Area Man Arrested For Working Without Permission

Mr. Doug Benton was arrested yesterday after being caught in a police sting investigation aimed at catching people who attempt to produce and sell goods and services without permission. The inter-agency effort to catch Mr. Benton was composed of law enforcement officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Labor, the Department of State, Child Protective Services, the State Police, the County Sheriff, and the City Police.

Mr. Benton is accused of home brewing beer made from ingredients grown in his small greenhouse and selling it at a make-shift kiosk located on his front lawn. As a result of this, Mr. Benton has been charged with:

Failure to register business entity or sole proprietorship

Failure to obtain a Federal Tax identification number

Failure to obtain a State employer identification number

Failure to obtain a State/local sales tax or “resale” permit

Failure to obtain a local Business license/tax

Failure to provide proof of workers’compensation insurance

Failure to obtain zoning Approval

Failure to obtain a conditional use permit or use permit

Failure to obtain a building Permit (new or remodel)

Failure to obtain water/sewer permits

Failure to obtain Americans with Disabilities Act Approvals

Failure to meet State and local health department requirements

Failure to obtain equipment permits

Failure to obtain food-service permits

Failure to obtain Fire marshal approval

Failure to obtain Police/safety inspections

Failure to obtain a Federal Brewer’s Notice

Failure to obtain a State Brewer’s License

Failure to obtain a Brewery/brewpub license

Failure to obtain an alcohol transport license

Failure to obtain a Special occupational tax (federal tax stamp)

Failure to register for a State excise tax

Failure to obtain a TTB certificate of label approval (“COLA”)

Failure to obtain a State label approval

Failure to meet keg labeling requirements

Mr. Benton is currently facing 3.56 billion dollars in fines and an estimated 334 years of federal prison time should he be convicted on all counts.

Ms. Loquisha Jones, who lives across the street from Mr. Benton, noted that she often saw Benton working all hours of the night with his 15 year old son as they labored to produce the unregulated beer that was being sold on their front lawn. Child Protective Services has taken Mr. Benton’s son into custody after it became apparent that Mr. Benton had violated numerous child labor laws.

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Of course, the above story is fictional; however, the crimes listed are all to real. In America today, doing business doesn’t just require permission; it requires a law school degree and a priest.

You wonder why there are no jobs?

Look no further.

The list of crimes was taken from a web site that tries to help people start their own home breweries. Clearly it takes a massive amount of determination and money just to overcome the bureaucratic hurdles required to open a business. And of course, there is no way in hell any city council would ever allow a guy to sell beer from his front porch. Liquor licenses are like a license to print money. Unless you know someone in the system or have a lot of money, you’re going to have a hell of a time trying to get one.

I hope everyone takes a moment to consider that each of those licenses requires an army of bureaucrats to regulate and oversee each one. Each of those licenses represents hundreds of bureaucrat salaries that YOU pay for.

Anyone with a little get-up-and-go has to deal with this crap or be on welfare or the unemployment lines.

Seems like we get fined for trying to survive in an increasingly unsurvivable society.

The get-up-and-go and can-do people are being told to stay down and fall in line.

Many here will say it's because of the beer...try selling lemonade and you'll face at least half of these money stealing Govt. thieves on your door step with their hands out.

I can't wait for the time when the Govt. will tell their hired underlings that they are not needed anymore. "Good Job Mr. Johnson! You helped your Govt. by snitching on your neighbors and collecting all their money for us. Now run along and get in line. You are no longer needed".

Their time will come.

reply to post by mnemeth1


Something like this happened in Australia about 5 or 6 years ago with a little girl selling lemonade.
I can't recall all of the facts but from memory the charges were dropped after a public and media outcry.

Yeah what is this once great nation coming to... It really does suck how much BS you have to go through to get anything done anymore... Even if you want to build on to your house you gotta get permits, or to sell things from your home... Even garage sales are getting shut down...and like the above person mentioned... Lemonade stands are getting shut down as well...

Ive counted 25 different charges there... just for simply selling a product you have created youself... if people want to buy it and consume it, how is that anyone elses business... I probably wouldnt buy beer off some guys front lawn, but why cant we have the freedom to chose if we want too...

Originally posted by morder1
Yeah what is this once great nation coming to... It really does suck how much BS you have to go through to get anything done anymore... Even if you want to build on to your house you gotta get permits, or to sell things from your home... Even garage sales are getting shut down...and like the above person mentioned... Lemonade stands are getting shut down as well...

Ive counted 25 different charges there... just for simply selling a product you have created youself... if people want to buy it and consume it, how is that anyone elses business... I probably wouldnt buy beer off some guys front lawn, but why cant we have the freedom to chose if we want too...

edit on 6-9-2011 by morder1 because: (no reason given)

Only one way to settle stuff like this. Vote RON PAUL!

I sure would, if i was american.

Yeah you can't even take a crap without permission these days... sewage/septic permit etc. Can't wait for the credit bubble to burst and watch all these government enforcers lose thier jobs!

So much for entrepreneurship... god forbid someone attempt to make ends meet by trying to earn a few bucks here and there on the side.

I'll bet Jack Daniels started out by selling his whiskey out his back door.

Next thing you know, Uncle Sam will be the hammering down on kids mowing lawns in the summer, grandma getting handcuffed and dragged away for hemming pants in her basement, and Auntie Em serving 5-10 for having too many garage sales and baked goods sales in her back yard.

