It's A Crime!

[+ Lucky]

Did you ever think that you would see the day when former Attorney General Ed Meese, a Reaganite conservative, would join forces with the ACLU to say that we have too many crimes in this country?

 

Lots of people like to point out that it is a crime to offer sex for money, but it's also a violation of federal law to give a false weather report, or to give your employer less than honest services.

 

The one that bugs me the most is the law saying you can't lie to a federal officer. Why the hell not? They ask a lot of questions that they shouldn't! Didn't we have perjury law that got the job done well enough? Lying under oath as opposed to just lying to a cop.

 

And cops. They violate the law all of the time. U-turns, parking violations, speeding, donut robberies, lying to get a search warrant or keep a guy in jail..the list is endless.

 

But, the judges are there to protect the law, aren't they? If you have spent much time in a court room you realize that judges follow the laws that they like, and ignore the ones that they don't. There are all kinds of procedural rules being ignored every day because the judge can't be bothered or doesn't find them suitable to his schedule.

 

The NY Times takes a look at the Meese-ACLU alliance, and also a look at a new book: Three Felonies A Day: How the Feds Target the Innocent by Harvey Silverglate, who argues that federal criminal law is so comprehensive and vague that all Americans violate the law every day, meaning prosecutors can indict anyone at all. (Emphasis added...hehehe.)

 

Read the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/us/24crime.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Supreme%20Court%20crimes&st=cse

[Guest greatness]

Lucky

 

You should come out of your peaceful retirement and be our attorney general...

 

Did you ever think that you would see the day when former Attorney General Ed Meese, a Reaganite conservative, would join forces with the ACLU to say that we have too many crimes in this country?

 

Lots of people like to point out that it is a crime to offer sex for money, but it's also a violation of federal law to give a false weather report, or to give your employer less than honest services.

 

The one that bugs me the most is the law saying you can't lie to a federal officer. Why the hell not? They ask a lot of questions that they shouldn't! Didn't we have perjury law that got the job done well enough? Lying under oath as opposed to just lying to a cop.

 

And cops. They violate the law all of the time. U-turns, parking violations, speeding, donut robberies, lying to get a search warrant or keep a guy in jail..the list is endless.

 

But, the judges are there to protect the law, aren't they? If you have spent much time in a court room you realize that judges follow the laws that they like, and ignore the ones that they don't. There are all kinds of procedural rules being ignored every day because the judge can't be bothered or doesn't find them suitable to his schedule.

 

The NY Times takes a look at the Meese-ACLU alliance, and also a look at a new book: Three Felonies A Day: How the Feds Target the Innocent by Harvey Silverglate, who argues that federal criminal law is so comprehensive and vague that all Americans violate the law every day, meaning prosecutors can indict anyone at all. (Emphasis added...hehehe.)

 

Read the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/us/24crime.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Supreme%20Court%20crimes&st=cse

[Guest zipperzone]

Goosdpost Lucky. As Andy Rooney on 60 Minutes looks about ready for retirement (or worse) perhaps you should apply for his job. I could almost hear your words coming out of his mouth.

[+ Lucky]

Yeah. CBS needs a younger guy like myself. Pass the word over there, would ya?

[KMEM]

Lucky-

 

The cops not only break the law every day, the mangle it. Even if one is only dealing with civil proceedings, one can observe cops lying as a matter of habit and course. That does not mean we don't need them but I think it is an honest characterization of how they routinely behave.

 

Just as there is no such thing as a completely "legal" flight IF and especially if something goes wrong I am sure there is no such thing as a infraction free day for each and every citizen. We largely depend upon attorneys general to not prosecute "silly" things but there is plenty of room for them to malfease also.

 

It is only when we get up close and personal with the system that we realize how fragile our defined freedoms really are.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

[Guest greatness]

oh

 

I think 60 Minutes ratings will skyrocket! It would be fun when one of the MC members is on TV. We will never run out of things to talk about.

 

Goosdpost Lucky. As Andy Rooney on 60 Minutes looks about ready for retirement (or worse) perhaps you should apply for his job. I could almost hear your words coming out of his mouth.

[Guest JayJohnsic62ic62]

I'm with you, Lucky, especially on the 'lying to investigators" issue. Ever since Martha Stewart went to jail for lying to investigators (NOT for insider trading as many believe) and the perpetrator of the crime got off with a misdemeanor and $2000 fine, I'm convinced the system is profoundly broken. Too often, prosecutors figure out who they would like to "nail" first, then back into charges.

[Lookin]

It seems to me that the law should be simple and clear, able to be understood fully by a non-impaired citizen. How can we be a nation of laws if the typical citizen doesn't know or understand them? In fact, it can mean death to be without professional representation in the courts, as our behavior is judged to be within the law or not. We say that ignorance of the law is no excuse, but usually even the nine judges of the Supreme Court can't agree on what the law is.

 

I guess it's not as simple as going back to the Ten Commandments, but some simplification would be welcomed by yours truly.

 

Right now, I'm trying to figure out if it's OK to invite Taylor to the next State Dinner.

 

http://www.decenttv.org/1st/law_books.jpg

[seaboy4hire]

Yeah. CBS needs a younger guy like myself. Pass the word over there, would ya?

 

Don't forget hotter as well.

 

Hugs,

Greg