Essay/Term paper: Governement's bureaucratic half-witted laws

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Politics

Governement's Bureaucratic Half-Witted Laws


Todays big government is a typical display of bureaucracy in its most
creative state. Due to the enormous bureaucracy within todays state
governments, many laws have been passed through legislation that really didn't
need to be passed. These laws are a display of the way government likes to
show power over the people using legal suppression. Governments have created
laws governing almost anything that the people do as an act of blatant
suppression, even if the laws my never be able to be unforced.
In reviewing many law books, many laws were found that did not seem to
do anything but annoy the general populous. These laws and ordinances are
used by the government to show power without having to be confronted by any
particular person who might have been affected, because these legal
suppressors will most likely not be enforced by the local law-enforcement
agencies.
In Alabama it is legal to drive a motor vehicle while you are
blindfold. Most of the people in our nation most likely would not decide to
drive with a blindfold on. Yet, the Alabama state government needs to have
power so it passed the "no driving while blindfold" law. Alabama is not the
only state with laws that seem useless. In California community leaders
passed an ordinance that makes it illegal for anyone to try to stop a child
from playfully jumping over puddles of water. The fine for such a crime is
fifty dollars and up to ten days in jail. Once again a government decided it
didn't have enough power and thought that it might as well impose a new law to
show its "immense" power over the people.
In Connecticut you can be stopped be the police for bike riding over
sixty-five miles an hour. You can also be arrested for walking across a
street on your hands. These laws will probably not be enforced due to the
fact that the odds of biking over sixty-five miles an hour or walking across a
street on one's hands seems unlikely.
Florida may be one of the most creative legal suppressors in the
Unites States. One law reads "Women may be fined up to 150 dollars if they
fall asleep under a hair dryer, as can the salon owner." Another law states
that if an elephant is tied to a parking meter, the parking fee has to be paid
just as it would for a vehicle. A special law in Florida also prohibits
unmarried women from parachuting on Sunday or she shall risk arrest, fine, or
sometimes jailing. Men may not be seen publicly wearing any type of strapless
gown or they can be fined up to seventy-five dollars. In Sarasota, Florida,
it is illegal for one to sing in public in a swimsuit. These laws and
ordinances display Florida state government legislating laws that to show
power and a suppressive attitude.
In some states the act of suppression is shown in the control of
personal activities. For instance citizens are not allowed to attend a movie
house or theatre nor ride any form of public transportation within at least
four hours after eating garlic in the state of Indiana. Another act of
personal suppression by the government is the Iowa state law that states,
"Kisses may last for as much as, but no more than, five minutes." One is not
allowed to transport an ice cream cone in ones pocket or one can be arrested
in the state of Kentucky. New Mexico also has its own form of personal
suppression in the form of a law that states "Females are strictly forbidden
to appear unshaven in public." Massachusetts has an array of personal
suppressors involving its citizens. One such suppressive law states that
mourners at a wake may not eat more than three sandwiches. Another law makes
snoring a crime unless all bedroom windows are closed and securely locked. If
one wants to wear a goatee a special five dollar permit must be purchased to
wear a goatee in public. In New York a fine of twenty five dollars can be
imposed on any citizen that flirts.
Some laws and ordinances seem to be "jokes". One instance that a law
seems humorous is it is illegal to rob a bank and then shoot at the bank
teller with a water pistol in Louisiana. In the state of Indiana it is
illegal for anyone to bathe during winter. Yet another almost comical law
states that it is illegal for any person to give lit cigars to dogs, cats, or
any other domesticated animal kept as a pet in Illinois.
The bureaucracy of the government has created some laws that do not
even make sense. For instance in North Dakota it is illegal for any bar to
sell or serve beer and pretzels at the same time. In Nebraska, a parent can
be arrested if ones child burps during a church service. In Louisiana biting
someone with natural teeth is "simple assault", while if one bites someone
with false teeth they are charged with "aggravated assault". In Kentucky, by
law anyone who has been drinking is "sober" until he or she "cannot hold onto
the ground." In Washington all lollipops are banned and one can be arrested
if he or she is seen in public eating the forbidden candy. Another law from
Washington is that a motorist with criminal intentions is to stop at the city
limits and telephone the chief of police as he is entering the town, or he or
she may be arrested. This law seems especially stupid in the fact that the
person with criminal intentions is most likely going to go to jail anyway, but
if he or she did not call the chief of police they will get arrested.
There are even more laws that show the government's abuse of power.
The government of Pennsylvania for example makes it illegal for a man to
purchase alcohol without the written consent of his wife. Another
Pennsylvania law of suppression involves a cleaning ordinance that says that
housewives are not allowed to hide dust or dirt under carpets or rugs. In
Oklahoma violators will be fined for making ugly or demeaning faces at any
type of dog. In that same state it is also illegal for females to stylize
their own hair without being licensed by the state. Oklahoma also has a law
that states that dogs gathered in three or more must have a permit signed by
the mayor if they are to gather on private property. The government in
Oklahoma seems to even need a power trip over animals. Oklahoma state
government just makes the suppression extremely obvious to the public by
declaring such half-witted laws.
All of these laws support the fact that government does not think it
has enough power, and that it must show its power by instituting laws that
have virtually no affect on the general public. Yet if citizens knew that
their government was using their tax dollars to pay for police patrolling for
dogs gathered in three or more without a permit or for people smelling of
garlic on public transportation systems, there could be an enormous rebellion.
The act of passing a law costs tax payers money, and when these tax dollars
are used frivolously on silly laws that sometimes do not even pertain to
people such laws that pertain to elephants and dogs, the government is showing
a huge amount of irresponsibility. Lawmakers are proving to the public that
they do not want to be powerless against the public. The phrase "government
for the people; by the people" seems almost none existent when such laws and
ordinances are passed. The government controls what you do from personal
activities such as kissing to laws that seem strange to even have such as not
shooting a bank teller with a water gun after you rob a bank. It is laws like
these that are an example of government waste and tax dollar mismanagement.
With this show of waste the phrase "bureaucratic spending" can be implemented.
Bureaucratic spending is the waste of money when such laws are created by
lawmakers just to keep people employed. These laws are also used as "busy
work" for legislatures during slow periods of no serious governmental events.
Yet the general public is in a "catch twenty-two", in the fact that if these
laws are to be repealed by legislature, tax dollars will once again be paying.
If government would think about the laws it signs into affect, maybe these
types of laws would be nonexistent, and thus government would not appear to be
the suppressive power that all of the nations pawns must follow in order to
keep a clean record.


Bibliography:

(WWW)

Laws and Legislation. (1996, June 29). Laws Governing Us
Available: HTTP://www.law.harvard.edu/laws.html
File: Essay057.txt

Lawyers Guide of Laws and Ordinances. (1996, August)
Available: HTTP://www.gama.com/medi.html
File: LGLO1.html

(E-Mail)

Sellar, William (1996). Hope you like this
Available e-mail: jah@frontier.wilpaterson.edu

Denné, Edward (1996). Lawyers Diary and Manual
Available e-mail: denned@lawdiary.com

(Telnet)

Available Telnet: setonhall.law.edu Directory:Main Reference
Full Text: Ridiculous Laws