Common Sense: Craigslist, eBay and Twitter

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Could California’s budget crisis be solved by a triumvirate of Internet services, Craigslist, eBay and Twitter?

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is raiding the state’s storage sheds to sell off unneeded items on eBay and Craigslist. His signature on a California fleet car adds, it is estimated, $400 to its auction value.

He got the latter idea from one of his million Twitter followers.

Wow. I have nowhere near a million Twitter followers. I’m told that I should envy the governor’s Twitter cred, but . . . I’m not the jealous type; I won’t seek any “Tweet” revenge. Still, I’d be happy if all my listeners joined, and I got some usable ideas for raising money.

Unfortunately, neither I nor my sponsor, Citizens in Charge Foundation, have a vast resource of unneeded inventory to sell off. Nor do I have the cachet of the actor-turned-governor: My signature won’t add much value to a Ford Focus.

Yep. Someone paid $1,625.01 for a state-owned Focus with over 110,000 miles on the odometer. The governor signed the visor.

That’s better than a car once owned by Jon Voight!

The only new thing here, really, is using Craigslist and eBay. This isn’t a singularity in the progress of civilization. From this no miracles follow. But it is a healthy sign of thinking slightly outside the proverbial box.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

 

Treason and Terrorism and You

All tyrants love unlimited government. But do all advocates of unlimited government love tyranny? Well, recently major fans of big government sure have been blurting out their hysterical hatred for normal democratic disagreement.

Take Paul Krugman, New York Times rah-rah boy for humungoid government. He recently referred to opposition to the cap-and-trade bill as “treason against the planet.”

Treason, really?

Since the consequences of that policy for the food supply will almost certainly further raise worldwide prices, economist David D. Friedman asked whether Krugman himself isn’t committing some kind of murder: Because of policies Krugman pushes, thousands more will likely starve to death.

But if you think Krugman’s rhetoric is overblown, get a load of California Assembly Speaker Karen Bass. In an interview in late June, she objected to Californians who influenced their Republican representatives to vote against “revenue” — her word for tax increases. She said, and I quote: “I don’t know why we allow that kind of terrorism to exist. I guess it’s about free speech, but it’s extremely unfair.”

Yes, the Democrats’ leader in the California Assembly referred to that special feature of representative democracy commonly known as “free speech” as “terrorism.”

Krugman and Bass need an education on basic terms. I guess it’s up to us to provide it.

If this be treason — or terrorism — make the most of it.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

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Twitter Not Always Annoying

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You’ve probably heard of Twitter, now that @Oprah has. It is a “micro-blogging” tool that lets you keep in touch with people by sending messages of 140 characters or less, maybe 30 words. Senders are supposed to answer the question, “What are you doing right now?”

This sounds like a lot of people telling each other they’re hunting for a renegade sock or catching the bus. But people and imagination being what they are, savvy practitioners assure us that Twitter has been put to a very wide variety of uses, not all of them snooze-worthy.

I was sold as soon as I heard how it was used last year to help get innocent men out of jail.

James Karl Buck (@jamesbuck), an American grad student, was arrested in April 2008 while covering an anti-government protest in Egypt. So was his translator, Mohammed Maree. Conciseness being the better part of valor, Buck sent a one-word “tweet” to his “followers” on Twitter. To wit: “Arrested.”

Recipients knew that Buck was in Egypt covering a political demonstration. So comprehension was immediate, action swift. Soon, Buck’s college hired a lawyer to represent him. Soon thereafter he sent another message: “Free.”

His Egyptian translator, Mohammed Maree, was not so lucky. Buck worked hard to help his friend. Twitter was one of his tools. Three months later, Mohammed was free as well.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

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Oklahoma SB 800 Now Goes to Governor Henry

More good news from Oklahoma: The State House just passed Senate Bill 800 by a vote of 83-12. The Senate passed it last week, 39-0. Now it goes to Governor Brad Henry for his signature.

