Posted on 02/05/2020 7:49:17 AM PST by Kaslin
A law in South Carolina bans playing pinball if you're under 18. That's just one of America's many ridiculous laws restricting freedom.
"There is a role for the government in keeping people safe from actual criminals, people who commit murder, robbery," says Rafael Mangual, a "tough-on-crime" guy at the Manhattan Institute.
"But a lot of laws don't keep people safe," he says. "There's a federal prohibition on walking a dog on a leash longer than six feet on federal property. It is a jailable offense."
Three hundred thousand federal criminal offenses are on the books. "It's way too big," says Mangual. "Part of that is because we don't take any old or outmoded laws off the books."
In Michigan, prosecutors filed criminal charges against a 10-year-old who, during a dodgeball game, threw a ball at another kid's face.
"Anyone can be prosecuted for almost anything," says Mangual. "Lying to your boss over the phone about why you didn't come in. That could constitute wire fraud."
Today's laws punish activities unlikely to be performed with criminal intent.
"Taking a rake from New York into New Jersey, that's actually a federal crime," warns Mangual. "If you've ever had a rake in the back of your pickup truck and crossed state lines, you probably committed a federal crime."
In my new video, I push back at Mangual, pointing out that nobody goes to jail for things like that.
"That doesn't mean that it's not a problem," he responds. "Legal compliance is not free. It takes time, money, effort. It violates fundamental norms about fairness."
One woman was prosecuted for sheltering animals during a hurricane. "My goal was to make sure that they were not out there drowning," she said. But North Carolina prosecutors filed criminal charges against her for practicing veterinary medicine without a license.
In Kentucky, Holland Kendall gave eyeglasses to needy people who couldn't afford eye doctors. Then state officials told him that was a crime.
What causes this excess? I was taught that the Constitution created checks and balances that make it difficult for any bill to become a law.
"Everyone has this idea from 'Schoolhouse Rock'," says Mangual, "that a law gets made in a particular way (but) that's not how it works in practice. At the federal level, 98% of criminal laws are not passed by elected representatives. They are created by unelected bureaucrats who don't have to answer to anyone."
Established businesses manipulate those bureaucrats into passing rules that squash new competition.
"They can afford the lobbyists. They can afford to comply with the crazy webs of regulations," explains Mangual. "If you've got an established cookie business, you don't want a grandma from down the street who has a better recipe cutting into your business... You go to the legislature and ask them to pass arduous rules about an industrial kitchen and expensive equipment that you that need in order to qualify to participate in this business."
One woman was prosecuted in a sting operation for selling ceviche on Facebook.
In Denver, a bartender mixed vodka with things like pickles and bacon and then put the mix back in the bottle. Some customers liked that. But authorities jailed the bartender for "infusing vodka."
I wish I could jail that prosecutor.
Mangual warns: "People commit crimes all the time without knowing it. It's impossible to know what sort of behavior is criminal."
Law should stick to punishing assault, theft and fraud. Otherwise, leave us all alone.
A recent Manhattan Institute report makes suggestions for getting closer to that ideal.
The absence of criminal intent should be taken more seriously by legislators. With hundreds of thousands of criminal offenses on the books, the old adage that "ignorance of the law is no excuse" no longer makes sense.
Lawmakers should also consider listing crimes in one place instead of sprinkling them throughout the statutory codes, which would take a lifetime to read.
And government should regularly repeal laws we no longer need.
There ought to be a law, that you have to negate two laws to pass one.
Around 1983 I phoned a district attorney and got a copy of Florida’s concealed carry law.
Among the things considered a concealed weapon were a lot of odd things but the one which got my attention was “Buck Knives”.
I bet they meant locking knives and assume that one has been changed since then.
Pinball will lead to other, more harmful gambling activities...pinochle, bocce ball, beach bingo, Carolina basketball. Before you know it, your state will have legalized gambling...even calling it something misleading like...
A person I knew was cited in Norman, Oklahoma when I was in college. The offense: a woman over the age of 18, sitting on the lap of a male, not a blood relative, between the ages of 17 and 26 without an intervening pillow of at least six inches thickness.
The law was passed during WWII when Norman was one of the largest Navy training areas in the US. Some ladies of a certain old profession would entertain the sailors on Sunday afternoons in the city parks while sitting on their laps while wearing a full skirt. Any evidence would vanish before the police could make an arrest.
