Police Moderator
Global Moderator
On The Job and Tangled Up In Blue
Posts: 9,821
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Post by Police Moderator on Jan 16, 2013 18:10:26 GMT -5
We have too many laws There have been a number of projects that attempted to count the total number of federal criminal laws. They usually give up. The federal criminal code is just too complex, too convoluted, and too weighted down with duplications, overlapping laws, and other complications to come to a definite number. But by most estimates, there are at least 4,000 separate criminal laws at the federal level, with another 10,000 to 300,000 regulations that can be enforced criminally. Just this year 400 new federal laws took effect, as did 29,000 new state laws. The civil libertarian and defense attorney Harvey Silverglate has argued that most Americans now unknowingly now commit about three felonies per day. But you, citizen, are expected to know and comply with all of these laws. That isn't possible, of course. It would probably take you most of the year to understand them all, at which point you'd have the next year's batch of new laws to learn. You'd probably also need to hire a team of attorneys to help you translate the laws into terms you can understand. After the McCain-Feingold legislation passed in 2003, for example, both parties held weekly, three-hour classes just to educate members of Congress on how to comply with the bill they had just passed. This is a bill they wrote that applied to themselves, and they still had to bring in high-paid lawyers explain to them how not to break it. Most of us don't have that option. And it's absurd that someone should have to hire an attorney or tax accountant merely to pay their taxes, run a business, run for office, or start a political organization without fear of getting hit with exorbitant fines, or going to jail. Worse, while we citizens can go to prison for unwittingly breaking laws of which we weren't aware, prosecutors and law enforcement officers who wrongly arrest, charge, and try citizens based on a misunderstanding of the law generally face no sanction or repercussions. Under the doctrine of qualified immunity, a police officer who illegally arrests someone because he wasn't aware of the law can only be held liable if the law in question was "clearly established" at the time he violated it. Prosecutors are protected by absolute immunity, which basically shields them from liability no matter how egregious their mistakes. Read more: the-agitator |
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Post by Justin Thyme on Jan 16, 2013 19:26:25 GMT -5
“… today our criminal laws are so expansive that most people of any vigor and spirit can be found to violate them in some way. Basically, under American law, anyone interesting is a felon. The prosecutors, not the law, decide who deserves punishment.” ~ Tim Wu from the New Yorker in “ How the Legal System Failed Aaron Swartz—And Us“ “There’s no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What’s there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced or objectively interpreted – and you create a nation of law-breakers – and then you cash in on guilt.” ~ Dr. Ferris in Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. “Only The Law, inexorably devoted to all its most ancient principles and precedents, makes a vice of innovation and a virtue of hoariness. Only The Law resists and resents the notion that it should ever change its antiquated ways to meet the challenge of a changing world.” ~ Fred Rodell, Professor of Law, Yale University, “ WOE UNTO YOU,
LAWYERS!” 1939 “Woe unto you, lawyers! For ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.” ~ Luke. XI, 52 |
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Police Moderator
Global Moderator
On The Job and Tangled Up In Blue
Posts: 9,821
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Post by Police Moderator on Jan 16, 2013 20:57:05 GMT -5
Good grief, JiT. Now, I am gonna have to look all this shit up.
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Post by biofish on Jan 17, 2013 13:14:40 GMT -5
“… today our criminal laws are so expansive that most people of any vigor and spirit can be found to violate them in some way. They based it off CPD policy. Most officers violate something before they make it to lineup. |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jan 18, 2013 11:02:34 GMT -5
"Most officers violate something before they make it to lineup."
Patently untrue.
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Post by biofish on Jan 18, 2013 12:27:35 GMT -5
There was just a -tinge- of sarcasm in my statement, (which was 'patently' obvious) and it was primarily humor. ..but since you think it was clearly inaccurate, please educate me.
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Post by Tsavodiner on Jan 18, 2013 22:52:59 GMT -5
“… today our criminal laws are so expansive that most people of any vigor and spirit can be found to violate them in some way. They based it off CPD policy. Most officers violate something before they make it to lineup. GAWDS! you are my new best friend! The sheer INSIGHTFULNESS of this sentiment, perfectly descriptive of the New Pharisees they call overseers of the PD now! No-experience, no-talent treacherous venomated vipers, worthy of the lowest bolgias of Dante's Hell if I ever saw it! |
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Post by biofish on Jan 19, 2013 2:46:13 GMT -5
Yep.. Exactly what i said.  |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jan 19, 2013 10:02:31 GMT -5
Some are beyond larnin'.
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Post by senior on Jan 19, 2013 11:32:59 GMT -5
LR finally looked in a mirror. LOL
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elf
Regular
Posts: 39
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Post by elf on Jan 19, 2013 19:12:39 GMT -5
We don't have too many laws. The ones we have are not enforced.
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Jan 20, 2013 12:52:55 GMT -5
Good one, senior. There certainly is no comeback for such wit.
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