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Downvoted you for the hyperbole. You're arguing that all crimes that have fines and jail time should be capital crimes instead?

by Cd00d 4y ago

noasaservice 4y ago
> You're arguing that all crimes that have fines and jail time should be capital crimes instead? No. I'm making the point that this punishment is effectively a capital punishment. He'll have a felony following him around for the rest of his life, unless he pays the bribe to have it expunged. Good luck getting most jobs or renting anywhere. And if he owns a home, 1y prison will get that foreclosed on. And in addition $2.5m is nigh unpayable, unless youre a 10x sw eng at a FAANG. But he's a mechanic. This fine is literally unpayable even at the best mechanic salaries. So once he gets out of prison, even IF he can get a job, he'll be in destitution for the rest of his life. It's the cruel and unusual punishment they did against him, that I'm comparing to a slow capital punishment. You can call it hyperbole if you wish. And, HE wasn't running vehicles that emitted the pollution, but he's blamed for it. Go after the actual people whop bought and installed. As much as it would suck, go confiscate the vehicles from the owners, and then charge appropriately larger individual fines against these 17000 people.
- salawat 4y ago
  Not how it works. Authorities will always crack down on upstream simply for the paperwork savings. Easier to investigate and make an example of one guy than 17000. This is why our manufacturing sector is the primary target for regulatory action. The government can nip activity in the bud by pressuring manufacturers to never "make the problematic thing at scale". That's why if you stumble on something and are like "why hasn't anyone made this?" and you aren't an industry insider with active links to regulatory authorities, you can end up in precarious legal straits if you aren't careful. Just one more way our system is tilted toward incumbents vs. new entrants.

Downvoted you for the hyperbole. You're arguing that all crimes that have fines and jail time should be capital crimes instead?

by Cd00d 4y ago

Downvoted you for the hyperbole. You're arguing that all crimes that have fines and jail time should be capital crimes instead?

noasaservice 4y ago

> You're arguing that all crimes that have fines and jail time should be capital crimes instead? No. I'm making the point that this punishment is effectively a capital punishment. He'll have a felony following him around for the rest of his life, unless he pays the bribe to have it expunged. Good luck getting most jobs or renting anywhere. And if he owns a home, 1y prison will get that foreclosed on. And in addition $2.5m is nigh unpayable, unless youre a 10x sw eng at a FAANG. But he's a mechanic. This fine is literally unpayable even at the best mechanic salaries. So once he gets out of prison, even IF he can get a job, he'll be in destitution for the rest of his life. It's the cruel and unusual punishment they did against him, that I'm comparing to a slow capital punishment. You can call it hyperbole if you wish. And, HE wasn't running vehicles that emitted the pollution, but he's blamed for it. Go after the actual people whop bought and installed. As much as it would suck, go confiscate the vehicles from the owners, and then charge appropriately larger individual fines against these 17000 people.

salawat 4y ago
Not how it works. Authorities will always crack down on upstream simply for the paperwork savings. Easier to investigate and make an example of one guy than 17000. This is why our manufacturing sector is the primary target for regulatory action. The government can nip activity in the bud by pressuring manufacturers to never "make the problematic thing at scale". That's why if you stumble on something and are like "why hasn't anyone made this?" and you aren't an industry insider with active links to regulatory authorities, you can end up in precarious legal straits if you aren't careful. Just one more way our system is tilted toward incumbents vs. new entrants.