tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23061971.post8336264923468038441..comments2024-03-15T03:16:46.386-04:00Comments on Objectivist v. Constructivist v. Theist: National Disgrace #1: Massive IncarcerationThe Constructivisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242149985581771922noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23061971.post-37667792591153688122008-05-21T10:47:00.000-04:002008-05-21T10:47:00.000-04:00For a sadly-not-that-dated more leftist critique o...For a sadly-not-that-dated more leftist critique of the U.S. prison system, see <A HREF="http://www.cust.educ.ubc.ca/workplace/issue6/" REL="nofollow">The Prison Issue</A> of <I>Workplace: A Journal for Academic Labor</I> that I edited back in 2000.The Constructivisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07242149985581771922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23061971.post-21430624171395773272008-05-21T08:54:00.000-04:002008-05-21T08:54:00.000-04:00There is a pattern of reports that the police are ...There is a pattern of reports that the police are increasingly likely not to respect anyone's rights. <BR/><BR/>Vast numbers of police investigate people for drunk driving (with .08 anyone can be convicted), seatbelt laws, ridiculously low speed limits, and many other silly laws. <BR/><BR/>To be fair this is not just the fact that there are just way too many people on police payrolls. <BR/><BR/>It is also due to the legislators who seek to micromanage our lives and create the legal framework for this constant monitoring. <BR/><BR/>In addition, the police's and court's disregard for people can be seen in their habit of searching cars and people with no evidence and for non-crimes (e.g., open container), use no-knock raids on anonymous complaints, use way too much force, or otherwise infringe on citizens' rights. <BR/><BR/>This has resulted from the fact that police increasingly have an entitlement mentality that is likely related to the constant flow of police acting as gang members. See, e.g., recent violence in Philadelphia, Chicago, and Brooklyn. <BR/><BR/>This is also result from the often repeated myth that law enforcement is a dangerous job. It's not. It's less dangerous than being a farmer, truck driver, or pilot.The Objectivisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00416501145750028695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23061971.post-71525141647027175652008-05-21T08:42:00.000-04:002008-05-21T08:42:00.000-04:00Note that there is an unncessary explosion in the ...Note that there is an unncessary explosion in the number of things that are criminalized and the complexity of the criminal code. <BR/><BR/>The money laws enforced against Spitzer are one example. In that context, transfers which attempt to hide the amounts that are transferred from oversight are criminalized despite the fact that the transfers are under $10,000 and that this is distinct from tax issues.<BR/><BR/>The other examples are the many criminal laws against "deadbeat dads" despite the fact that this should be folded into the civil law and the reported fact that there is no evidence of a problem when it comes to middle class fathers.The Objectivisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00416501145750028695noreply@blogger.com