Because in general, Americans dislike the idea that a bureaucrat, in addition to the powers they may wield within their own domain of influence, may also subjec

Because in general, Americans dislike the idea that a bureaucrat, in addition to the powers they may wield within their own domain of influence, may also subject people to criminal liability at their own discretion. The concept of limited government demands that certain powers must be separated such that they never come together in the same person. That simple measure ensures that tyranny can arise only through conspiracy, cooperation, and collusion between multiple bad actors, rather than just one person acting alone. Why can't your HOA put you in jail for not mowing your lawn often enough? Because the kind of petty nagging nitpicking bastard that typically volunteers to serve on the HOA enforcement committee makes the absolute worst kind of cop. The power goes right to their heads, and they abuse the heck out of it to further their own goals and agenda. The question we should be asking is why do the federal criminal investigators and prosecutors seem to pay less attention to financial crimes referred to them by the SEC than they attend to other crimes?