Comments on: In the matter of the United States of America v. One Tyrannosaurus Bataar Skeleton

By: M

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 16:58:03 +0000

#2 – I just feel like unique treasures belong in their country of origin especially when taken from a country during a time when there is no strong government that is actually willing to protect things that would have had a potentially large public benefit for their people. I feel the same way about stuff from Egyptian tombs and Greek ruins. I don’t care who owns it, I just think the nice thing for the owner to do would be to make it available to the Mongolians so they can enjoy it for educational and tourist dollar purposes. Private vs public ownership is irrelevant to what I think is the best use for it and based on the article the US Govt’ will only win at this point if the trial is unfair anyways.

By: MikeV

MikeV — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 21:26:31 +0000

#18
Looks like it wasn’t even close:
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/north-dakota-votes-abolishing-property-tax/story?id=16551692
“…Voters ultimately rejected the ballot measure to eliminate the state’s property taxes, with a reported 76.5 percent rejecting the proposal and 23.5 percent favoring…
The measure stated that property taxes must be replaced with revenue from state sales taxes, individual and corporate income taxes, oil and gas production, tobacco taxes, lottery revenue and other sources…”

By: JLS

JLS — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 21:13:19 +0000

#17, yea I guess but damn, I mean, they actually went out and voted to keep property taxes. Either they feared something worse or they’re just that crazy.

By: MikeV

MikeV — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 21:09:50 +0000

#16
Maybe they thought the legislature would just come up with some worse new tax out of spite.

By: JLS

JLS — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:17:54 +0000

I’m curious. What possible justification could anyone have for voting against repealing property taxes???

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 16:12:49 +0000

#14 – Morons. And that’s why I don’t vote.

By: Alfred Butler

Alfred Butler — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 15:18:59 +0000

@CyniCAl – The GODDAMN BATMAN! That’s who!!

By: RobSmalls

RobSmalls — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 15:17:05 +0000

#13 The bill to repeal property taxes was defeated by ND voters during a referendum in early June.

By: CyniCAl

CyniCAl — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 15:00:19 +0000

I heard North Dakota has a bill before the legislature to abolish property tax. So there’s that. No word on if it passed or not. But the fedgov can still do whatever it wants. who’s gonna stop them?

By: Speakertweaker

Speakertweaker — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 14:03:41 +0000

How is what our .gov is doing in this case any different – and I mean any different, whatsoever – from what the Mongolians were doing through the majority of the 20th century? It’s not like the Mongolians were stockpiling All The Things in a warehouse somewhere, marked Property Of The People. They’d leave it where it was until such a time that it was decided the gover… er, sorry, The People needed it more than you did.

Our .gov decides, willy-nilly, that you can keep whatever you have until such a time that they want to take it away from you. They don’t need evidence anymore. They’re protected by law.

That’s what makes it so sickening. Our governments in this country, just like the Mongolian government, are protected by law to take your shit without due process.

Don’t believe me? Just give me a call when you’re done paying all your property taxes and don’t have to anymore. Try and convince me you own your property. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

By: liberranter

liberranter — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 13:46:39 +0000

I wonder if any prosecutors in cases such as this have ever realized just to how idiotic they sound.

By: Eapen Thampy

Eapen Thampy — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 05:04:22 +0000

Yes, the US prosecutors are basing their argument on a 1924 Mongolian Constitution that bans the ownership of private property.

By: Phil in Parker

Phil in Parker — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 03:49:24 +0000

Are lawyers in a US court argument the nuances of Mongolian law?

By: JLS

JLS — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 01:08:56 +0000

If I want to own anything I’ll move to a country where people are free to own things. As it is I’m sure the government knows what’s best for me.

Yes I was joking.

By: Ken Hagler

Ken Hagler — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 01:07:07 +0000

I hope that Mr. Meiner doesn’t _really_ wonder whether the US government believes in property rights at all, because if he does, that’s a pretty good sign that he’s not very qualified for his position.

By: CyniCAl

CyniCAl — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 00:02:03 +0000

What fun is being a sovereign if you don’t get to own everything?

By: JLS

JLS — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 23:50:07 +0000

This is why I don’t own anything.

By: Bill Poser

Bill Poser — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 23:43:19 +0000

And please note that this is not a unique item of importance to Mongolian history and culture, for which an argument could be made that Mongolia is the natural repository. If it was illegally excavated and exported, an argument can be made for returning it to Mongolia, but that argument is based on property rights and sovereignty, not cultural affiliation.

By: Harley

Harley — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 23:29:39 +0000

The joy of asset forfeiture, from the Government’s view, is that the skeleton has to prove its innocence. Can it document every step of every bone? Who dug each one up? Who they sold it to and when? It’s as if the fossil has been convicted and is trying to overturn on appeal, with all the inherent difficulties involved.

By: Eapen Thampy

Eapen Thampy — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 23:21:23 +0000

Why should they go back to Mongolia? It appears that possessing fossils is legal under Mongolian law if indeed these fossils were imported from Mongolia. Do you not believe in private property?