Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Ignorance of the Law is No Excuse ...
... but shouldn't a state make some effort to tell you what it expects?
It has come to my attention that a certain state, infamous for its role in stealing the 2004 election, has a general habit (that transcends party politics) of not informing its citizens of anything: it doesn't tell them when elections are, when their vehicle registrations are due, etc.
Remember in some states, vehicle registrations get renewed every year. In some states, they get renewed on your birthday no matter when you register. If you've always lived in a "renewed on the anniversary of your initial registration" state and then you move to a "renewed on your birthday" state, but they don't tell you (no notification upon registration, no reminder notice or renewal notice) -- when your car has overdue registration, can they really, fairly ticket you?
As I keep saying again and again, though -- the Democratic party needs to do something about these scams. People hate gummint and think gummint's a rip-off (and hence are not happy with the Democratic message of "government programs can help") when they really are ripped-off or otherwise pestered by stupid governance. "Have the police actually police things rather than check drivers' registrations." Etc.
The Democratic party needs to launch an effort to make government friendly (even if it means a massive cleaning of house of political machines) if they want long term success for the sort of big-government liberalism our country needs (c.f. my earlier link proposing a revival of the WPA in a Levitical context).
It has come to my attention that a certain state, infamous for its role in stealing the 2004 election, has a general habit (that transcends party politics) of not informing its citizens of anything: it doesn't tell them when elections are, when their vehicle registrations are due, etc.
Remember in some states, vehicle registrations get renewed every year. In some states, they get renewed on your birthday no matter when you register. If you've always lived in a "renewed on the anniversary of your initial registration" state and then you move to a "renewed on your birthday" state, but they don't tell you (no notification upon registration, no reminder notice or renewal notice) -- when your car has overdue registration, can they really, fairly ticket you?
As I keep saying again and again, though -- the Democratic party needs to do something about these scams. People hate gummint and think gummint's a rip-off (and hence are not happy with the Democratic message of "government programs can help") when they really are ripped-off or otherwise pestered by stupid governance. "Have the police actually police things rather than check drivers' registrations." Etc.
The Democratic party needs to launch an effort to make government friendly (even if it means a massive cleaning of house of political machines) if they want long term success for the sort of big-government liberalism our country needs (c.f. my earlier link proposing a revival of the WPA in a Levitical context).
# posted by alberich @ 9:56 AM 