The friend was ‘parking’ and her boyfriend smarted off to the cop when told to move on.
Ya got trouble with a capital “T” and that rhymes with “P” and that stands for......Pinball.
if ALL laws had a sunset provision. 1/5/10yrs...
It would clear most all of this ridiculousness off the books.
As an added bonus, it would probably keep the majority of State and Federal congress critters busy for years debating and passing “Murder is still illegal” type laws. preventing them from passing yet more ridiculous new laws that we don;t need.
I think the law against pinball is ridiculous but there is a connection.
When I was growing up, the guy who controlled coin operated gaming devices in my area was rumored to be on the edges of organized crime.
I never heard of him getting in trouble. Also recall that he drove a Ranchero.
Several years ago here in Virginia a restaurant owner was convicted for making and selling Sangria by the pitcher. Apparently mixing spirits of any type in larger than single servings was illegal.
He was fined and lost his liquor license for a short while.
That law has since been repealed but other mixing of spirits are still illegal.
https://www.alcoholproblemsandsolutions.org/InTheNews/Etc/20080522125038.html
A law in South Carolina bans playing pinball if you’re under 18>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
That’s a very bad law. It encourages pocket pool during mass transit. ( sarc.)
Does anyone under 18 actually no what pinball is?
I have long supported a requirement that congress and state legislatures should be required to spend every other session doing nothing but removing old laws. Alternately, all laws should have a sunset clause, that will require them to be affirmatively voted upon every seven years or so. This would do more to remove all the crappy laws we have than anything else.
There’s big trouble in Greenville City. That’s trouble with a capital “T”, that rhymes with “P”, and that stands for “Pinball”!
Some doozies and head scratchers I found....
ALABAMA
Bear wrestling matches are prohibited.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Don’t anyone tell Bear Bryant!)
ALASKA
Moose may not be viewed from an airplane.
DUMBLAWS.COM
ARIZONA
It is illegal to promote the use of or own more than 6 dildos.
IDIOTLAWS.COM
(That one is plain homophobic! Call the lawyer!)
ARKANSAS
It’s strictly prohibited to pronounce “Arkansas” incorrectly.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Take it from me they are touchy about this. Didn’t get in legal trouble but very nearly got stabbed)
CALIFORNIA
Animals are banned from mating publicly within 1,500 feet of a tavern, school, or place of worship.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(And they enforce this how? Oh, California never mind)
COLORADO
One may not mutilate a rock in a state park.
DUMBLAWS.COM
CONNECTICUT
It’s illegal for a barber to hum a tune while cutting your hair.
IDIOTLAWS.COM
(But the idiot can talk politics, religion, sports and who is banging who’s wife and its all good?)
DELAWARE
Alcohol may not be served in nightclubs if dancing is occurring on the premises at the same time.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Joe Biden country don’tcha know)
FLORIDA
Having sexual relations with a porcupine is illegal.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Not to mention prohibitively painful. Dang Florida Man got elected to office)
GEORGIA
No one may carry an ice cream cone in their back pocket if it is Sunday.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(?????)
HAWAII
Coins are not allowed to be placed in one’s ears.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Are magicians SOL?)
IDAHO
Dirt may not be swept from one’s house into the street.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Must be one OLD law or sweeping dirt into the street is a thing in Idaho)
ILLINOIS
Those under 21 can drink legally, but they must be enrolled in a culinary program to do so.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Cook hell! I’m just here for the booze!)
INDIANA
No one may catch a fish with his/her bare hands.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Better to jab them with a spear I guess)
IOWA
Ministers must obtain a permit to carry their liquor across state lines.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Hmmmm. Catholics are prominent in Iowa soooo)
KANSAS
Hitting a vending machine that stole your money is illegal.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Bass akwards. Vending machines shouldn’t be stealing money)
KENTUCKY
One may not dye a duckling blue and offer it for sale unless more than six are for sale at once.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Blue ducklings is a thing?)
