[LINK] In other news....

Rick Welykochy rick at praxis.com.au
Tue Jun 26 10:24:42 AEST 2007


Rick Welykochy wrote:

> This is the kind of "corruption" (i.e. corruption of the democratic 
> process,
> a process which was originally designed for the people and by the people)
> that Lessig is now pursuing for the next ten years.

I just picked up today's SMH. On the front page are two more examples
of the corruption of democratic political process in this country.


1. "Jail price fixers, watchdog demands"

It has been four years since the government said it would introduce
jail sentences for price collusion. Since then, jail terms have been
introduced for INDIVIDUALS but not for businesses.

Thus, we have the legal absurdity of an Aussie citizen being
extradited to the USA and jailed for 51 months on a copyright
violation charge. The actual damages to the plaintiff are
difficult to assess since nothing was stolen. Their own estimate of
$60 MILLION is a laughable example of fraudulent grandstanding.

Now consider the price collusion in the petrol industry. The
government is once again "inquiring into this practice". As they've
done many times in the past. Oil megalopolies are getting away
with $100 MILLIONS in ripoffs and not a single fine has been
levied, let alone any jail entences imposed.


2. "US bid to seize back sailor in cybersex case"

The US military is attempting to take control of the prosecution
of an American sailor who broke the law in this country while
in cyberspace (grooming of a child for the purposes of sex).
The sailor is now on Australian soil in the hands of the NSW
police. By landing on our soil his crime is complete. And inside
our jurisdiction.

The US wants it both ways: the ability to extradite OUR citizens
to their jurisdiction when offenses have been committed against
one of their corporations, but also the ability to retain and
return to their own soil their citizens when they commit crimes
in Australia.

I suppose it will be up to we the people to (a) become more informed
of these injustices and inconsistencies and (b) take action against
same through the snail's pace political process of change. Cynically,
I say don't hold your breath.

We must first divest politicians of any benefit to be had
from campaign donations and lobby funds before we even get to square
one in redressing these legal imbalances and corruptions of process.


cheers
rickw



-- 
_________________________________
Rick Welykochy || Praxis Services

Any belief that can't stand up to objective scrutiny is hardly worth having.
      -- LJ McIntyre



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