutional incentive for forfeiture program officials to vigorously pursue forfeitures' that violates the constitutional right to due process."

Read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicksibilla/2019/10/22/south-carolina-judge-declares--civil-forfeiture-unconstitutional/#441640f22135

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Mexican Senate delays cannabis vote

Mexican Senate Committees Agree To Comprehensive Marijuana Legalization Bill | Marijuana Moment - Kyle Jaeger:

October 28, 2019 - "Several Mexican Senate committees have agreed to a marijuana legalization bill that they are submitting to the full body. But while lawmakers initially said a floor vote would come this week, the proposal is now being referred to a multi-party panel for consideration as leaders work to build a consensus around its provisions.

"Text of the legislation, which was released on Friday, outlines the proposed regulatory model, under which adults 18 and older would be allowed to use, possess and purchase cannabis from licensed retailers. Individuals could also grow up to four plants for personal use. The Justice, Health, Legislative Studies and Public Security Committees gave the legislation their approval....

"Sen. Ricardo Monreal, the ruling MORENA party’s leader in the Senate, said on Saturday that the legislation 'will be analyzed and deliberated' after the chamber passes a budget package this week. But on Monday, several Mexican news outlets reported that the bill will first go to the Senate Political Coordination Board, a body that’s designed to coordinate inter-party consensus on legislative proposals. Monreal, who serves as president of the board, said there will be a delay, but the intent is to create a 'finalized' product that puts 'economic and social interests' first. It’s not clear how long the panel will take to advance the bill to a floor vote....

"The bill as proposed by the joint committees includes restrictions on advertising and penalties for marketing marijuana to youth. Businesses could not sell cannabis products that contain tobacco or alcohol under the proposal, and packaging would have to be standardized and generic. Committee members agreed that an independent body, called the 'Cannabis Institute,' would be ... charged with issuing licenses for marijuana businesses, which would fall into one of four categories: cultivators, manufacturers, retailers and exporters/importers. Businesses could not hold more than one type of license. In order to repair the harms of prohibition, the committees agreed that 20 percent of licenses would have to go to low-income individuals....

"The draft measure also clarifies the legality of the use of peyote and psilocybin mushrooms in tribal ceremonies.

"The legislation was submitted nearly one week from the anniversary of a Supreme Court ruling that deemed the country’s prohibition on personal possession and cultivation of marijuana unconstitutional. Lawmakers have worked throughout the year to develop a policy that provides for cannabis regulation in a way that promotes public safety and mitigates the influence of cartels....

"It’s not clear exactly when the legislature will act on the committees’ agreed-upon legislation.... Sen. Margarita Valdez of the MORENA party said on Saturday that the Senate will discuss the legalization proposal this week but did not indicate a specific day."

Read more: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/mexican-senate-committees-agree-to-comprehensive-marijuana-legalization-bill/
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US libertarian news site dumps on LP of Canada

Canada's Rhinoceros Party Is the Real Anti-government Party · 71 Republic - Ryan Lau, Editor in Chief:

October 26, 2019 - "On Monday, the people of Canada turned up in droves at voting stations across the country to choose who will rule them for the next several years. Though it was a tight race for several hours, Justin Trudeau eventually won a second term. Deservedly missing the news, however, was the Libertarian Party of Canada. Earning a paltry 8,281 votes, the Libertarians received less than a fourth of the support they received four years ago. It gets worse, though: the satirical Parti Rhinoceros Party ranked just above the Libertarians....

"This year, the Rhinos pulled together 9,408 votes, many of which came from Quebec. On the contrary, the Libertarian Party was lucky to pull 0.1% in Ontario; they did not meet the mark in any other province or territory....

"We’re all-too-familiar with the Libertarian Party of the United States’ awkward moments. The Canadian counterpart, though, makes them look impeccable by comparison. Their candidate for prime minister, Tim Moen, is a talented renaissance man, but his social media presence is lacking, to say the least. Did 8,000 people even see his name before the election? If anyone remembers him in a decade, it won’t be for his politics.

"The national party’s presence is even more abysmal. Their last tweet, nearly a month ago, was an awkwardly professional admission that they couldn’t scrape together one candidate in an Ontario district with more than 100,000 residents....

"The embarrassment doesn’t stop at social media; the official webpage leaves much to be desired. On the front page, an uncaptioned picture of Moen scrolls beside a grainy quote and the ever-hip #WeAreLiberty. If this is the best that Liberty has to offer, big government isn’t going anywhere for Canadians.

