That bumper-sticker phrase is normally associated with taxes, but it turns out that it applies equally well to the legalized theft known as “civil asset forfeiture:”

Police Civil Asset Forfeitures Exceed The Value Of All Burglaries In 2014

Between 1989 and 2010, U.S. attorneys seized an estimated $12.6 billion in asset forfeiture cases. The growth rate during that time averaged +19.4% annually. By 2014, that number had ballooned to roughly $4.5 billion for the year. Now, according to the FBI, the total amount of goods stolen by criminals in 2014 burglary offenses suffered an estimated $3.9 billion in property losses. This means that the police are now taking more assets than the criminals.