If we have learned nothing these last four years it that Republicans have proven we are not a country of laws. Republicans have taught us that our laws have no teeth. Our law enforcement picks and chooses which laws they chose to enforce. Our government in Washingon negates the laws of the land by just choosing to ignore at will subpoenas and legitimate requests. A law that is not enforced is not a law, just words on a page.
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Having taken law enforcement and criminal justice in college, to become a cop, I remember when it struck me - there are no ‘laws,’ there is only the last interpretation…
Many years later ... I’ve learned more; un, or selectively enforced laws also negate the concept of ‘a law.’ Thank you Republican Party -- I only hope the party’s over..
Varn
Level 8
Nov 1, 2020
1
I live in a condominium - that may not be not familiar to people outside of the US but is basically a shared living situation where you are subject to some rules and regulations that determine how you may use your property and behave. For people who live in condos the rules and regulations it has are usually the most direct contact they have with law and order.
Guess what - the law of the land (State and Federal) says that condo rules and regulations that are not enforced cease to have effect. So I put stuff in my parking space other than my car even though the rules say I can't. Other people do too. A guy flies a gay pride flag out of his window even though it is forbidden. No one has done anything to fine me for two years as they could.
The law says these rules cannot then be arbitrarily enforced - if they want to turn around and fine me they have to fine everyone.
So I see a lot of similarity here. America has too many rule breakers, and way too many rules not being enforced. And rules that apply to one set of people cannot be ignored for another set.
Of course our laws themselves are mostly around rules that apply to one set Vs another. And beyond that we also know that rich people with lawyers can buy or settle their way out of almost malfeasance without any criminal record just by spending money.
So our country's huge wealth inequity also creates a huge justice inequity. Now one party has parlayed that into a power inequity by hacking the Constitution, and two and a half of the three branches of government to be permanently in their favor.
It's kind of ironic that I now feel my own small building has a way better system of governance and justice than the entire frickin country.
prometheus
Level 7
Nov 1, 2020
2
That's very much the same all over the world, not just the USA. We don't have many condos here, but the law is used in much the same way. You also have to remember the old quote, from A.T. "The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."
@Fernapple well in my city that has a large homeless population and problems associated with that I've heard several wealthy well housed folks complain "if I put a tent up in the middle of the street and took a dump on the sidewalk I'd get arrested immediately". For sure none of them ever did that but they are thinking it.
So it's a good reminder that inequity in law enforcement often drives anger and distrust in government. Of course what they fail to realize is arresting someone for being homeless just means they get a roof over their heads for a number of nights at enormous tax payer expense, they end up with another crime on their rapsheet that helps ensure they will have even more trouble getting housing and a job, and when released will be just as homeless as ever, possibly even worse off of they lost all their belongings in the process.
A vicious unfair catch-22
@t1nick indeed it is. And so far efforts to negate it have been crude and also had negative effects that make the well housed even more pissed off. Eg. Prop 47 in California that sort to decriminalise or at least reduce the severity of penalties for certain crimes that were felonies. The idea was to stop people ending up in jail for life just because they stole a loaf of bread.
While it has undoubtedly helped a lot of homeless avoid jail and felony charges it has also apparently created a surge of low value property crimes that were formerly felonies. People know that police will not pay any attention to a theft below $950 so anything that is not bolted down is fair game. But I think it is largely not the homeless exploring this - I've seen it myself by white collar perps. Some criminals may be homeless but not all homeless are criminals, intentionally that is. I've known plenty of homeless people who definitely weren't of the criminal mindset if that is such a thing (in inclined to believe it is - we have them in this country right to the very top).
Now of course if America had a justice system that was focused on rehabilitation Vs punishment things would be very different. And we would probably have a welfare that was also focuses on helping people help themselves, and we'd also have housing for all and free healthcare and most importantly mental healthcare for all. These things would help everyone not just the rich who can afford it. But then benefits of having a healthy and mentally stable population would benefit everyone too.
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