Posted on 08/20/2006 11:51:51 AM PDT by FairOpinion
IN 1966, California voters created a full-time Legislature after Speaker Jesse Unruh promised a dazzlingly “professional” Legislature instead of part-timers earning $6,000 yearly. By 2007, legislators will earn $145,097 in wages and per diem, costing roughly $200 million annually, yet taxpayers get a dubious “product” in return: mountains of pointless laws.
We are drowning in 47,000 new laws enacted since 1966, covering everything from the size of typeface on official notices on employee bulletin boards to the arcane timing dictating when you must use your windshield wipers.
You couldn't know this, but it's illegal to throw away your cell phone. Lawbreaker!
What a contrast to the early 20th century, when Big Laws addressed, often for the first time, everything from redevelopment to fair employment practices. After that, we got mired in pocket laws, obscurities and nitpickery. Ronald Reagan, Jerry Brown and George Deukmejian added roughly 1,500 new laws yearly; Pete Wilson and Gray Davis about 1,000 annually.
Scary.
But in 2004, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made news. He vetoed 311 bills. His vetoes caused legislators momentary pause. They sent him “only” 961 laws in 2005. Arnold let 729 become law — a “record low” in our times.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailynews.com ...
Whenever you give someone the full time job of making rules, they are going to be productive...
It's not good to drink while driving in CA. There are too many idiots out there to watch out for normally. Wait till you get home or walk. Pay attention on that road. Illegal aliens run red lights. Stay alive.
They've forever ruined the word liberal. Like insects periodically shedding their skin they've hijacked the word progressive now.
Here in Louisiana, you can't smoke in your car if there are kids in it. Doesn't matter how many windows are rolled down or where the kid is sitting, it's a crime now.
A legislature with too much time on their hands.
Things must be going great in CA since 1966!/snicker
Okay what is it now? The kid's or the cigarette's that are illegal.
Oh wait, maybe it's the vehicle or the driver.
Heavy legislation is in need to set this strait....
Oh woe be to the poor overworked and underpaid legislature in Louisiana.
What I would like to know is if there is a sunroof in that vehicle and if so are the children protected with a sun blocker?
"-- America's at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards. --"
Claire Wolfe
California is close to being beyond the awkward stage..
I don't condone drinking six beers and driving home but having a single 12 oz beer while driving is not going to do anymore damage than a person talking on a cell phone or eating a fast food meal.
I'm off to fire up a joint! ;-)
Letting Tom Cruise use an ultrasound is a dumb idea. Letting Tom Cruise use an ultrasound machine on an alleged
pregnant woman is a really dumb idea.
I don't think I'd trust Tom Cruise with a heating pad.
Is Kali set to outlaw them next? He could burn himself.
One would think these as an example were jokes but they are actually laws in certain cities in California:
1. Nobody is allowed to ride a bicycle in a swimming pool.
2. Bowling on the sidewalk is illegal.
3. Detonating a nuclear device within the city limits results in a $500 fine.
4. One may not use one's own restroom if the window is open.
Laws thought up and passed by people representing us who are supposed to be intelligent....yeah...right!
Last year I had a company replace our old, wooden, swing-up garage door with a new, modern one. The company dismantled the old door and left it on the driveway. Despite my calls for them to come and pick up this dismantled door (removal and disposal was included in the contract) they did not do so for two weeks. For this time, we could not put the damn bins back next to the garage in front of the gate.
Someone in the neighborhood called in a complaint about the "eyesore". One day before the garage door company finally picked up the debris, I found an envelope hanging on my front door with a warning notice from the city... remove the trash or else incur a fine. The enforcement officer also marked down "Trash bins in public view."
Well, since the garage door was finally gone, I placed my 3 bins back where almost everybody else in the neighborhood keeps theirs. Imagine my shock when three days later I come home and find ANOTHER envelope hanging on my front door. Inside was a City building code violation ticket... my trash bins were still in public view... and an order to pay a fine of $53 for noncompliance with an order. Along with the ticket was a letter explaining I had the right to dispute the violation and appeal the fine. To do so required that I pay a $54 nonrefundable infraction appeal fee to dispute it!!!! It was stressed that regardless of the outcome of the hearing on my dispute, the fee would not be refunded!
Despite the fact that 80% of the houses in my neighborhood keep their blasted, awkward bins in the exact same place we do, I was the only one to receive this fine... and it would cost me more than the fine to argue that I am physically disabled and unable to move the damn bins through the gate. I wrote them explaining the situation and that in light of the above, I refused to pay their fine. They added it to my property tax bill.
"He has erected a multitude of New Offices,
and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass
our people and eat out their substance.
United States Declaration of Independence
Couln't agree with you more. Left that state in '93. Overall, the state is beautiful with many, many things to do; around the clock. It's a shame the state is being fully high-jacked by the left an its mindset...
Why don't we consider an initiative for the '08 ballot that makes the legislature a part time outfit again? I'll bet we could get more than enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Even if it didn't pass, it would in essence be a vote of no confidence in the lawmakers.
The real outcome is that otherwise honest people become law breakers, with or without knowing it and the respect for the rule of law is lost. Dishonest people either aren't slowed down or they run for public office.
In an odd sort of way, I am getting set to fight something very similar. I live in a small township. Well, sewage lines have been laid. So far, projected monthly payments are 71 dollars(I have no idea if that is high or low based on other states/locations). What drives me insane, to even get tied into the system, I have to pay $6800.00. Now, that does not include the excavation and plumbers. That's jsut to have my plumber physically make the connection to the line. So, plumber and excavation fees? $4500.00. Here's the rub, I have a 4 year old septic system. It's rated for 25 years with proper maintenance. What was it's cost? $11,000.00 installed. Oh, yeah, and my township want's us home owners to have all septic devices removed by the end of 2008. I have'nt even begun to figure that cost, but I bet it is WAY up there and probably will be listed under some EPA reg and hence, tack more onto the sepctics removal.
I do not plan to tie into the system. I plan on fighting this. The kicker, the county is going to put a lien on my property. Yup, The county will lien on my property for a private company that is set to fleece my community/. Not even factoring in inflation over the years for the price per month, I will be forking out $21,300.00 to the seweage company. At that price, they should be paying me to tie into their sewage.
I don't know if that's only if the active party is female, or male...? Or both?
But technically it IS illegal.
I feel positive for $145,097 plus perks, most of us would be more than willing to sacrifice a few days a year to go to Sacramento and without taxing our brains at all could come up with asinine laws such as those already on the books. My only problem would be I wouldn't want my name associated with them, I would only agree if I could use an alias.
"Lose" the bins. I mean make them disappear and then call the city and demand new ones. Make those disappear and demand new ones again. Repeat as necessary.
About 5 years after California had a full-time legislature they passed a law that started the withholding of state income tax from payroll checks. That's when they really started getting productive out here.
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