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Comment by ensignavenger | Hacker News Reader

I would record that conversation and send it to the FBI, and if that didn't get any traction, the Press.

Yeah, I mean, nobody knows how to skirt the law better than cops, and they of course never exactly phrase it in such a way as to be extortion. It’s bullshit, and I’ve talk to people from all over the country and I think it’s pretty pervasive. But my business relies on permits that they sign, and it just feels like I could probably spend a lot of time and money and ruin myself fighting it, over what is really a relatively small tax.

I suppose that’s how they continue to get away with it. We’re all hoping someone else falls on their sword.

There are certainly some locales that have a larger reputation for this sort of things than others.

I think this kind of defeated attitude enables this behavior. You should expect good behavior by default from public officials, normalizing the idea that this kind of corruption is deviant (even if it is more common than that) and expect punishment. Even as a bystander you can help influence opinion, expectations, and standards.

This is a good tactic in many other situations as well.

> exactly phrase it in such a way as to be extortion

extortion is unrelated of the exact words used but the intend

that clever phrasing can make you avoid extortion charges or similar is a common misbelive

if a cop gets away with a clear extortionist behavior it's because the prosecutor lets them and uses formulation as a shallow excuse not because clever formulations protect you from the law

Neither party is obligated to the interests of the people living in this country. I'm not saying this is necessarily bad advice but there are some problems that require actual citizens to do something aside from vote.

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