SB 800 changes the ballot title process to the beginning of the petition process, so that proponents of initiatives cannot be thrown off the ballot after doing all the work to gather hundreds of thousands of signatures.

Since emerging from conference committee, House Bill 2246 has also passed the House, by a vote of 87-1, and is expected to be on the Senate floor tomorrow or Thursday. HB 2246 lengthens the petition period from the current mere 90 days to a full year.

If passed by the Senate before Friday’s scheduled adjournment, this bill would also go to Governor Henry.

We would be surprised if the Governor were to veto either bill. These are common sense reforms. Further, the margin of victory in both chambers is so whopping and thoroughly bipartisan that it ought to discourage any veto.

But the governor has been busy with his veto pen this session and we’re taking nothing for granted.

A week ago, we switched over to getting postcards urging Governor Henry to sign the bills. Oklahomans for Initiative Rights continues to visit more cities (63 thus far) and grab more news coverage. The 10-foot tall state replica is concentrating on the Tulsa and Oklahoma City metro areas for the remainder of the campaign. Oklahomans for Responsible Government is beginning an effort asking thousands of Oklahomans to call the governor’s office. A number of prominent supporters have sent or are sending op-ed columns urging the governor to sign the reform legislation passed by legislators.

Already this session, the constitutional amendment, SJR-13, that lowers the signature requirement passed the legislature. It awaits a popular vote next year.

Now two important statutory reforms inch closer to enactment. Once the bills reach the his desk, Governor Henry will have 5 days to sign. So, this week and next will tell the tale for Oklahoma this year.

As for Colorado, California, Missouri, Nevada, etc., well, the fight goes on.

Oklahoma-3 Are Free! AG Dismisses Charges

Free at last! Oklahoma AG Drew Edmondson today dropped all charges against the “Oklahoma 3″—Paul Jacob, Susan Johnson, and Rick Carpenter—in response to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeal’s refusal to approve his request for a rehearing.

Edmondson had asked the court to rehear the case in which the 10th Circuit judges invalidated Oklahoma’s residency requirement for petition circulators. Edmondson had indicted the Oklahoma 3, claiming they had willfully violated the requirement.

In addition to dropping charges, Edmondson told the Tulsa World that he has decided not to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn 10th Circuit court. Edmondson acknowledged that the out-of-state petioner ban “is no longer enforceable.”

Paul Jacob released the following statement in response to the charges being dismissed:

Today is a great day for justice, for freedom of speech and the right to petition one’s government. It is a great day for Rick Carpenter, Susan Johnson, and me—now known as the Oklahoma Three.

The charges brought against us by the attorney general have now been dismissed. They should never have been brought in the first place. We did not break the law and, as we all now know, the law itself is unconstitutional.

Our prosecution has sadly had a chilling effect on Oklahomans, who want to reform their government and to hold it accountable through the petition process. My goal throughout this ordeal has been to encourage Oklahomans and Americans everywhere not to let their rights be eroded through fear and intimidation. Today we have won a victory.

But the battle to protect citizen rights is far from over.

As President of Citizens in Charge, I look forward to working with all Americans to see the voter initiative process triumph over attacks from politicians. The will of the people should always prevail over the desires of politicians.

Thanks to all of you for the support you have given to Paul and the Oklahoma 3 during this terrible ordeal!

AR Statewide Paper says “Free Paul Jacob”

Yesterday, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (the state’s biggest paper) ran a very strong editorial entitled “Free Paul Jacob,” calling on Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson to drop his prosecution of the Oklahoma 3…Here is a link to the editorial at the NW Arkansas paper’s site.

Here is an excerpt:

…This indictment has been hanging over the heads of Paul Jacob and those helping him garner signatures for a year. If convicted, they would have faced 10 years in prison for the heinous crime of taking part in American politics. Now they’ve been freed at last, or certainly should be in a free country. This indictment should be quashed; it should never have been filed in the first place. As the Tenth Circuit now has indicated.

