GIFT CARD CONFISCATION

In this Topsy turvy world where up is down and wrong is right, I have discovered an entirely new level of government gone mad. Maybe you already know about this, maybe your state already does this.

It seems that at least 12 states already do this, and more on following suit. It will surely be only a matter of time before the Fed's get in on it.

Gift card confiscation.

I remember when gift cards first came out, many of them had a monthly fee. If you didn't use it, they would automatically deduct so much from your card. If you took too long, you would find the was a zero balance on your card. This made folks mad, and rightly so. So the card issuers have moved more towards a fixed expiration date.

So state governments, always on the lookout for new ways to financially rape their people, have come up with what they think is an excellent idea. If you do not use your card by it's expiration date, they confiscate the balance from you.

Some cards do not have expiration dates. And this posses a problem for the money grabbers. So some states have come up with what they think is a fair and just solution. The have invented imaginary dates for you. And if you do not use the balance on your card by the date they decide, they again will confiscate your balance.

Gift cards have become a big part of business over the last decade. And I have no doubt we are talking about Millions of dollars the states are expecting to gain. Apparently their argument is that you are negligent for not spending the card balance before their imaginary deadline. Therefore, it is considered abandoned, and fair game for them to take.

But it does raise a few questions. First off, how is it legal for the state to decide to just take your, or a business's money? And, what else will this lead to?

Will the confiscate your summer home because you don't use it much? They could sell it and make more than you pay in property taxes. How about that truck you don't drive much when gas goes up. They could take that and sell it to make up for you not paying gasoline taxes.

Heck, what else do have in your garage? When was the last time you used that table saw? You have a TV in that spare bedroom, according to the cable records, it hasn't been turned on in 6 months.

It truly amazes me what our government will do to steal any possible revenue. With this kind of thinking, it is no surprise that we are on a sinking economic ship.