American Lawbreaking
slate.com
American Lawbreaking
1–10 of 14 posts
Re: American Lawbreaking
#2You know you're in trouble when the thugs are in the street waving their arms proclaiming vice is virtue, and a system of selective enforcement by a ruling class is a practical and acceptable solution.
Re: American Lawbreaking
#3When you get to the section, be sure to look up Nixon's response to that Commission's report.
Re: American Lawbreaking
#4You know you're in trouble when the thugs are in the street waving their arms proclaiming vice is virtue, and a system of selective enforcement by a ruling class is a practical and acceptable solution.
You just described basically any place at any point in history.
Re: American Lawbreaking
#5That's why drug legalization is happening in a wholly different way. Over the last two decades, the FDA has become increasingly open to drugs designed for the treatment of depression, pain, and anxiety—drugs that are, by their nature, likely to mimic the banned Schedule I narcotics. Part of this is the product of a well-documented relaxation of FDA practice that began under Clinton and has increased under Bush. But another part is the widespread public acceptance of the idea that the effects drug users have always been seeking in their illicit drugs—calmness, lack of pain, and bliss—are now "treatments" as opposed to recreation. We have reached a point at which it's commonly understood that when people snort cocaine because they're depressed or want to function better at work, that's drug trafficking; but taking antidepressants for similar purposes is practicing medicine.
This guy really needs to read more Erowid if he thinks that pharmaceuticals are closely matching the effects of many drugs. As far as I know there are non-Schedule I opiates and stimulants, and basically all of the benzodiazepines are legal-but-controlled. But the pharmaceutical industry is not exactly stumbling over itself to create a legal version of LSD or prescription Salvia or one-a-day his-n-hers Ecstasy doses, and I don't know of any legal analogue to marijuana (much less any particular strain).
Re: American Lawbreaking
#6You know you're in trouble when the thugs are in the street waving their arms proclaiming vice is virtue, and a system of selective enforcement by a ruling class is a practical and acceptable solution.
The selective enforcement angle is very important however. I don't think the article gives it nearly enough coverage. I think we all know the Ayn Rand quote so I won't subject the thread to it yet again but the idea is important. A deep well of unenforced "submarine laws" is a valuable resource for anyone in power who needs to get control over an individual or group of dissidents.
Re: American Lawbreaking
#7How can a law abiding trucking companying compete with all those speed limit breaking truckers: UPS, FedEx, DHL, USPS, ...?
Re: American Lawbreaking
#8That's why drug legalization is happening in a wholly different way. Over the last two decades, the FDA has become increasingly open to drugs designed for the treatment of depression, pain, and anxiety—drugs that are, by their nature, likely to mimic the banned Schedule I narcotics. Part of this is the product of a well-documented relaxation of FDA practice that began under Clinton and has increased under Bush. But a…
In the drug context, asking Congress to legalize cocaine or repeal the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 is a fool's errand.
Medical cocaine is legal and has been used for years to treat nose bleeds.
Re: American Lawbreaking
#9I wonder if godel has any say here: it seems to me that it's impossible to actually create a perfect set of laws.
You can't legalize "it" (speed limit, drugs, copyright, whatever), but zero tolerance enforcement doesn't work. On the other hand if you set guidelines (we'll tolerate small amounts) people will go right to the line - so you don't.
Instead you look the other way most of the time.
And it works.
Re: American Lawbreaking
#10You know you're in trouble when the thugs are in the street waving their arms proclaiming vice is virtue, and a system of selective enforcement by a ruling class is a practical and acceptable solution.
You just described basically any place at any point in history.
You must live in LA.