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Postal worker given a slap on the wrist for swiping a Baseball card
metalmike
Posts: 2,152 ✭✭
By Elizabeth Dinan
edinan@seacoastonline.com
August 26, 2008 3:46 PM
PORTSMOUTH — A city postal worker who stole a rare baseball card while it was being mailed from a Wisconsin seller to a Maine buyer, was fired, fined, given a suspended jail sentence, ordered to perform community service and to pay restitution to the U.S. Postal Service.
Richard Trofatter Jr., 31, of 1090 Meetinghouse Road, Wells, Maine, pleaded guilty in Portsmouth District Court Tuesday to a class A misdemeanor count of theft of lost or mislaid property. His attorney, James Noucas, told the court his client was recently treated for "obsessive compulsive behavior surrounding baseball cards" and according to a police report, Trofatter described himself as "borderline addicted" to collecting the cards.
A police affidavit filed with the court by detective John Peracchi says he was contacted by a representative of the U.S. Postal Service on May 7, reporting the "mail theft" of a 1915 Cracker Jack baseball card depicting New York Giants pitcher and Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson.
The card had been graded and given a serial number before it was put in the mail by an eBay seller in Michigan who insured it for $655, according to court records. When an eBay buyer in Maine reported he never received it, the Postal Service launched an investigation, discovered the card had been sold on eBay for $1,211, then traced it back to mail handler Trofatter, who was working at the 345 Heritage Ave. postal facility, according to Peracchi's affidavit.
Trofatter first denied ever seeing the card, then admitted his "borderline" addiction and to selling it at a Market Square jewelers, according to police. Meanwhile, the Postal Service reimbursed the Wisconsin seller the $655 insured value.
Prosecutor Corey MacDonald told the court that Trofatter was fired from his job as a result of the charge.
Judge Sawako Gardner described the crime as more than a theft case, because Trofatter committed "a breach of trust" as a mail handler.
"The card was lying in the bottom of a postal bin," Noucas told the judge who responded that she "can't imagine" how a $655 baseball card, packaged for mail, would end up that way.
Judge Gardner accepted Trofatter's guilty plea and imposed a six-month county jail sentence, with all of it suspended pending two years of good behavior. She also imposed a $2,000 fine, with $1,000 suspended pending the same good behavior and ordered payment of $655 restitution to the U.S. Postal Service.
Trofatter was also ordered to perform 30 hours of community service for a Portsmouth nonprofit agency.
MacDonald said he does not know the current whereabouts of the Cracker Jack card.
USN 1977-1987 * ALL cards are commons unless auto'd. Buying Britneycards. NWO for life.
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Comments
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I hope he doesn't steal stuff from the NP.
And the thief was so "addicted" to cards that he sold the card right away.
I like how the defense lawyer "can't imagine" how the card would have been where it belonged. I get 5-10 packages a day that are in the bottom of the cage.
Finally, if the seller had sent it registered with 1200 insurance instead of priority with 655, it would have cost him less than $10 more in shipping.
The seller sure was foolish under insuring that thing.
Steve
<< <i>Bad deal for the seller. Sold it on ebay for 1200, underinsured it. He has to refund the 1200 and USPS gave him 655.
And the thief was so "addicted" to cards that he sold the card right away.
I like how the defense lawyer "can't imagine" how the card would have been where it belonged. I get 5-10 packages a day that are in the bottom of the cage.
Finally, if the seller had sent it registered with 1200 insurance instead of priority with 655, it would have cost him less than $10 more in shipping. >>
I believe they are saying the card was sold again for 1200.00 and that is how it was tracked back to the carrier.
<< <i>I have to agree with Steve (WinPitcher), losing a job as a postal carrier is not exactly a slap on the wrist. If you have never check on the salaries for mail carriers, they are not exactly underpaid. Have you noticed that the price of just mailing a PWE has gone up about 10 times in the last 5 years but yet the guy/gal that delivers the mail has never seen a reduction in salary? >>
I agree....he lost his job, got fined, got six months in jail and community service. All well deserved, but hardly a slap on the wrist compared to similar crimes. If he wasn't a postal worker...he would have likely got probation.
