U.S. Tax Dollars at Work

2509 Views 4 Replies 3 Participants Last post by kenton6, May 2, 2006

kenton6

Discussion Starter · Apr 20, 2006

Not sure where to put this story.

First let me say I'm an idiot because I lost the link to the story. If I can find it, I'll post it but here's how the story goes.

The story is actually a promotion for a book that was written by a woman who was or still is (story didn't clarify) an employee of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The book she wrote entails mostly the time she spent undercover in Alaska trying to bust a group of guides doing illegal things. "Okay," I said to myself. "No biggie!"

As part of her assignment, with tax dollars, she had her identity changed and posed as a girl and her boyfriend going on a hunting safari to Alaska.

Not sure how long this assignment lasted (I guess you have to read the book) but there was a lot of money spent doing as many things as they could to "sell their disguise". Part of the complaint about this bunch of guides is they were catering to extremely wealthy hunters from all over the world, so you know they dropped some coins.

In an attempt to pin as much stuff on these guys as possible, this woman and her fake boyfriend killed (illegally, I might add) a lot of game, some of which is listed as endangered species.

Once they had their guys, they could have called in the posse but they remained there killing animals left and right and really "playing it up". I think one part of the book tells of how they had to do this out of "fear for their lives".

My question is this. Is this good use of tax dollars? And is it necessary to take this undercover assignment so far?

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BrowningA5

· #2 · Apr 23, 2006

From what you have explained it sounds like they were braking the law to catch others who do the same thing. I question the ethics in that. Taking illegal game also sounds wrong to me. To play the "Devil's Advocate" though, perhaps by them doing that they may have saved a lot of endangered animals in the long wrong. I'd really have to know more about it no make a sound judgement though.

Our Tax money is wasted a lot of other ways as well, which I am sure was the case here. If I could only mention what I have seen just from my side of the hill where I am now. It's not good. I think, and not sure if this is available or not ( I highly doubt it) we should see exactly where our tax money goes. Especially state taxes. I am in the Military and pay Maine state tax, not stationed in Maine. That's rediculous to me. I do own land in maine and pay an outrageous amount of propery tax, which sits better with me than the state tax. Sort of got of course here...

Maybe a solution to using tax money in a case like this would be to let the poachers pay for it. For example, when a poacher has their vehicle and guns confiscated, as well as the fines, use the money from that to pay for such operations. Sounds like a good plan for me... What do you think?

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kenton6

Discussion Starter · #3 · Apr 23, 2006

We should not be resorting to breaking the law in order to catch law breakers under these circumstances. I can think of times of national security when breaking some laws would in the long run save lives but to catch some poachers? That's a lot of money.

I agree about using confiscated funds etc. to pay the bills. Some states are enacting laws to do exactly that - loser pays.

But you can also bet that items confiscated and money "found" in such cases, ends up in somebody else's coffers.

Maine will tax you coming, going and in between. I think they can get a good hunk when you die too.

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stweedie

· #4 · May 2, 2006

They had something similar to this happen in Haynesville a few years back. Wardens posing as hunters and poaching, drinking, cutting up illegal game and eating it. Nabbed everyone down to the town minister for cutting illegal game. AB you familiar with any of this?

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kenton6

Discussion Starter · #5 · May 2, 2006

I'm all for nabbing the poacher and all that but at what expense?

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