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I’ve been watching with bemusement the case of Ed and Elaine Brown. This couple are nutcases from New Hampshire that decided that the Federal government couldn’t tax their incomes and stopped paying taxes for a decade. The holed up in their compound (it really was a compound) with Federal marshals outside waiting to take them into prison. They swore that any attempt to arrest them would result in a violent confrontation and the marshals held off not wanting another Ruby Ridge (in fact, the guy from Ruby Ridge was one of their biggest supporters and often visited the house).

I could never understand why the Federal marshals allowed the Browns so many visitors. Other nutcases tax freedom fighters would visit them daily and bring in supplies and comfort. The marshals had cut off electricity and water to the compound, but the Browns had solar panels and wells dug. They had daily podcasts and blog postings that made them the most recent cause celebre for the militia crowd, with which Ed Brown had been affiliated in the 90s.

So how did the marshals bring down the couple that said they would only leave the compound free or dead? By posing as supporters! The marshals went up to the door and in the words of one of the marshals, Stephen Monier, “they invited us in and we escorted them out”. Apparently, the couple went down without a fight.

I’m just glad it’s over and ended without incident. Maybe if they don’t believe in Federal prisons they’ll make themselves believe they’re still at home?