Ok, I agree with part of what you said, this part of your comment is strange, "Have you noticed that the price of just mailing a PWE has gone up about 10 times in the last 5 years but yet the guy/gal that delivers the mail has never seen a reduction in salary?"
Mail has not went up 10 times in the last 5 years. You do understand that the USPS does not control their prices? And what do you mean no reduction i salary? So while prices have doubled in the last 5 years, you think we should pay our postal workers less? How many salary reductions at the same job have you taken?
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
<< <i>So while prices have doubled in the last 5 years, you think we should pay our postal workers less? >>
Not exactly what I meant. Was simply stating that the USPS has been looking for ways to increase revenue but have never considered cutting salaries, at least as far as I know they have not. In other words, this guy lost a decent paying career that had little risk of losing any income in the near future, not to mention a small sense of job security.
Either way, not good. I wonder how many other times he did that. You'd have to think it wasn't the first time. I wonder if he looked at the package first to see what card was inside, and how many times he may have at least done that.
ebay i.d. clydecoolidge - Lots of vintage stars and HOFers, raw, condition fully disclosed.
I find it hard to believe that we have to pay extra to ensure the job gets done when sending things through the mail. That's like a restaurant charging you $20 for a steak, but if you want to make sure they actually serve it to you, you'll need to pay an extra $5.
Isn't there already some sort of law that prevents a business from doing this?
I can understand insuring for things like damage or destruction due to things outside of the post office's control, such as auto/truck accidents and fires, but an employee of theirs can actually outright steal a package, and if it wasn't insured through them, the post office has no liability for replacing or reimbursing the package? That's, in one word, bullsh*t.
Isn't Marshall Fogel a big time attorney? I'd love to see him take this on and get this reformed.
Very good point.
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
<< <i>I have to agree with Steve (WinPitcher), losing a job as a postal carrier is not exactly a slap on the wrist. If you have never check on the salaries for mail carriers, they are not exactly underpaid. Have you noticed that the price of just mailing a PWE has gone up about 10 times in the last 5 years but yet the guy/gal that delivers the mail has never seen a reduction in salary? >>
He absolutely should have lost his job. No question about it. It is a serious breach of trust and the guy does not deserve such a position. I don't care how much or little a postal carrier makes.
Overall, I think the penalty was fair. It is disgusting that things like this happen...alot.
11/25/07 eBay seller: wooodykylite buyer: ppgustafson $715.00
8/13/07 eBay seller: vintage_vermont_since1985 buyer: wooodykylite $1,211.00
6/15/07 eBay $635.66
That'd fit. The card was insured properly. Someone over-paid for the stolen one, then flipped it for a nasty loss.
WTB: 2001 Leaf Rookies & Stars Longevity: Ryan Jensen #/25
<< <i>
I find it hard to believe that we have to pay extra to ensure the job gets done when sending things through the mail. That's like a restaurant charging you $20 for a steak, but if you want to make sure they actually serve it to you, you'll need to pay an extra $5. >>
I think we've discussed this before and I agree with it. Its ridiculous to pay extra for doing their job correctly. I had one of the local postmasters come in my store to by a plaque and when he ordered it, I asked him (jokingly) if he would like to pay the "correct spelling guarantee". He asked what it was and I told him that if we mis-spell a wor, we will replace the plaque at no cost, but if not, he would have to buy a new plaque. He didnt get the connection until I told him, but even still he didnt understand that the USPS screws you on insurance or even delivery confirmation for that matter.
Edited for spelling...I bought the guarantee
A teenager who strongarms a store clerk and steals $20 can end up doing 20-years.
America needs to get its head around the idea that "white-collar" crimes and "non-violent"
crimes should be punished just as harshly as "blue-collar" crimes.
I can almost guarantee that anybody with liberal views on the subject will have a view-changing
epiphany, if their cards get stolen.
<< <i>
The seller sure was foolish under insuring that thing. >>
No doubt. Sucks for him.
<< <i>The guy is a DIRTBAG criminal and should rot in jail.
A teenager who strongarms a store clerk and steals $20 can end up doing 20-years.
