Can the government get any more ridiculous? ... Why sure ...
From the petition ... for you to measure how ridiculous ....
“This case presents a threshold question concerning
the standard for whether a fine or forfeiture contravenes
the Eighth Amendment’s Excessive Fines Clause. For
over a decade, the State of Alaska has been trying to forfeit bush pilot Ken Jouppi’s 1969 Cessna airplane. The basis: One of Jouppi’s passengers had beer in her luggage,
and the State maintained that one six-pack, at least,
would have been visible to Jouppi. For certain Alaskan
villages, it’s a crime to bring in alcohol. And when the
means of importation is an airplane, the plane is subject
to forfeiture. No matter that the offense is a misdemeanor.
As here. No matter that the pilot is a first-time
offender. As here. No matter that the alcohol is a six-pack
of Budweiser. As here. No matter that it belonged to a
customer. As here. The result: an airplane forfeited for a
six-pack.
The Excessive Fines Clause was built for cases like
this.”
This is what Frederic Bastiat called “plunder”.