Now that I am a criminal, I feel so ..... free :)

[The Straight Story]

As I mentioned before I was pulled over for running a stop sign (minor infraction) and for having an expired license from Ohio (I am CA and forgot to renew my Ohio license).

Since then I have gotten a valid CA license (written and driving test).

In a about a week I have my court date, and driving with an expired license is a misdemeanor which can cost me up to a year in jail and fines.

Me - a guy at 42 who has never had a ticket before, never started a war with another country and killed many people for no reason. A guy who has spent most his life taking care of family and doing things for others.

The law states that I can do some time, while people like bush and his cronies (scooter, et al) walk.

I can't afford an attorney, and I cannot even log into their phone system to get an amount to just pay and be done with it all (it keeps saying my case is not in the system....). Oh the evil I have done - I was in a new state with an out of state license that had expired. Wish I had come here illegally or something.

I suddenly feel rather free - because I have joined the ranks of so many others who have been charged with misdemeanor crimes. I have done something small and yet I face something large that could fuck me up for years, while we have people in power who have fucked up many for years and face nothing but making more money and having it easy from here on out.

I forgot to renew a license that said I knew how to drive, while they intentionally started a war that has cost us trillions and thousands of lives lost. And while I admit my guilt and am willing to pay my fine, they worm their way out of it while many more continue to die. And yet I sit here feeling bad about my own actions, while they sip champagne and plan out their next conquest.

I feel free because I am not making mass excuses for my failings, just an honest mistake which is still my own damned fault. But in the back of my mind I know and feel I am better than those harvard/yale grads that run our country - because what I did has not cost us tons of money and lives.

I have no money, cannot retain an attorney to help me, may face some jail time or fines I cannot afford - and all I did was forget to do something.

And yet bush is walking free. And our congress thinks it is not worth their time to press charges against him and impeach him. Yet it is worth the time of our courts to nail me.

I forgot to send in some paperwork to renew a license, and I face jail time? he does all he has done and he faces what...retiring with a great pension, book deals, millions for speeches, etc.

I think it is high time I run for president. And I think it is high time we toss our congress.

[Blue_In_AK]

1. I will be very, very surprised if you get any jail time.

My guess is California has far more serious criminals to worry about than you, you old desperado. :)

[The Straight Story]

3. me too, but it is the principal of the matter to me

the judge has the right to do so and could if he/she wanted, and I would have no recourse.

While people like bush roam free.

[Blue_In_AK]

7. Oh, yes.

George Bush is definitely living a life of crime and getting away with it. I will never understand what makes him so "special."

[JPettus]

15. He was born on third base

And has the umpires in his daddy's pocket so he can stroll home as he pleases.

[Ellen Forradalom]

2. Your handle suits you well, Mr. Straight Story.

This country has become all about shackling the little guy. Such a shame.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. If you don't already, start doing cocaine, lots and lots of cocaine

and drink a lot too.

It would also help if you were AWOL. Fake some papers if necessary.

Oh and deny it all. :)

[The Straight Story]

5. I am already drinking - now all I need is some power and some war and oil

and some will call me a great leader :rofl:

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. If you can't afford cocaine

shove some baking powder up your nose. Go for appearances. :)

[Ellen Forradalom]

9. Sorry, your wife's too beautiful

you don't qualify

[The Straight Story]

11. Indeed she is, and now she can say she is with a hardened criminal

:rofl: I need to shave my head bald and get some damned tatooes ;)

[Ellen Forradalom]

12. You're a Ruff Tuff Cream Puff

[Wiley50]

8. Don't sweat it. They just want your money

My court date was 3 weeks ago. The judge explained our options and so I got in the plead guilty line.

Nice judge. He hit me for $280 but I couldn't dislike him.

Didn't care about the story, it's all about the money.

let me pay it $30/mo 'cause I'm on SSI

Don't sweat it.

[The Straight Story]

10. Not sweating it really (though I am just a tad)

just pissed off about it all.

bush and crew have done and are doing a million times worse things than I did - and yet I COULD face jail time for driving on an expired license (which really does not mean jack) and he and his friends face NOTHING for lying and killing many people.

So I fucking forgot to renew something, and I face jail and fines, and he does all this shit and faces what? Nothing from our congress that we put into place, nothing from anyone, and he has totally FUCKED up our entire country.

Just plain fucking wrong (and we have people heading to prison for smoking pot, having their homes seized for it, etc).

Our country is so fucked.

[Wiley50]

13. You won't go to jail (unless you piss off the judge)

just walk up to the stand and whine at the judge, "Don't tase me, Bro!"

They never could catch the fuckers that burglared my house (twice)

but the fuckers always got me for expired tags, ect.

and busted too many of my friends for pot.

They allocate their labor to best create revenue for the govt.

If they can't collect a buck, they don't care

(unless you kill a cop or piss them off some other way)

[bananas]

17. Yeah, it's mostly a test of socialization/assholishness

If you're a total asshole, you go to jail
If you're not an asshole, the judge will slap you on the wrist.
If you act like an asshole, you'll be treated like an asshole.
(edit to add: obciously that is the ideal, it doesn't always work like that)

[Radical Activist]

18. You could probably go to the state's attorney before the trial

and get it worked out. You could save yourself the trouble of going to court.

But I'm glad you found a new sense of freedom.

[SuperDuperSocialist]

14. You have got to be kidding me...

1) You got a traffic ticket.

2) See point #1.

[Ellen Forradalom]

19. Yet he has to go to court

While large-scale criminals do not. Something's wrong with that picture. That's all he's saying.

[lib2DaBone]

16. Prison is profitable

A stop sign.. that is a severe violation. How about "Failure to sign your drivers's license?" That's worth at least a year in jail. And whatever you do, don't get caught with a marijuana cigarette. A joint will get you the full SWAT TEAM raid at 3am. Ahhh, our tax dollars at work.