America needs to get its head around the idea that "white-collar" crimes and "non-violent"
crimes should be punished just as harshly as "blue-collar" crimes.
I can almost guarantee that anybody with liberal views on the subject will have a view-changing
epiphany, if their cards get stolen. >>
rot in jail for this??? If we made people rot in jail for crimes like this our jails would fill up faster than they already are... Seems to me like the punishment fit the crime in this matter.
<< <i>The seller sure was foolish under insuring that thing >>
I don't think he did. The sale I found on VCP was right in the correct ballpark ($635.66). The guy who sold the stolen sold it for double... and the guy who BOUGHT the stolen one lost his pants when he tried to sell it again.
WTB: 2001 Leaf Rookies & Stars Longevity: Ryan Jensen #/25
<< <i>
<< <i>The guy is a DIRTBAG criminal and should rot in jail.
A teenager who strongarms a store clerk and steals $20 can end up doing 20-years.
America needs to get its head around the idea that "white-collar" crimes and "non-violent"
crimes should be punished just as harshly as "blue-collar" crimes.
I can almost guarantee that anybody with liberal views on the subject will have a view-changing
epiphany, if their cards get stolen. >>
rot in jail for this??? If we made people rot in jail for crimes like this our jails would fill up faster than they already are... Seems to me like the punishment fit the crime in this matter. >>
Our jails are overcrowded now, and lets be honest, the theft was under a grand. If we let someone rot in jail for a theft under $1000...what do you do with a car theft...the death penalty?
I think the punishment fit the crime.
I do have a question for Jim. What does bottom of the bin mean? I imagine that is some job lingo as over wise, doesn't something have to be at the bottom of the bin?
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
<< <i>"obsessive compulsive behavior surrounding baseball cards" and according to a police report, Trofatter described himself as "borderline addicted" to collecting the cards. >>
That could define alot of us.
mike
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Build more jails.
STOP jailing idiots who abuse drugs and destroy their OWN brains.
Either solution would give us more space to keep DANGEROUS garbage
away from us.
Punishments should almost NEVER "fit the crime." They should be exponential
in harshness; that is how you STOP crimes.
I've told this before here: A community in a South American country was
having trouble with drunk drivers injuring folks. They set-up roadside tribunals,
tried the offenders on the spot, and executed them at roadside. NOBODY
drove drunk, after word got out that "one time would be the last time."
In some mid-east countries, merchants can display MILLIONS of dollars
worth of gold-jewelry in outdoor markets. Customers can touch the merch
and try it on. NOBODY steals anything; if they do, they lose at least ONE HAND;
second offense = the other hand; third offense = head goes missing.
The Chi-Coms get it. They EXECUTE "white-collar" criminals. (Granted they
do not consider some acts as crimes, which Americans do. Still, they are
not afraid to do what needs to be done to build a polite and orderly society.)
If EBAY crooks were guaranteed that they would do 20-years for fraud,
EBAY would be a safe and profitable place to buy and sell.
Wrist-slaps do not deter crime. They encourage crime.
When money/property is stolen from folks, their ability to live is often stolen.
Hardly "non-violent" crimes. Folks who become victims want and deserve
justice; harsh justice can prevent others from being harmed.
BUT, fear not, the softies are and will remain in charge, and America will
continue on its course to bedlam.
He didn't steal once, he got caught once.
The lawyer gives lawyers a bad name. His defense was that he had a borderline addiction to collecting baseball cards. I have an addiction to cards, just like we all do. But when I get a card (because of my addiction) I KEEP IT!
The lawyer is also way off base when he talks about a card that valuable being in the bottom of the cage. Doesn't matter. Nothing at USPS belongs to me. I go there with nothing and leave with nothing. I can't take my mail from inside, I have to go to the box section and open my mailbox. If I find a quarter on the floor I give it to my boss and get a receipt.
Mail gets moved in cages. They're about 2' x 4' x 6' high. Usually shrink wrapped bundles shipped directly from the publisher are the heaviest so they're at the bottom. Next are tubs 1'x 1 1/2' x 1' high. They're usually full of flats like magazines and sometimes they have small parcels. Next up are trays with unsorted letters and also bags of parcels.