LOUISIANA
It is a $500 fine to instruct a pizza delivery man to deliver a pizza to your friend without them knowing.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Better than swatting)
MAINE
Advertisements may not be placed in cemeteries.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(But votes can be harvested in cemeteries)
MARYLAND
Persons may not swear while on the highway.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(EVERYONE in Maryland is GUILTY as HELL of this one)
MASSACHUSETTS
Candy may not contain more than 1% of alcohol.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(There go the 100 proof nip-its)
MICHIGAN
No man may seduce and corrupt an unmarried girl, or else he risks five years in prison.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Easier to release the who AREN’T guilty of this one)
MINNESOTA
Airplanes may not be landed in city parks.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Well Duh. Everyone knows you land them on the golf course. Right Harrison?)
MISSISSIPPI
If one is a parent to two illegitimate children, that person will go to jail for at least one month.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Some bruthas could be doing life sentences on this one)
MISSOURI
One may not drink in a bar between 2:00 and 6:00 AM.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Is the booze somehow poison between those hours?)
MONTANA
One may not pretend to abuse an animal in the presence of a minor.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(???)
NEBRASKA
Persons with an STD may not marry.
DUMBLAWS.COM
NEVADA
Sex toys are outlawed.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Prostitution is legal, in some places, but toys aren’t?)
NEW HAMPSHIRE
It is illegal to collect and carry away seaweed at the beach, but only at night.
DUMBLAWS.COM
NEW JERSEY
All motorists must honk before passing another car, bicyclist, skater, and even a skateboarder.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Can’t, they’re too busy speeding and breaking every other traffic law)
NEW MEXICO
Persons may not spit on the steps of the opera house.
DUMBLAWS.COM
NEW YORK
It is illegal to congregate in public with two or more people while each wearing a mask or any face covering which disguises your identity.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Tell antifa and the occupy crowd)
NORTH CAROLINA
A marriage can be declared void if either of the two persons is physically impotent.
DUMBLAWS.COM
NORTH DAKOTA
One may be jailed for wearing a hat while dancing, or even for wearing a hat to a function where dancing is taking place.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(I guess hats be raysist or something)
OHIO
If one loses their exotic animal, they must notify the authorities within one hour.
DUMBLAWS.COM
OKLAHOMA
It is illegal for the owner of a bar to allow anyone inside to pretend to have sex with an animal.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Montana and Oklahoma have a thing about animals and bars.)
OREGON
It is illegal to place a container filled with human fecal matter on the side of any highway.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Don’t toss the poopy pamper out the window)
PENNSYLVANIA
Persons convicted of felonies may not operate Bingo games.
DUMBLAWS.COM
RHODE ISLAND
No person may bite off another’s limbs.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(I know RI is a small sleepy place but is this for real?)
SOUTH CAROLINA
A person must be eighteen years old to play a pinball machine.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Pinball, the gateway game to hardcore gambling)
SOUTH DAKOTA
Movies that show police officers being struck, beaten, or treated in an offensive manner are forbidden.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Not even Tango and Cash?)
TENNESSEE
Students may not hold hands while at school.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(If only thats ALL they are doing in school)
TEXAS
Wire cutters cannot be carried in your pocket.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Common sense wire cutter control!)
UTAH
Alcohol may not be sold during an emergency.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Just when you need it most. Way to go Mormons!)
VERMONT
Women must obtain written permission from their husbands to wear false teeth.
RD.COM
(What if grandpa is dead and can’t give written permission. Guess that last note he wrote is good forever)
VIRGINIA
No animal may be hunted on Sunday with the exception of raccoons, which may be hunted until 2:00 AM.
DUMBLAWS.COM
WASHINGTON
X-rays may not be used to fit shoes.
DUMBLAWS.COM
WEST VIRGINIA
A person may not hold public office if he or she has ever participated in a duel.
DUMBLAWS.COM
But being a member of the KKK is fine)
WISCONSIN
Margarine may not be substituted for butter in restaurants unless it is requested by the customer.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(Gotta protect the daries at any cost)
WYOMING
Junk dealers may not make any business transactions with drunk persons.
DUMBLAWS.COM
(I thought this would come under common sense)
Some churches ban pre-marital sex because it might lead to dancing. :)
Is this like - have sex with her, and then turn her into a Democrat? Inquiring minds want to know.
“Is this like - have sex with her, and then turn her into a Democrat? Inquiring minds want to know.”
Either that or some young fellas were talking young ladies out of their knickers and virginity then not following through with the wedding and the young ladies were turning into the first feminists.
https://www.wattpad.com/124994548-the-principled-legal-standard-for-the-first
Above is a link to a decent Biblical standard for original legal study.
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