"Looking at the platform and confusing bylaws, the majority of points don’t stand out much. Though the party clearly attempts a serious tone and wants recognition as a political force, they should probably first make sure that they use proper punctuation on formal pages. Dull, uninspiring, and amateurish, the Libertarian Party of Canada was lucky to perform as well as they did this October. They can’t play the part of another political cog and that of a unique new voice at the same time.

"With a few keystrokes, Cody Wilson did more for liberty than the Canadian Libertarian Party ever will. If the party really wanted to make a difference, they would stop creating bylaws and regulations, stop becoming the very bureaucracy they claim to oppose, stop believing in the system that causes so much harm. They can’t be truly, radically anti-government while accepting the political landscape the State imposes.

"If they focused their efforts on proactively eliminating the demand for a strong government, rather than passively rebuking it after the fact, they would have much more success. Find something the State does and do it better, without stealing from people for revenue. It’s not that hard; governments are notoriously and inherently inefficient. Start an underground market. Educate others on the harms of war. Create a competitor to the post office or the police or the unemployment office."

Read more: https://71republic.com/2019/10/26/rhinoceros-party-beats-libertarians/

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Ford government scrapping Ontario Film Authority

Doug Ford government scrapping agency that rates films | CBC News:

September 27, 2019 - "The Ford government is dissolving the independent agency responsible for classifying films screened in Ontario movie theatres. The Ontario Film Authority (OFA) will no longer issue film ratings ... according to a Ministry of Government and Consumer Services memo obtained by CBC News.

"'The Ontario Film Authority will be winding down its operations and the ministry will look to the industry to consult on ways to better reflect today's film market,' says the memo from Michele Sanborn, the assistant deputy minister.

"In the short term, says the memo, films screened in Ontario theatres must use the rating issued by British Columbia's film classification body. Longer-term changes are expected next spring. Dissolving the OFA will save the industry $1.5 million to $2 million a year in licensing and classification costs, according to the memo.

"Films that go straight online and are never shown in cinemas don't require a rating from the OFA. The trend toward streaming means the agency approved 1,000 fewer films in 2018-19 compared with the previous year.

"The OFA was designed to operate on a cost-recovery basis, charging filmmakers fees for issuing ratings such as PG, 14A or Restricted.... [T]he agency brought in $2.2 million in revenue, but ran a shortfall of $130,000 ... 'primarily due to the 20 per cent decrease in minutes viewed for English/French language films; and 35 per cent decrease in minutes viewed for adult sex films,' the agency's 2017-18 annual report said.

"A spokesperson for Government and Consumer Services Lisa Thompson confirmed Friday the agency is being scrapped, with a 'rapidly changing film market' as the reason.  'The major shift to digital platforms and streaming services has significantly changed viewers' behaviour and impacted the OFA's business and revenues, making it unsustainable,' said Thompson's spokesperson in an email to CBC News."

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-film-authority-1.5300584
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Canada shows world how not to legalize cannabis

How not to legalize weed - Macleans.ca - Kate Robertson:

October 17, 2019 - "When I ran out of cannabis on Thanksgiving Day, I had a few choices. I could halt dinner prep for eight guests to visit a downtown Toronto store where I would line up to buy some crumbly, expensive bud from a licensed shop. Or, I could continue mashing the squash after placing a delivery order from my friendly, local unlicensed shop. They take credit card payment at the door, I can redeem loyalty points, it’s less expensive, and the weed? Well, it’s dank. I'll let you guess which option I chose.

"The first year of cannabis legalization has been ... an utter disappointment for many of us who do consume cannabis: we were looking forward to safer, better access; a vast array of employment opportunities; the decriminalization of a drug within a legal system that unfairly targeted minorities and the vulnerable; quality products and increased dignity for medical consumers. And while I am fiercely proud of the direction we’ve taken and I’m not proposing we go back to pre-legalization days, I do feel let down by how we’re doing so far.

"[L]et’s talk about the 'black market,' or as many of us in the weed world prefer, the unlicensed market.... Statistics Canada has reported steady sales declines and claim about half of the cannabis sold currently is illicit (in other words, $4.16 billion of the industry’s estimated GDP of $8.26 billion is unlicensed). But an RBC Capital Markets report cited by the Globe and Mail puts the regulated market at just 12 per cent of cannabis sales....