Some offices larger than mine sort parcels into orange hampers. They're lined up by route. Clerks sort small parcels from a sorting desk and usually toss them from the desk into the hamper it belongs in.
Almost every cage I unload has a few loose flats or a couple small parcels on the bottom. The cages are moved by truck and sometimes stuff spills. But when I find a bubble mailer under some magazines, I'm supposed to put it in a tub to be sorted, not claim "finders keepers" and put it in my pocket.
Anyway - I would rather see the guy lose his job and his pension, and get some time. Also if he had a habit of selling stolen things to that ebay seller (vermont...) I would work a deal with him that he gets out earlier if he helps prosecute that ebay seller. Things like this are very embarassing to USPS and to me. I take my job seriously and work with people who do.
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EXACTLY!
And, furthermore, the movement of the mail is akin to a sacred-trust
in a capitalist system.
Almost NONE of us could live like we do if the mail could not be reliably
moved between us. Messing with the mail is an attack on the system
of things, and should ALWAYS be treated as such.
P.S. Just to add -- Except for that one time in college where I got a ticket for underage drinking, I have never had any issues with the law. I firmly believe in the guidelines that God and our society have set for us.
EDIT: Matter of fact check that mofo's house for the card in my sig line and a PSA 9 Mookie Wilson Topps Rookie.
My Sandberg topps basic set
My Sandberg Topps Master set
If you see someone get their hand cut off for stealing, you will be less likely to steal.
If you are raised to understand that there are no consequences or that the consequences are minor for a certain action, you would have one less reason not to do that action. Your conscience might be enough, but for some people it is not. If you have low morals, and you think the odds of getting caught are low, and that even if you are caught that there will be little or no penalty, then you will be more likely to do that action.
I don't think he was suggesting that the postal worker lose his hand.
Bank robbing got you time in jail, horse stealing got you hung
Guess what, no one stole horses, they robbed banks. Like was mentioned earlier, if ebay fraud was chased down, prosecuted, and sentenced to something close to 1 yr per offense and a 50k fine per offense, there would be no ebay fraud.
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637:6 Theft of Lost or Mislaid Property. – A person commits theft when:
I. He obtains property of another which he knows to have been lost or mislaid, or to have been delivered under a mistake as to the identity of the recipient or as to the nature or amount of the property, without taking reasonable measures to return the same to the owner, and
II. He has the purpose to deprive the owner of such property when he obtains the property or at any time prior to taking the measures designated in paragraph I
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If they had been able to set a trap for him, and catch him, they could have charged him federally. They usually try to avoid that because of the bad publicity. It's one thing if you steal your neighbor's mail. It's way way worse if the mailman does it.
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And, for very good reason.
Even today, folks who live in some parts of the country know full well what kind
of survival chance a person would have if they were stranded on foot. The theft
of a person's horse was essentially passing a death sentence on the victim. Thus,
the "harsh" penalty.
..............................................
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"Sure, you can take the hard line.... but what happens when it is YOUR kid that does it? Are you all for it then, or would you hope he/she learns a lesson from a lesser punishment and is still able to function as a normal human being for the rest of their life? I belive that most of us are inherently good people, but people can make mistakes."
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I quite doubt that if I had been caught stealing as a ute, I would
have survived my parental units' wrath. If my kids had been caught
breaking the law, they would have been dealt with under the laws of
the jurisdiction in which we live. Since we live in the USA - not in Saudi
Arabia - their hands would not have been in jeopardy. IF we lived
in SA, we would expect to obey the laws of the land; and, to suffer the
consequences if we did not.
My kids and I were raised in a time when parents were not arrested
for disciplining their offsping. As utes, we did not see our parents as
our "friends;" we saw them as our PARENTS. We said, "Yes Sir/Ma'am,"
and we didn't even THINK of resisting the directions we were given.
I feared my parents. My kids feared me less, but knew that there
were limits to their nonsense. We all turned out fine and prosperous,
became law-abiders instead of law-breakers, and were no worse
for the wear of "harsh" discipline.