But no right is safe unless citizens are willing to exercise and defend it. For there will always be Drew Edmondsons around to challenge rights they don’t care for, and not even the Constitution of the United States, for all its virtues, is selfenforcing. Only citizens willing to fight for their rights, and courts able to enforce its letter and spirit, can keep the Constitution alive.

The bad news is that General Edmondson may pursue his prosecution/ persecution of Paul Jacob even after this appellate ruling. His official spokesman says Oklahoma’s attorney general will appeal the Tenth Circuit’s decision. But at least now he’ll have the First Amendment to contend with. Paul Jacob, who once again has stood up for the rights of all Americans, deserves congratulations. Also, thanks and respect…(more)

I’ve also attached a PDF copy of it from the Democrat-Gazette.

BIG Victory – 10th Circuit Strikes Down Okla’s Law

Friends,

Just got word that the federal 10th Circuit struck down Oklahoma’s residency law 3-0! That’s the third federal circuit court this year to UNANIMOUSLY overturn residency laws as unconstitutional.

This is very good news. It puts another nail in the coffin of these residency bans that thwart the people’s right to petition, and it “should” mean that the outrageous prosecution of the Oklahoma-3 will come to an end.

As I’ve always contended, whether the residency law is struck down or not, we will be acquitted. We did not willfully violate any law in the course of the 2005 Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights petition drive. However, the fact that this statute has now been invalidated should stop our persecution in its tracks.

If the Okla AG continues now, it will be an even clearer sign that his only goal is to harass political opponents.

However, this 10th Circuit decision can be appealed to the US Supreme Court and likely will be. The recent 9th Circuit decision has already been appealed. Still, I’m hopeful the High Court won’t take either of these cases, or, if it does, will agree that residency requirements are unconstitutional.

My battle is certainly not yet over, and the battle for initiative rights is far from over, but let me take this opportunity to say thanks so much for all your support throughout this ordeal. It means more than you may ever know.

PJ

P.S. Here’s the actual decision

Also see:

• Free Paul Jacob
• Drew Edmondson Wants to be OK Governor
• Free the OK3 Rally on Tuesday! (Updated – The Madness Continues)
• Citizen Leader Faces Felony Charges for Petitioning Oklahoma Government

 

Is it Illegal to Link to a Government Website?

From Paul Jacob’s Common Sense:

Shocker: Criminal Web Links!

Aliens take over government! Soviets control U.S. weather! Ancient Mayan temple has Sandisk flash drive!

If you’ve ever been to a supermarket, you’ve seen these and other ludicrous mile-high headlines blaring from the newsstands.

Here’s another impossible headline that might issue from the pen of any zany, unscrupulous tabloid fabulist: BLOGGER TREATED AS CRIMINAL FOR POSTING WEB LINK TO CITY AGENCY!

Not a concoction, I’m afraid. The city of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, did indeed harass a blogger named Jennifer Reisinger for linking to the website of the city police department. No alleged libel, alleged copyright violation, or other alleged crime. Ms. Reisinger and her lawyer believe the threat was retaliation for her role in trying to recall the Sheboygan mayor, Juan Perez.

Intimidated by the unprecedented cease-and-desist order she received from the city attorney, Reisinger at first removed the link. But then, after being threatened with a criminal investigation for her dastardly providing of information, she hired a lawyer. The lawyer advised her to restore the Web link, which she did. The mayor’s office dropped its threat, but Reisinger is suing anyway.

Mayor Perez and his henchmen deserve to be stomped in court — if only to pre-empt similar stupidity and contempt for First Amendment rights by other vindictive politicians.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

For more info, see:

• Harvard Info/Law: Again with the Linking
• Out-Law.com: Mayor’s opponent sues city over order to remove web link
• WebProNews: Don’t Link Me Bro
• Sheboygan woman files landmark case over Web links
• The Citizen Media Law Project

The Internet Patrol