4 ms·

> a $3,000 fine for a billionaire isn't unreasonable This sounds ridiculous to me because the idea of laws, and by extension fines, is that they apply uniforml

> a $3,000 fine for a billionaire isn't unreasonable This sounds ridiculous to me because the idea of laws, and by extension fines, is that they apply uniformly, regardless of class, gender, whatever.

supermatt 9y ago
Then it could be a percentage of total assets - that would be equal, no? I do think fines are stupid though. Making people sit a day through a speed awareness course seems a better punishment to me.
- sushid 9y ago
  Then it ends up hurting the middle class yet again. The rich have their LLCs that purchase their houses and cars and trusts that keep the rest of their money invested. The middle class don't have the luxury and are hit with a disproportionate amount of the fine.
- Someone 9y ago
  Better? Probably. More equal? I doubt it. “Sit a day through a speed awareness course” could cost people their job, and that’s more likely the lower paying the job is.
  - supreme_sublime 9y ago
    I've taken defensive driving to get a ticket removed from my record. You notify the state you are going to do so, then you have a certain time window (a few months) to take it. You can even take it online, which is still frustrating because you can't skip stuff.
gnud 9y ago
The laws should obviously apply equally. Exactly for that reason, fines should not be the same for someone who earns $15/hr and $1500/hr. A fine of $150 is 10 hours of work for one person, and 6 minutes for the other. How is that equal application of the law?
- kosei 9y ago
  I don't think this is "obvious" at all. There are all sorts of laws that punish larger companies more than smaller companies or base the punishment on the impact to the party. Laws are made to regulate behavior and to keep order or safety - nobody said anything about the enforcement having to be equal.
- kingofhdds 9y ago
  The same logic (if applied consistently) would make judges give longer prison sentences to younger, healthier individuals.
  - maxerickson 9y ago
    What if the judge (in their quest for consistency) considers both their wealth of health and dearth of wisdom?
  - gnud 9y ago
    ... if the only point of prison is punishment.
lox 9y ago
It should be equitably, not equally.

supermatt 9y ago

Then it could be a percentage of total assets - that would be equal, no? I do think fines are stupid though. Making people sit a day through a speed awareness course seems a better punishment to me.

sushid 9y ago
Then it ends up hurting the middle class yet again. The rich have their LLCs that purchase their houses and cars and trusts that keep the rest of their money invested. The middle class don't have the luxury and are hit with a disproportionate amount of the fine.
Someone 9y ago
Better? Probably. More equal? I doubt it. “Sit a day through a speed awareness course” could cost people their job, and that’s more likely the lower paying the job is.
- supreme_sublime 9y ago
  I've taken defensive driving to get a ticket removed from my record. You notify the state you are going to do so, then you have a certain time window (a few months) to take it. You can even take it online, which is still frustrating because you can't skip stuff.

gnud 9y ago

The laws should obviously apply equally. Exactly for that reason, fines should not be the same for someone who earns $15/hr and $1500/hr. A fine of $150 is 10 hours of work for one person, and 6 minutes for the other. How is that equal application of the law?

kosei 9y ago
I don't think this is "obvious" at all. There are all sorts of laws that punish larger companies more than smaller companies or base the punishment on the impact to the party. Laws are made to regulate behavior and to keep order or safety - nobody said anything about the enforcement having to be equal.
kingofhdds 9y ago
The same logic (if applied consistently) would make judges give longer prison sentences to younger, healthier individuals.
- maxerickson 9y ago
  What if the judge (in their quest for consistency) considers both their wealth of health and dearth of wisdom?
- gnud 9y ago
  ... if the only point of prison is punishment.

lox 9y ago

It should be equitably, not equally.