People are not "inherently" good. They are self-interested grabbers
and have to be "restrained." Parents, religion, and the law generally
provide such restraint. When those restraints don't work properly,
they need to be toughened until order and safety reigns over those
folks who are "acting good."
We would all be better off today if the "spare the rod, spoil the child"
doctrine was reintroduced to America. If the thieving mailman had
been properly disciplined as a ute, there is a fair chance that we would
not be reading about him getting slapped on the wrist for stealing
baseball cards as an adult.
EARLY discipline is the key. A six-year old boy who loves, respects and
fears his father, will seldom turn to carp when he becomes a teenager.
The "modern way" has removed the "fear factor," and society will
continue to suffer as a result. The "hard line" worked well for most of
the 20th century. We need it back, or we will continue to lose large
parts of future generations to the gladiator academies.
........................
We also need to get rid of archaic drug laws that have caused even
good people to lose all respect for law enforcement workers. I have
never used such drugs illegally, but when I watch the COPS TV-show
and see them kicking doors down to confiscate some dope and arrest
some dopers, I can understand how some young people think that
all laws must be ridiculous.
Just, Harsh and Certain. Natural Law is ALL that will heal this country.
PS
"borderline addicted" to collecting the cards.
AREN'T WE ALL??????????????
<< <i>I think I found the card's sale prices on VCP...
11/25/07 eBay seller: wooodykylite buyer: ppgustafson $715.00
8/13/07 eBay seller: vintage_vermont_since1985 buyer: wooodykylite $1,211.00
6/15/07 eBay $635.66
That'd fit. The card was insured properly. Someone over-paid for the stolen one, then flipped it for a nasty loss.
Build more jails? If it were that easy, we'd be doing that...but who wants a prison built next door to their neighborhood? I bet you wouldn't. You think a halfway house causes NIMBY syndrome, try proposing a correctional facility.
That's just the reality of the situation. I can't stand thieves, either, but sending a thief to "rot away in jail" is a bit extreme, even for hardliners outside of maybe Singapore.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>I'm in favor of stiff punishments, too, but the truth of the matter is that the prison system is already stretched to its breaking point, and we just don't have the means to keep people convicted of lesser crimes (which this one qualifies as) in jail for any extended period of time.
Build more jails? If it were that easy, we'd be doing that...but who wants a prison built next door to their neighborhood? I bet you wouldn't. You think a halfway house causes NIMBY syndrome, try proposing a correctional facility.
That's just the reality of the situation. I can't stand thieves, either, but sending a thief to "rot away in jail" is a bit extreme, even for hardliners outside of maybe Singapore. >>
Bingo.
I would much prefer a violent crime person in jail then the postal worker, and it does come down to that, would you rather see a rapist or murder in jail, or a thief?
Kansas approved another jail 5-6 years ago. They tried to build it in 3-4 places, and all the neighborhoods fought them, this is even with the state willing to pay the homeowners any loss of value, plus. Guess, what, the jail has yet to be built, and to be honest, I don't want one in my neighborhood either and would protest such action. If I wanted to live in a bad area of town I would have bought a house in one of those areas, I imagine those other neighborhoods thought the same. (Not saying I live in the high grass...but the houses and yards are clean around me....a couple close parks....can't complain.)
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
<< <i>I don't think "rot in jail" is the right thing, but Storm is right that he should have been sentenced to jail. Here in PA I see a lot of 11 1/2-23 month sentences, if you behave you're out to a halfway house in 6 months or so. If it was up to me he would get at least that 11 1/2-23. I don't think that was available for what he was charged with (theft of lost or mislaid property)
He didn't steal once, he got caught once.
The lawyer gives lawyers a bad name. His defense was that he had a borderline addiction to collecting baseball cards. I have an addiction to cards, just like we all do. But when I get a card (because of my addiction) I KEEP IT!
The lawyer is also way off base when he talks about a card that valuable being in the bottom of the cage. Doesn't matter. Nothing at USPS belongs to me. I go there with nothing and leave with nothing. I can't take my mail from inside, I have to go to the box section and open my mailbox. If I find a quarter on the floor I give it to my boss and get a receipt.