Originally posted by mnemeth1
Of course, the above story is fictional...

Oops should have read the whole post

Originally posted by mnemeth1
Of course, the above story is fictional...

Don't stop hating or fearing the government though! Keep it up!

Help us Obi-Ron Paulnobi, you're our only hope!

reply to post by mnemeth1


What a shame. If anything, what America really needs now is random people selling alcohol to strangers in their front yard. The kids would love it!

Originally posted by Raivan31
reply to post by mnemeth1

 

Something like this happened in Australia about 5 or 6 years ago with a little girl selling lemonade.
I can't recall all of the facts but from memory the charges were dropped after a public and media outcry.

THAT would have made a good thread.
This guy selling alcohol is not a shining example.

Originally posted by CranialSponge
Next thing you know, Uncle Sam will be the hammering down on kids mowing lawns in the summer,

edit on 6-9-2011 by CranialSponge because: (no reason given)

It already happened here in central Fl last year. A 17yo kid was mowing lawns in the summer to save up to buy a car and TPTB fined him $500 for not having a business license and liability insurance. It is really sad when you consider the statement that was just made by our Sec. of Labor that they would "protect" all illegal immigrants working in the U.S.

The people of America better wake up and stand up or we will be under 100% government control over every aspect of our lives and we will end up being dependent upon the government and forced to ask for permission for anything we want to do.

Personally I am sick and tired of living in a constant state of government intrusion and oppression and will welcome the day that we unite and by whatever means necessary, take our country back. We call our self free but fail to realize that our hands are tied and our voices have been muted by our own government.

reply to post by mnemeth1



What Mr Benton needs to do is instead of selling Beer he should have given it away for free as a token of appreciation for every donation he receives over a certain amount. Kids should give away their lemonade free for every donation overa certain amount. And the kid mowing lawns should ask for donations so he can buy a car and for every donation over twenty five dollars offer to mow the peoples lawn in token of appreciation for their most generous donation

The sign can read Free Beer Donate to the cause...

Originally posted by Kitilani
reply to post by mnemeth1

 

What a shame. If anything, what America really needs now is random people selling alcohol to strangers in their front yard. The kids would love it!

Putting blame on the seller instead of the parents.

One more reason this country is going to hell.

It is not the liquor store owners job to make sure only adults purchase alcohol, it is the responsibility of parents to make sure their children are behaving responsibly.

By the way, when things are legalized, most vendors are responsible enough not to sell to kids. Surveys of high school students show that marijuana is easier to obtain than alcohol. This is because there is no longer a black market for alcohol.

Originally posted by CranialSponge
So much for entrepreneurship... god forbid someone attempt to make ends meet by trying to earn a few bucks here and there on the side.

I'll bet Jack Daniels started out by selling his whiskey out his back door.

Next thing you know, Uncle Sam will be the hammering down on kids mowing lawns in the summer, grandma getting handcuffed and dragged away for hemming pants in her basement, and Auntie Em serving 5-10 for having too many garage sales and baked goods sales in her back yard.

edit on 6-9-2011 by CranialSponge because: (no reason given)

Of course he/they did... The story I heard is they started distilling the whiskey in the Prohibition, selling right out his back door to private buyers and to speakeasys. When Prohibition ended the money they made was used to pay for liquor licensing and ware house purchasing. This all really happened in Tennessee. I know this because I watched the "Modern Marvels" episode on the big brewers and distillers in the USA on the History Channel.

A times it seems hopeless that we'll get past this stage. This used to be the land of opportunity- it certainly was for my family. We came here just 2 generations ago and flourished. I want to help get us back on track, but how? I vote for the people who claim they will stem the tide, but they only seem to add to it as soon as they get in office. So many people seem to have fallen for the us vs them mentality, that I wonder if we can even band together in community to stop this kind of garbage.
Lately, I've been thinking about leaving, but it seems a great part of the world is heading back toward tyranny and lawlessness, plus it's near impossible for me to give up on this country. I haven't found a free-er place yet, plus I love the ideas of this place, even though we screw it up all the time, at least we aspire to it.

It is not the liquor store owners job to make sure only adults purchase alcohol, it is the responsibility of parents to make sure their children are behaving responsibly.

actually it is the liquor store's job to check the age of anyone they suspect of being underage. While I think stomping on the little guy for having a go and trying to teach their kids about making their own way in life etc, come on, selling alcohol!!! on the street!!! use your brain people, of course tptb are gonna come down on you. It's not what I'd call responsible parenting either, regards of what you feel about certain laws, it's not like the dads been helping his kids deliver the morning rag or mow lawns.
I feel sorry for the dad, but really switch ya brain on before doing something like this. Thinking ahead solves alot of problems before they happen

So this is a' hoax?
this is a hoax, terrific.

reply to post by mnemeth1


So it was illegal.

Quit making it sound like this guy wasn't breaking laws in place. Laws that make sense.

Should he be in jail and have to pay 3.56 billion in fines? Hell no.

Was he doing something illegal? Yes.

This is what prevents companies from abusing consumers, selling snake oil, and products that could kill people.

e.g. China.

reply to post by mnemeth1


Your story, though fictional, is not at all far fetched. Have we forgotten the Whiskey Rebellion? Washington and Hamilton both should have been stood against the wall for that. That was the federal government's first power grab. If we had slapped it down right there, we might live in a better world right now.