Tell The Feds To Keep their Mnney

The County Press (Second Thoughts) ^ | 6-4-03 | William w. Lawrence

[Temple Owl]

Second Thoughts

By: William W. Lawrence

We have some interesting letters on this page.

Raymond Euler of Newtown -- with whom I usually agree -- is blasting State Rep. Steve Barrar (R-160) for expressing doubts about the new drunk driving standard decreed by our princes in Washington.

However, Steve, a superb legislator, is dead right.

The proposed (ordered, actually) standard is .08-percent blood alcohol (BAC) content. I can't think of a single accident -- much less a serious one -- in the 20 years I have edited this paper in which a .08-percent BAC was a significant factor. I'm having trouble thinking of one in which the present .1 percent limit was the cause. I can think of several involving .15 percent BAC, and higher or drugs.

If you combine a .08-percent BAC with the removal of the requirement to prove impairment -- as called for in the proposed law -- then mix in sobriety checkpoints, a lot of law-abiding citizens are going to get some pointless pain.

I'd tell the feds to keep their money.

But, I would urge harsh penalties for repeat DUI offenders. They are the ones who cause most of the problems.

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[Temple Owl]

We are about to get another unenforceable law on the books. This used to be a free country where common sense ruled.

[scooter2]

I would like to know how this law meets the Constituional requirements about regulating commerce between the "several states". That is the only thing that the Federal Government is authorized to regulate.

[blackdog]

Although I have never been a subject of this concern, the double-up charges in many states of a DWI plus DUI are a catch 22. Even if you are less than .08, or even a .00, one of the two will still stick. We all drive under the influence of something. A bad day at work, cell phones, fighting kids, eating while driving, fiddling with the radio, fatigue, etc.....

It's pure insanity. The other day I passed by our new primary offense seat belt checks and the cop was really funny. I asked "how his day was going?" He said "not so good, I've not been able to write one ticket" I asked him "wasn't he glad that the new law was being complied with?" He then said "No, now they will come up with something else, Nothing could be worse than a seatbelt check stop yielding no violators or a DUI/DWI stop yielding no arrests, it kills my productivity numbers"

He gave me my free cheeseburger coupon for wearing my belt like a good peasant, I used it for a happy meal for my two year old who was influencing my driving by pelting me with french fries from the back seat. Maybe there will be a law for that soon?

[Temple Owl]

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[Tribune7]

The more I think about this the more of a scam I see.

[Tribune7]

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[Tribune7]

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