Mail gets moved in cages. They're about 2' x 4' x 6' high. Usually shrink wrapped bundles shipped directly from the publisher are the heaviest so they're at the bottom. Next are tubs 1'x 1 1/2' x 1' high. They're usually full of flats like magazines and sometimes they have small parcels. Next up are trays with unsorted letters and also bags of parcels.
Some offices larger than mine sort parcels into orange hampers. They're lined up by route. Clerks sort small parcels from a sorting desk and usually toss them from the desk into the hamper it belongs in.
Almost every cage I unload has a few loose flats or a couple small parcels on the bottom. The cages are moved by truck and sometimes stuff spills. But when I find a bubble mailer under some magazines, I'm supposed to put it in a tub to be sorted, not claim "finders keepers" and put it in my pocket.
Anyway - I would rather see the guy lose his job and his pension, and get some time. Also if he had a habit of selling stolen things to that ebay seller (vermont...) I would work a deal with him that he gets out earlier if he helps prosecute that ebay seller. Things like this are very embarassing to USPS and to me. I take my job seriously and work with people who do. >>
Thanks for explaining what at the bottom of the bin means. I had heard that term before but never really understood it.
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
///////////////////////////////////////////////
That is not the REAL choice.
Simply build more prisons in the boonies, OR, free-up 60%
of the crowd by repealing the screwball drug-laws and turning
the drug users loose.
<< <i>"I would much prefer a violent crime person in jail then the postal worker, and it does come down to that, would you rather see a rapist or murder in jail, or a thief? "
///////////////////////////////////////////////
That is not the REAL choice.
Simply build more prisons in the boonies, OR, free-up 60%
of the crowd by repealing the screwball drug-laws and turning
the drug users loose. >>
That is the real choice we have right now....However I do completely agree with your later choice. We have our court system and jail crowded with people for minor drug offenses like marijuana and those that did not pay their child support. These crimes need to be sentenced to community service or at the most home arrest.
However until laws are changed, at least here in Kansas, where no one wants the next jail built, your choice is violent or non-violent crimes. Given these options...I would choose to lock up the violent offenders.
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
of the crowd by repealing the screwball drug-laws and turning
the drug users loose.
There has been some movement towards that end here in NY, to repeal the draconian Rockefeller drug laws, but no politician worth his salt wants to be the one to be portrayed as soft on the drug war, a losing effort if there ever was one. Problem though, too, is that many drug abusers turn to petit larceny to support their habits, so unless we also finance drug treatment programs, this "solution" will not work at all anyway.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
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That's true.
Folks who want to be "treated" should be.
Folks who want to do dope, should go to WMT or the 7-11 and pay TINY money for the junk.
If the prices are cheap - and they would be - there will be no crimes to "support their habit."
I seldom hear of folks stealing to buy cigarettes and beer.
<< <i>OR, free-up 60%
of the crowd by repealing the screwball drug-laws and turning
the drug users loose.
There has been some movement towards that end here in NY, to repeal the draconian Rockefeller drug laws, but no politician worth his salt wants to be the one to be portrayed as soft on the drug war, a losing effort if there ever was one. Problem though, too, is that many drug abusers turn to petit larceny to support their habits, so unless we also finance drug treatment programs, this "solution" will not work at all anyway. >>
We recently started a drug court here, where their job is try to get the person help, not send them to jail. The trial run had a 40% success rate, which is likely 10 times better then our old system, so hopefully the drug court has good success and will be copied throughout the state....but this is only a part solution. One key thing you noted is "finance" the drug treatment programs. It is unlikely you are really helping a down on the bottom drug addict, by sending him to treatment and giving him a $10-15,000 bill, which is how it is most places. Drug treatment needs to be state (or like) funded and made accessible to all.
Basically what our drug court is doing, is you plead guilty and they put the case on hold for a year. If you do all the drug treatment things, mostly city funded, you go back to court a year later and they dismiss all charges.
