6 ms·

Well, because it's prison. By historical standards, this is pretty mild. I'd like to know why we have so many awful laws on the books. Seems like we have so m

by ap22213 13y ago

Well, because it's prison. By historical standards, this is pretty mild. I'd like to know why we have so many awful laws on the books. Seems like we have so many, that most of us could be locked up, if they happen to irk the wrong people.

WildUtah 13y ago
I'd like to know why we have so many awful laws on the books. Seems like we have so many, that most of us could be locked up, if they happen to irk the wrong people. Conveniently answering your own question.
sliverstorm 13y ago
There seems to be a variety of reasons. Two that come to mind: - No matter how well you write it, it seems that law will always be subject to a certain degree of interpretation. You could even argue that good law intentionally leaves room for interpretation- see "reasonable person" clauses. This is because people are not black and white, and society changes over time. - Some laws probably really are too broad, left that way to ensure you can pin people. As always when this subject comes up, I recall Al Capone, who was brought in on tax evasion (not mobstering)
notmarkus 13y ago
"Cop on the beat: the last true dictatorship in America." -- Jimmy McNulty (paraphrased). When you have so many laws, everyone is a criminal. And when everyone is a criminal, those enforcing the laws become the ones who make them. Why is the speed limit still laughably low in most of the country? Most drivers are consistently driving 10-15 mph over the speed limit, at least where I live. It gives cops the ability to pull you over whenever they see fit.
- stinkytaco 13y ago
  Yeah, but no one goes to jail for speeding. And they can already pull you over whenever they want. This is how they catch dunk drivers. Swerving, driving too fast for conditions, driving erratically or all sorts of other subjective terms. They can set up a checkpoint and pull you over just because. Speed limits are really the least of it and don't serve your argument well. Edit: I want to point out that I've defended speed limits here before because speed limits, like building codes, are created by engineers, not some arbitrary big government conspiracy. Like most laws, they are well thought out and for everyone's safety.
  - oijaf888 13y ago
    Speed limits in most areas start out as defined by engineers then manipulated to fit local opinion on how fast the road should be. I believe many areas allow public comment and petition to change the speed limit of local roads so if someone lives near by and is scared of the cars going 45mph then might raise a fuss enough to reduce it down to 25mph. (Obviously this isn't as much of an issue for state run/maintained highways)
    - stinkytaco 13y ago
      Sure, but that's hardly some sort of government conspiracy to turn police into mini dictators.

by ap22213 13y ago

WildUtah 13y ago

I'd like to know why we have so many awful laws on the books. Seems like we have so many, that most of us could be locked up, if they happen to irk the wrong people. Conveniently answering your own question.

sliverstorm 13y ago

There seems to be a variety of reasons. Two that come to mind: - No matter how well you write it, it seems that law will always be subject to a certain degree of interpretation. You could even argue that good law intentionally leaves room for interpretation- see "reasonable person" clauses. This is because people are not black and white, and society changes over time. - Some laws probably really are too broad, left that way to ensure you can pin people. As always when this subject comes up, I recall Al Capone, who was brought in on tax evasion (not mobstering)

notmarkus 13y ago

"Cop on the beat: the last true dictatorship in America." -- Jimmy McNulty (paraphrased). When you have so many laws, everyone is a criminal. And when everyone is a criminal, those enforcing the laws become the ones who make them. Why is the speed limit still laughably low in most of the country? Most drivers are consistently driving 10-15 mph over the speed limit, at least where I live. It gives cops the ability to pull you over whenever they see fit.

stinkytaco 13y ago
Yeah, but no one goes to jail for speeding. And they can already pull you over whenever they want. This is how they catch dunk drivers. Swerving, driving too fast for conditions, driving erratically or all sorts of other subjective terms. They can set up a checkpoint and pull you over just because. Speed limits are really the least of it and don't serve your argument well. Edit: I want to point out that I've defended speed limits here before because speed limits, like building codes, are created by engineers, not some arbitrary big government conspiracy. Like most laws, they are well thought out and for everyone's safety.
- oijaf888 13y ago
  Speed limits in most areas start out as defined by engineers then manipulated to fit local opinion on how fast the road should be. I believe many areas allow public comment and petition to change the speed limit of local roads so if someone lives near by and is scared of the cars going 45mph then might raise a fuss enough to reduce it down to 25mph. (Obviously this isn't as much of an issue for state run/maintained highways)
  - stinkytaco 13y ago
    Sure, but that's hardly some sort of government conspiracy to turn police into mini dictators.