Another Example of Emotion Superceding Logic in Mississippi Lawmaking

Fortunately this bill died.

Revisiting the formula I discussed in my article about the Nitrous Oxide bill, we can see the same same criteria has been met in this HB 2505.

Small child is killed. There are laws against passing a stopped school bus and running over people with your car. The laws did not prevent this child's death; therefore, a new law with stricter punishments must be passed to prevent this from ever happening again.

Fortunately the bill died in conference committee. Here's the votes if you're interested.

Can There Be Separation of Blind Emotion and Policy Making?

The Mississippi Senate sent a bill to the governor that outlaws the use of nitrous oxide in vehicles on public highways and stiffens penalties for people who drag race on public streets.

Illogical bill here. Here's the Senate and House votes.

There is basically a formula for passing bills that make bad law and constituents feel good. Either a child, police officer, or other high profile death occurs. There are laws on the books that deal with the crime(s) committed that resulted in the death.

Because something bad wasn't prevented by the law, there is a need for a new law and stronger punishments. The reasoning seems to be that by strengthening the penalties for violating laws, the laws will no longer be broken and bad things will no longer happen.

Here is the background information.

Although the car being chased was equipped with nitrous oxide, there is no mention that nitrous was being used or that the car was racing. I guess that doesn't really matter when your lawmaking is absent of logic.

Thanks to Manuel Lora for His Article on Decentralization

"In short, the objective of the libertarian is to confine any existing State to as small a degree of invasion of person and property as possible."

~ Murray Rothbard, Ethics of Liberty

Ethics of Political Campaigns on Facebook

I was browsing through the ole facebook this afternoon when I arrived at a perplexing ethics issue, no really. Here it is:

Fan pages for candidates that have status updates in first person.

EXAMPLE:

Mississippi Guesser: I will fight for my constituents against the [insert scare tactic du jour]. I will stand up for you when [insert similar candidate that also believes in big government] is ignoring your vote and destroying America.

I don't see any problem with this practice if the candidate is making his posts in first person, but what about when someone else is managing the site for him and makes posts in first person? Have television campaign ads ever used another person's voice presented as the candidate's?

As a law school student who has been exposed to numerous ethics lectures, I'd like to know what people think.

Even National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Against Mississippi Bill

Todd Ziebarth, vice president, state advocacy and support, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools has released a statement blasting the charter school bill in the Mississippi Legislature.

Solution for Blight of Dilapidated Houses in Jackson

Article on Abandoned Houses in Jackson

Why doesn't the county remove property taxes on these properties? It could offer them to individuals interested in fixing them up. Without property taxes, there wouldn't be a penalty for holding and maintaining the property.

Some exemptions are available to homeowners in certain counties. In California, some counties, such as Los Angeles, Ventura, and San Diego, offer a homeowners exemption for property owners that live in the home.

Why Filing Suit Over Health Care Bill Won't Work

Will Bardwell concludes that this is an absurd dispute. I find myself agreeing with him on the fact that a lawsuit isn't going anywhere.

Dear Representative Harper:

I urge you to contact Governor Haley Barbour and demand a special session of the State Legislature for the express purpose of passing a resolution or bill nullifying any Federal Legislation on Health Care in our state. The Leadership in Washington has continuously ignored the faxes, phone calls, and letters of the majority of the American People who are against Government Health Care and the requirements or mandates in the House Health Care Bill.

No longer does our President and Congress listen to We the People. They constantly ignore the Constitutional Rights of the people and the states. Our Constitution was written to restrict the powers of the Federal Government not to make it an all powerful Central Government. We as citizens have rights and states have sovereign rights under the Tenth Amendment. Unless we are willing to exercise these rights they will be lost forever.

Thomas Jefferson stated "When the people fear the government it is tyranny and when the government fears the people it is freedom." We as a country are entering a period where the central government is acting in a tyrannical fashion.

Nullification has worked recently with respect to the Real ID Card and Medical Marijuana. Over a dozen states do not recognize the Federal Government's authority in one or both of these issues. Our freedom of choice in health care is much more important than any of the above mentioned issues.

I hope you will take a stand with the American People, not as a Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, or Independent but as an American who is committed to the Principles put forth by the Founders in the United States Constitution.

Sincerely,


Raleigh , MS



I think that this citizen is correct, and if our state is to do anything about this health care bill and other federal legislation, nullification is the answer. But nullification is often misunderstood. Gary Barnett sums up the issue of nullification better than I can.

Are Vouchers the Solution for Our Failing Public Schools?

Dr. Paul sums up this issue nicely.

I came across this article doing research because of the the following:

I thought that it would be logical to compensate families, whose kids go to private schools, for their taxes used to pay for public schools...something they don't use. This way more families would be able to send their kids to private schools and have more options as to how they want their kids to be educated.

In this article I found this piece of proposed legislation H.R. 1057 from the 110th Congress, which coincides with my reasoning.

Charter Schools Legislation - Not Just About Education

Money, get away.

Ethics Issue?? Would charter school legislation be proposed in Mississippi absent the possibility of receiving federal funds?

Here's an interesting conversation:

Mississippi Guesser:

Whatever their merits, tax-funded charter schools are not a free market alternative. Like every other government program, they are funded through taxation and drive out legitimate free market alternatives.