Here is a little reference to it....
linky
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
When I said "finance" I meant something along the lines of what you described in your post: a state sponsored program(s) that are accessible to indigent drug abusers, as most of the inmates jailed for drug offenses are likely to be.
It is a huge undertaking any way you look at it--the main reason recidivism is such an issue for such felons is that once they do get out of a correctional facility they often have no treatment options, support system or job training or opportunities to lift themselves out from the abyss, so they inevitably wind up returning to the familiar self-destructive patterns that landed them incarcerated in the first place.
Storm had an interesting point, and I'm surprised to hear it from a conservative perspective: the legalization (or at least decriminalization) of narcotics to essentially eradicate the huge profit margins that cause the drug trade to thrive so vibrantly in so many apects. This country, however, has a long history of (often illogical) Puritanical influences when it comes to such topics, and again, I'd envision only the most radical or maverick politician to be the one to advocate such a solution to this problem.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
//////////////////////////////////////////
When we see old films of the prohibition-cops taking axes to barrels of booze,
we laugh at them and wonder what the heck they were thinking.
The drug-warriors will one day be seen in the same humorous light. In the
meantime, young people will continue to lose respect for ALL laws simply
because the drug-laws are SO obvioulsy ridiculous.
ONLY a bunch of conservative politicians can make it happen. I thought GW
might have been the one, but he got trapped with other problems. Liberals
cannot push it without being skewered. Gotta be a super right-winger to
make it happen; probably a far time away.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
<< <i>"...This country, however, has a long history of (often illogical) Puritanical influences when it comes to such topics, and again, I'd envision only the most radical or maverick politician to be the one to advocate such a solution to this problem. ..."
//////////////////////////////////////////
When we see old films of the prohibition-cops taking axes to barrels of booze,
we laugh at them and wonder what the heck they were thinking.
The drug-warriors will one day be seen in the same humorous light. In the
meantime, young people will continue to lose respect for ALL laws simply
because the drug-laws are SO obvioulsy ridiculous.
ONLY a bunch of conservative politicians can make it happen. I thought GW
might have been the one, but he got trapped with other problems. Liberals
cannot push it without being skewered. Gotta be a super right-winger to
make it happen; probably a far time away. >>
Not sure if the conservatives will be the ones to help. They are too tied to the churches. If you look at California, where "pot" was legalized a few times, it was done by liberals, and undone by conservatives.
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
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That's why the conservatives have to be the prime-movers.
IF libs do it, the cons cannot resist pandering to their base;
they HAVE to attack the libs.
Just like Nixon was the ONLY guy to "solve" China. If LBJ had tried it- and
he wanted to - the cons would have nailed him as "a commie."
A con can sell an end to a failed drug-war as both fiscally prudent and humane.
"Give me back those prison cells to incarcerate robbers that want to steal your stuff."
A lib trying to do it will always be branded a libertine.
Liberalization almost always comes from conservatives taking action. Conservative
crackdowns are instituted by liberals.
"I quite doubt that if I had been caught stealing as a ute"
My Cousin Vinny was on last night.....seen it a dozen times, still funny
Herman Munster and Leo Goetz...classic
Buyer chose not to pay for insurance. However, he payed me via paypal and I could not prove that he received
the merchandise. All I could prove was that it was mailed, but it was my reponsibility to make sure the buyer
received the item. Final paypal dispute resulted in buyer receiving his money back. I am out the card and my shipping.
Lesson learned, I typically don't spring for insurance under $100 value, and I have learned that DC doesn't always protect you.
I think in my case, either 1) It was stolen at the post office or 2) the buyer received the item, but the postal worker didn't scan
the package as delivery confirmed. My particular buyer was previously married to a postal worker, and knows the system and/or
some postal workers, so who knows what kind of deal may have went down.
Either way, it is enraging that postal workers would steal an item of any value. Just as workers at the US mint are threatened with jail
time for theft, I would think USPS would enforce the same.
I agree, this was the 1st time he was caught, not the 1st time an item was "found on the bottom of the bin".
I vote for more public embarrassment. Put his name and photo in print in the newspaper, or make him wear a sign for 1 week outside
the post office, saying "I am a Thief.....I steal , and I got caught...."