Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

FBI, IRS Raid Home of Sen. Ted Stevens

Posted by kdawson on from the longest-serving-republican dept.

A while back we discussed the corruption investigation aimed at Alaska Sen. Ted "series of tubes" Stevens. A number of readers sent us word that the home of Sen. Stevens was raided earlier today by agents of the FBI and the IRS. The focus of the raid was a remodeling project at Stevens's home and the involvement of VECO, an oil company.

2 of 539 comments (clear)

  1. Seriously! by Ungrounded+Lightning · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The government PAYS people that live in Alaksa to live there.

    Seriously ?

    Seriously.

    The money collected from other sources (notably north slope oil pumping and transport) are far more than the state government needs for its own function.

    Rather than finding new ways to waste it, the more-than-slightly libertarian-leaning politicians decided to do away with other taxes - notably income and property tax.

    But they still had a big surplus. So they decided to distribute it to the citizens. Even a libertarian can support this as a move in the right direction, since most of the money comes from selling off a resource "owned in common by the citizens of the state". If the government sells it, the citizen-owners should each get their share of the proceeds, right?

    --
    Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
  2. What we really need is to end "Politician"... by Cyno01 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    As a career choice. People who want to be in politics are probably the last people you want in charge. I say we double the pay for every single elected position in the country, halve the term periods, and appoint people (meeting certain criteria, 25 years old, HS diploma, US citizen) to every single position based on a lottery system at whatever level (local, state, federal) the position is for. Power corrupts, absolutely, and those seeking power are probably already corrupt. Things would be a lot more effective if average people whose friends and neighbors have a vested interest in whats going on were in power. And with shorter term limits, even if someone terrible got appointed, they wouldnt be there for long enough to do all the much damage. Not to mention they would probably focus more on the job at hand. How much time do politicos spend on their re-election campaigns vs actual work?

    --
    "Sic Semper Tyrannosaurus Rex."