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Ian Braithwaite's avatar

Thank you for an eye-opening and horrifying piece. Whatever one's views of the hydrocarbon companies (and saintliness isn't generally expected of businesses, or delivered), they are a wonderful target for the self-righteous. Demand, and the fact that we humans can't get enough of their products, is the inconvenient truth.

I'm overweight, not due to the evil purveyors of food (some of whom do add dodgy stuff to make us want more, unlike the hydrocarbon companies), but my over-consumption, and I don't think the government seizing the assets of food manufacturers would help, beyond forcing me to starve.

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Jim Brown's avatar

Tyrannical control leads to more of the same. Thanks for making the connection.

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JimmyinTEXAS's avatar

"...creates a “guilty until proven innocent” and “f**k due process”.

There is no better description. The "side of the highway steal" bothers me most because I drive a little fast and just want a citation, not a shake down.

Institute for Justice has had a few cases. It is not rampant, but is liken to fraudulent voting. Once is more than enough and two is way to many.

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Green Leap Forward's avatar

"Carrying too much cash" is often the "justification" for this process to begin for motorists being pulled over too.

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JimmyinTEXAS's avatar

That is part of the problem. Talking to much to the officer is bad. Look up Armed Attorneys on you tube. They have excellent general advice and Texas advice. Check local laws where you live and travel.

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Green Leap Forward's avatar

They're a great channel!

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Thomas J Shepstone's avatar

Another example of government gone wild.

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Waspi, Kevin G's avatar

When you are a despot dictator (or wannabe), there are no "rules", and certainly no "fairness". It is not surprising that these laws exist, or are proposed to be expanded in their use. This is all about power and control, it has nothing to do with the environment, carbon, or climate,..... real or imagined.

Just look at how the Greens across Europe have made an entire continent a second-rate fascist extreme authoritarianism.

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Charles "Pappy" Thomas's avatar

I suspect that if this were tried there would be instant revolution. There are some things you just don't mess with and gasoline that provides the masses some measure of freedom and mobility is certainly top of the list easily proven by the very many who willingly pay through the nose for it.

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Thom Davis's avatar

Unless the government is going to produce the oil and gas, what's the point? Nonproductive wells are worthless and they have to be abandoned, at no small costs. This is silliness.

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