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> One wonders why we have not developed something explicit like mathematical notations for legal stuff. 1. Laws are written or at least voted on by representat

> One wonders why we have not developed something explicit like mathematical notations for legal stuff. 1. Laws are written or at least voted on by representatives, and they don't vote for things that they don't think they understand. Also, they're pretty regularly swapped out and often totally bonkers. Especially at the state level. 2. Things change. Look at how the right of search and seizure is applied to digital data and metadata. 3. Most importantly, the imprecision is intentional. "Beyond all reasonable doubt" has no definition because it is up to the person rendering judgement. The courts decide the bounds of the law, and within those bounds people decide how to apply them.

Dalewyn 4y ago
>they don't vote for things that they don't think they understand. Oh you sweet summer child.
whamlastxmas 4y ago
> they don't vote for things that they don't think they understand They don’t even read the things they vote on. They’re huge and it’d be a full time job.
- justincredible 4y ago
  [dead]
Nifty3929 4y ago
A recent US president said about a large bill "we have to pass it just to see what's in it."
- gnicholas 4y ago
  I'm unaware of a President saying that. Sounds more like the Nancy Pelosi (then House Minority Leader, subsequently Speaker of the House), talking about Obamacare: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/pelosi-healthcare-pass-the-bill-to-see-what-is-in-it/ https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/pelosi-healthcare-pass-the...
  - snowwrestler 4y ago
    It was, and the context was the well-known tendency of the Washington press to only cover the fight until a bill passes, and only then turn toward explaining the substance of what just passed. (It makes sense from the press perspective, as the substance is changing constantly in big bills right up until it passes… that’s what the fight is all about.)
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
    - hgsgm 4y ago
      It's not about the press, it's about how until a House passes a bill that is sent to reconciliatio, there literally isn't "a bill", there is a constant flux of amendments.
  - theflyingelvis 4y ago
    Pelosi… https://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/peter-roff/2010/03/09/pelosi-pass-health-reform-so-you-can-find-out-whats-in-it https://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/peter-roff/2010/03/09/p...
some_random 4y ago
Laws are absolutely passed without understanding of what's in them, very frequently in fact

Dalewyn 4y ago

>they don't vote for things that they don't think they understand. Oh you sweet summer child.

whamlastxmas 4y ago

> they don't vote for things that they don't think they understand They don’t even read the things they vote on. They’re huge and it’d be a full time job.

justincredible 4y ago
[dead]

Nifty3929 4y ago

A recent US president said about a large bill "we have to pass it just to see what's in it."

gnicholas 4y ago
I'm unaware of a President saying that. Sounds more like the Nancy Pelosi (then House Minority Leader, subsequently Speaker of the House), talking about Obamacare: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/pelosi-healthcare-pass-the-bill-to-see-what-is-in-it/ https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/pelosi-healthcare-pass-the...
- snowwrestler 4y ago
  It was, and the context was the well-known tendency of the Washington press to only cover the fight until a bill passes, and only then turn toward explaining the substance of what just passed. (It makes sense from the press perspective, as the substance is changing constantly in big bills right up until it passes… that’s what the fight is all about.)
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  - hgsgm 4y ago
    It's not about the press, it's about how until a House passes a bill that is sent to reconciliatio, there literally isn't "a bill", there is a constant flux of amendments.
- theflyingelvis 4y ago
  Pelosi… https://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/peter-roff/2010/03/09/pelosi-pass-health-reform-so-you-can-find-out-whats-in-it https://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/peter-roff/2010/03/09/p...

some_random 4y ago

Laws are absolutely passed without understanding of what's in them, very frequently in fact