LivinLife:

They may not be a free market alternative, but they incorporate free market principles into the system. Most of our country's economy is not free market anyway. Moreover, I question the premise that schools can and should be ran by the free market. If corporations funded schools, students would only learn certain material. If schools were all funded privately by parents, we'd be worse off than corporations. Publicly funded schools with free market principles in place are the best way to go, including through use of vouchers, but that is an entirely different argument.

Mississippi Guesser:

The existence of private schools is evidence that the free market would work. What schools are working, public or private?

Freedonian:

Some of the private schools are nothing more than unaccredited religious propaganda machines. Of course, if people want to pay to have their children taught that science and evolution are lies and that their deity is charge of everything and that the universe and the earth are only 6,000 years old, that is their right to do. I just think that it is a fantastically dunderheaded thing to do.

I predict that the real fight will come about when the first of these charter schools want to have religious instruction as part of the curriculum when the legislation clearly states that these programs will be nonsectarian. How is the old 'They're taking prayer and god out of our schools!' line going to work then?

Mississippi Guesser:

Public schools are nothing but statist propaganda machines...the argument can go both ways. What is the overarching goal of the public school system? I'm not exactly sure, but I think its just to have kids graduate.

Within the private sector, you can take a look at all the schools and find one whose goal/mission suits what you want for your kids and eventually what the kids want.

There are college preparatory schools, vocational schools, athletic schools, etc.

I can certainly foresee a possible problem with trying to keep the charter schools secular. These charter schools will still be under the power of the state, and the power over what is taught will remain where it is now...with the state. The only way for parents to have the prevailing say so in what their child learns is through home school or private school.

I'd like to thank one of my law school friends for sharing this with me

Your Mississippi Government Ignoring You...Suprised?

On February 11, 2010, Governor Barbour signed HB 512 placing an unnecessary burden on consumers suffering from cold and allergy symptoms.

I think I agree with Letha Wiley, a 62-year-old from Sardis, who said putting the restrictions on pseudoephedrine, a decongestant, won't stop meth addicts.

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Everybody can't afford to go to the doctor," Wiley said. "(Addicts) are going to do what they want to do. Lawmakers have got more important issues to deal with."

Kudos to the only four senators and fifteen representatives who voted against the bill:

Senators:
John Horhn, D-Jackson
Walter Michel, R-Jackson
Willie Simmons, D-Cleveland
Chris McDaniel, R-Ellisville.

Representatives:
Kelvin Buck, D-District 5 - Benton, Marshall
Kimberly Campbell Buck, D-District 72 - Hinds, Madison
Tad Campbell, R-District 84 - Clarke, Jasper, Lauderdale, Newton
Bryant W. Clark, D-District 47 - Attala, Holmes, Yazoo
Alyce G. Clarke, D-District 69 - Hinds
Mary H. Coleman, D-District 65 - Hinds, Madison
Becky Currie, R-District 92 - Copiah, Franklin, Lincoln
Tyrone Ellis, D-District 38 - Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha
Steven A. Horne, R-District 81 - Clarke, Lauderdale
Billy Nicholson, R-District 78 - Neshoba, Newton, Scott
Omeria Scott, D-District 80 - Clarke, Jasper, Jones
Greg Snowden, R-District 83 - Clarke, Lauderdale
Johnny W. Stringer, D-District 87 - Jasper, Jones, Newton
Sara R. Thomas, D-District 31 - Sunflower
Joseph L. Warren, D-District 90 - Covington, Forrest, Jefferson Davis, Marion, Simpson


What medications will be affected?

Senate Judiciary B Committee Chairman Gray Tollison, D-Oxford, said the legislation would require prescriptions for about 10 drugs: Advil Cold and Sinus, Aleve D, Bronkaid, Claritin D, Mucinex D, Nyquil D, Primatene, Sudafed, Tylenol Sinus Severe Cold and Zyrtec D.

Private Sector Individual Baffles NASA

Uses Balloon And Home Camera To Take Amazing Space Photos. This was just too bad ass to pass over.




I've done a similar thing.

I took two small sticks and poked them through the bottom of a dry cleaners bag perpendicular to each other. Then I wrapped tin foil around the center of the two sticks to create a small basket type container. I put cotton balls dipped in alcohol in the tin foil platform and lit it. The hot air filled the bag, and it took off.

SIDENOTE: If you are upwind from your enemies, this is a good cheap way to attack/spy on them.

Are the Republicans being hypocritical on health care?

Here's a good article noting the hypocrisy of the Republicans health care position.

And here's another observation:

Because of the nation's disgust over the Iraq war, Democrats were swept into office. This has led not to a withdrawl of troops (what the voters wanted), but to the passage of the health care bill.

Now because of the unpopular passage of the health care bill, Republicans will likely be swept into office. Will the new Republicans keep their word and repeal the health care bill, or will the cycle of deception and distraction continue? I remain skeptical.

If you really want to be against Socialism...

"Gotta love the internet and the peaceful division of labor for bringing such great summaries to our attention." - Manuel Lora

Government Prevents Monopolies

unless you're talking about cable, power, water, sewer. I've yet to meet someone happy with Comcast's cable service. We have no alternative to Entergy providing our power; they even buy advertisements on television. Why do you need to advertise when you have NO COMPETITION? All this does is increase our rates, which the government so graciously moderates...yeah right.

If you live in Jackson, you've experienced the city's competency regarding the water fiasco this Winter. But they have to have a consolidated water system to promote efficiency, right? How efficient was your water service in January?

Health Care