"[Toronto Liberal MP Nathan] Erskine-Smith acknowledges there is more work to do, particularly in Ontario. 'An incredible idea — the legal market provides what people want and people don’t go to the illegal market,' he jokes. 'Consumer demand will push governments in the right direction'.... [C]an this consumer demand that we design some elements for actual cannabis consumers? How about lower prices, less packaging and better pot?...

"Are we treating Canadians like responsible adults?... [K]ids aren’t allowed in a lot of shops across this great nation, unlike most booze shops where they can accompany their parents running errands. In some provinces, those responsible adults have to find somewhere to put their kid if they want to grab some pot.... Surely we can trust them to decide how to talk to their kids about the regulated products they’re buying....

"[M]edical cannabis consumers are being left behind ... access to medical cannabis, which is a constitutionally protected piece, isn’t being honoured — it’s taxed, it’s prohibitively expensive, it isn’t covered by most drug plans, and it’s inconsistent and onerous for sick people.... Private cannabis clinics are often contractually obligated to refer patients to specific cannabis cultivators who pay kickbacks for new patients. That means a medical cannabis consumer can spend months researching where to find the types of products they need only to be denied that access because their clinic won’t receive a payout.... And there is still an excise tax on medical cannabis, a very strange rule intended to keep recreational consumers from infiltrating the medical system. So much for treating us like adults....

"Look, no one was more excited about legalization than I was. But we’re talking about average price differences of $10.23 per gram for regulated versus $5.59 per gram for unregulated products, according to the latest survey results — I can’t afford it! And it’s too inconvenient, and the products are inconsistent.

"In September, Global News reported that only 44 Canadians have been able to clear their criminal records through the pardons program, for something that never should have been illegal in the first place. We’re still treating people like criminals — or at least sometimes, anyway.

"On this one-year anniversary of legal cannabis, and with more edible and topical products on their way, I’m managing my expectations. I’ll be skipping the anniversary events."

Read more: https://www.macleans.ca/opinion/how-not-to-legalize-weed/
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98% of Canadians voted for more of the same

Canadians Demonstrate Rare Show of Unity: 98% Vote for Bigger Government, Higher Taxes, More Debt - Peter Diekmeyer (24/10/2019) | Sprott Money:

October 24, 2019 - "Mainstream media pundits, as usual, missed the key message when analyzing the results of Monday’s election, which returned Justin Trudeau’s Liberals to power. On paper the country was divided as never before, with no clear winner. The Conservatives, who won the popular vote, picked up a meagre 34.4% of ballots cast.

"Yet while Canadians can’t agree on a leader or how to divvy up the loot, they were unanimous on one important issue: they trust government, and they want it to do more.... [T]he Liberals, Conservatives, NDP, Greens, and the Bloc (who gathered a combined 98% votes) all put forward platforms that would increase overall taxes, spending, borrowing, and regulations during their mandate....

"During the past three years we have highlighted growing danger signals that politicians are essentially flying blind and that due to vast bureaucracy, conflicting interests, and use of misleading data points they couldn’t stop the country’s downward spiral even if they wanted to. Productivity is collapsing throughout the system and gross domestic product hasn’t grown in major economies such as the U.S. in more than a decade (as calculated on a debt-adjusted basis, using a realistic deflator).

"Canadian public sector debts, when combined with the country’s private, household and financial debts (much of which are de facto government guaranteed) now total an unbelievable $8.3 trillion. That works out to nearly $1 million in debt for each Canadian under the age of 19, making the country’s youth the functional equivalent of debt slaves.

"The results of the recent election suggest that either Canadians aren’t concerned with any this or that they trust future governments to do better.... Maxime Bernier’s People’s Party of Canada, the only major party that could credibly promise to reduce the scope of government, got a meagre 1.6% of the vote.

"The only positive sign for advocates of sound public finances came from the Libertarian Party of Canada. Party leader Tim Moen — who advocated elimination of all taxes (except the GST), the privatization of the Bank of Canada, and a return to the gold standard — managed to keep the party on its feet, despite being banned from the debates and deprived of media coverage from all major outlets.

“'We are in a battle of ideas,' said Moen. 'Right now even if a free market-oriented party won power, they would not be able to accomplish much. Things will not change unless we change the culture, and that process takes place one vote at a time.'”

Read more: https://www.sprottmoney.com/Blog/canadians-demonstrate-rare-show-of-unity-98-vote-for-bigger-government-higher-taxes-more-debt-peter-diekmeyer-24-102019.html
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