Gibson Guitars: Six Months Later.
Gibson Guitars, a company who's CEO, Henry Jusckiewicz, generally supports Republicans, has been raided and harassed twice during the last 39 months. The reason the Obama Administration used to effectively harm Gibson Guitars was the centuries old Lacey Act. This is an act that was passed originally to insure that fisherman and trappers from the U.S. would not travel to Canada and violate Canadian Law in order to sell Canadian fish and wild life here in the U.S. It was passed as a part of one of the first trade treaties between our two nations. Like all good acts passed by our Congress and enforced by the cabal of bureaucrats hired to oversee such things, it has grown in scope beyond not only its original intention, but also any reasonable interpretation by those of us who inhabit reality.
Gibson was raided because of some wood imported from Madagascar in 2009, and again in August of 2011, this time pertaining to rosewood imported from India. In either instance, the Government has yet to file charges. The net cost to Gibson so far is several Million Dollars in confiscated materials, productive closures and lost sales. Gibson of course wants her day in court. Gibson has been denied due process and her right to a speedy trial.Part of the reason Gibson has been denied her Fourth and Sixth Amendment rights is that the Obama Administration knew, even before going on this witch hunt, that they were wrong.
Andrea Johnson, who represents the Environmental Investigative Agency, the part of the EPA tasked with enforcing their little corner of the Lacey Act, (this sentence right here should be all the proof needed to show that both the Lacey Act and the EPA have grown beyond any reasonable description of their actual intent,) made some interesting statements during this video. She stated that, "it's not up to Gibson or any other company which laws of other countries they're going to respect. This is an issue about the mutual respect for law around the world, and that's what the Lacey Act says. That's the principle behind the Lacy Act."
I say let's take what Johnson says at face value. In fact, on this statement, I agree whole heartedly. The problem arises in her stance of course when both Madagascar and India have already come forward in Gibson's defense, prior to the raids, and stated that Gibson acted honorably and obeyed all of their laws in this and every other matter. It is Johnson, and the EPA who have shown no respect for the law, as her raids on their facility were a clear violation of the Fourth Amendment, not filing any charges in over three years is a violation of the Sixth Amendment. Add to this that it also stands to reason that it is not up to Johnson or any other Obama Administration official which laws of foreign nations that they are going to enforce as well. Let us not forget that in addition to harming Gibson, they have also harmed Madagascar and India, both countries who wish to continue doing business with Gibson Guitars. That she was able to make that statement with a smug little smile on her face merely adds salt to the wound that is the Obama Administration.
Johnson went on to say, "do individual musicians need to worry about the Lacey Act and about declaring their individual instruments when crossing international borders? The simplest answer is no....The government has no intention of enforcing the Lacey Act against individual owners of musical instruments." What she of course fails to mention is that other people who are not musicians are subject to those very stiff regulations, which are certainly obscure. This is a law with real teeth by the way, as the fines start off at $100,000, and hard time in the Federal Penn. How many of you fish? What kind of wood was used in your fishing rod? Where did the wood come from? I live on Lake Erie, and often times end up fishing in Canadian Waters, as many Canadians fish here in America. The fact is, the Lacey Act has been enforced already against individuals, maybe not musicians, but others for certain. The other point is this. Even if she magnanimously decides to allow guitar players to slide, they are still in violation of the law should they fail to make the Lacey Act declaration. Just because Andrea Johnson is so selectively gracious as to allow musicians to violate the laws enforced upon the rest of us, does not mean that the next Obama Appointee will feel the same way.
This case, as well as any other, highlights the true hideous nature of the leftists in charge. They take what little authority they do have, and they find ways to add to their scope, and size. "I control this little corner of the world, and I want more." We the people, and our consent to be governed are nothing more than an annoyance to them. That outdated document upon which our nation was founded is something to be done away with, as the founding fathers messed up by not just granting these smug little bureaucrats the authority to rule as they see fit.
Comment
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Comment by Bartholomew P. Crowe, Jr. on February 23, 2012 at 5:19pm -
Does this mean that the drug dealers who cross our border at will are also in violation of the Lacy Law.
Bart
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Comment by Scott Patrick on February 23, 2012 at 4:53pm
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I say lets take that Lacy law and apply it to our present and past presidents and put them behind bars. If you can treat voters this way, you need to treat the bloody leaders the same!. www.bush-it-usa.com Be a voice for change. Art is powerful.
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Comment by Mike NQR on February 23, 2012 at 4:44pm -
Another law whose original intent, scope, and everything else about has been enlarged grossly and it's time to get rid of the people who are using it to cause hardship on a good company, and employer BTW, just because Gibson's CEO prefers the Republican party.
Can things possibly get any sicker than this? That's a scary question.
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Comment by Jimmy Hight on February 23, 2012 at 4:25pm
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I know this will all come to an end soon but I'm not sure how long it will take us to round these turds up and hang them. I can't see us moving forward if we don't irradicate these liberal socialist from our country. Our forfathers left to get away from these sorry no good for nothings and now we will be forced to round them up and send them packing straight to HELL if I have anything to say about it. We know they have planned this for a long time and they have to be brought to justice.....
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Comment by Walter Bowen on February 23, 2012 at 3:46pm
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"SEVERE TOTAL SYUPID LUNACY!"
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Comment by Vern Shotwell on February 23, 2012 at 3:43pm -
Thanks, John. I was not even aware of the Lacey Act!
And, the earlier articles I've read did not contain particular references to this 1900 law, signed by President William McKinley.
Years ago, we used to take a "party boat" out on Lake Erie into International waters, to circumvent the fishing license laws! Wonder what our poles were made of? Never received a "certificate of origin"
I see that it was expanded by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008.
As I look around this room, I note that I have no "Certificates of Origin" for any of the furniture components.
I would advise all to burn all of their furniture...before the "Wood Nazis" catch up with you!
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Comment by Dottie Oakleaf on February 23, 2012 at 3:39pm
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My question is why hasn't Obama been impeached, something's wrong in the hen house.
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Comment by Rich Knoch on February 23, 2012 at 3:29pm -
This is a great example of legislation that was passed, once upon a time, for a specific reason and which is no longer applicable . . . . at least in Gibson's ordeal.
It seems strange that obama and his minions would go after the most popular guitar company in the world.
However, at second glance the reason seems to be that the great majority of music artists who use Gibson Guitars are Conservative and believe in America, while the majority of other guitar artist fall in the punk class that occasionally trashes their guitars during performances . . . and are most always of the Liberal Tilt.
It would be sacrosanct to trash a Gibson Guitar! Even those in the punk class of entertainers know this!
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Comment by Cliff Parker on February 23, 2012 at 3:23pm -
When are we going to say, no more. Close your little operation and go home. These Gov't agencies are responsible only to themselves. If I were doing the budget they would get no funding and be shut down.
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Comment by Debrajoe Smith-Beatty on February 23, 2012 at 3:19pm
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Obama is an eye sore to Americans.
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