Criminalizing America – How Big Government Makes a Criminal of Every American

ALEC ^ | 11-6-13 | Cara Sullivan

[ThethoughtsofGreg]

There are more than 1.5 million Americans under the supervision of state and federal correctional facilities, at a cost of more than $30,000 per prisoner every year. While some criminal laws and sanctions are necessary to protect safety and ensure justice, criminalized actions now include many normal, everyday activities that average Americans and business owners have little way of knowing are crimes. As a result, well-meaning, law-abiding American citizens and business owners spend innumerable hours and dollars fending off criminal prosecution for actions they never suspected were illegal, and states spend millions incarcerating nonthreatening individuals.

States cannot afford the budgetary costs of imprisoning nonviolent individuals who acted without criminal intentions, and society cannot afford the human costs of incarcerating individuals who do not need to be imprisoned to protect public safety.

[sickoflibs]

Here in Maryland they have this offense called a ‘hate incident’ that the police investigate and keep records of and tell the newspapers about

Hate incidents are offenses that cant be against the law due to First Amendment(unlike hate crimes) , like a racial slur.

[Robert Teesdale]

States cannot afford the budgetary costs of imprisoning nonviolent individuals who acted without criminal intentions, and society cannot afford the human costs of incarcerating individuals who do not need to be imprisoned to protect public safety.

This would be correct were the goal that of actually preserving and encouraging a peaceful and successful society. It isn't. It is not a question of budgetary capacity or human costs when the goal is the establishment of a collectivist existence where the State is the only object of infallibility.

[9422WMR]

I’ll say it again:
Yes, we need to end the police state. The criminal prosecution for traffic violations is beyond acceptable. If you have outstanding traffic tickets, they should not be able to arrest you and throw you in with the rest of the criminals in the jail. Simply deny registration for your vehicle, or license renewal, etc. If you do not pay and get caught driving, then vehicle confiscation. This BS of making money off of throwing people in jail for traffic violations is BS. Drugs or drinking and driving? that’s different. Stop making the US a police state.

[IronJack]

I’ve often said that in today’s Amerika, the average person has committed at least half a dozen misdemeanors before breakfast, and a felony or two by lunchtime.

[Vigilanteman]

In a Communist state, the greatest crimes are economic crimes. Ever read The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn?

It is a real life version of that fictitious passage in Atlas Shrugged where one of the nanny staters explains why they want to make every citizen a criminal.

[gov_bean_ counter]

From "Atlas Shrugged"

Dr. Ferris smiled. . . . . ."We've waited a long time to get something on you. You honest men are such a problem and such a headache. But we knew you'd slip sooner or later - and this is just what we wanted."

"You seem to be pleased about it."

"Don't I have good reason to be?"

"But, after all, I did break one of your laws."

"Well, what do you think they're for?"

Dr. Ferris did not notice the sudden look on Rearden's face, the look of a man hit by the first vision of that which he had sought to see. Dr. Ferris was past the stage of seeing; he was intent upon delivering the last blows to an animal caught in a trap.

"Did you really think that we want those laws to be observed?" said Dr. Ferris. "We want them broken. You'd better get it straight that it's not a bunch of boy scouts you're up against - then you'll know that this is not the age for beautiful gestures. We're after power and we mean it. You fellows were pikers, but we know the real trick, and you'd better get wise to it. There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What's there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced nor objectively interpreted - and you create a nation of law-breakers - and then you cash in on guilt. Now, that's the system, Mr. Rearden, that's the game, and once you understand it, you'll be much easier to deal with."

[E. Pluribus Unum]

“Did you really think that we want those laws to be observed?” said Dr. Ferris. “We want them broken. You’d better get it straight that it’s not a bunch of boy scouts you’re up against—then you’ll know that this is not the age for beautiful gestures. We’re after power and we mean it. You fellows were pikers, but we know the real trick, and you’d better get wise to it. There’s no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What’s there it that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced nor objectively interpreted—and you create a nation of lawbreakers—and then you cash in on guilt. Now that’s the system, Mr. Rearden, that’s the game, and once you understand it, you’ll be much easier to deal with.” --Dr. Ferris, "Atlas Shrugged," by Ayn Rand

[Finny]

Government criminalizes you if you grow tomatoes in your yard and sell them. Government criminalizes the metal shop owner who wants to employ a couple of local teenagers at the wages he considers workable, teaching them the trade that way. Government criminalizes you if you try to prevent an openly homosexual man from leading your kids' youth group. Government criminalizes you if you try to take your dad's fishing boat out and earn a living the way he did. Now government criminalizes doctors who just want to run their medical businesses as their own.

Just read on a thread that starting next year, kids are criminals at University of Virginia, where they must have health insurance in order to attend class. No health insurance, no college education.

The government considers all of us "domestic enemies." We, on the other hand, consider the government the "domestic enemy." Or at least, we should.

[thesearethetimes...]

Bump.

[thesearethetimes...]

Rand Ping

[Secret Agent Man]

They shoot people in China for economic “crimes”.

[Secret Agent Man]

Course they also shoot drug dealers in China too. Wish we did that here.

[Hugin]

“The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.”—Ayn Rand

[I want the USA back]

Government is out of control.

[Travis McGee]

[Vigilanteman]

Thank you! That’s the passage I wanted quoted in post #6.

[Travis McGee]

"Bad Comrade Matt"

[Travis McGee]

"Bad Comrade Matt"

[DNME]

Always demand a jury trial.

The jury has the power, whether the judge tells them (unlikely) or not, to find the defendant not guilty because the law is unjust. Oh yes they can!

The soap box, the ballot box, the jury box ... and finally the cartridge box.