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From: js2j@mhuxt.UUCP (sonntag)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: sundry delayed responses (legalization of victimless crimes)
Message-ID: <420@mhuxt.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 19-Dec-84 12:57:44 EST
Article-I.D.: mhuxt.420
Posted: Wed Dec 19 12:57:44 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 20-Dec-84 02:45:51 EST
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Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
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> >  The first of which is LEGALIZATION OF ALL VICTIMLESS CRIMES.
> >This will allow two things of great import to happen.  The police can go
> >back to protecting the people from handgun killers, etc. and realize quite
> >a bit more respect then they currently get.  The price of many currently
> >illegal substances will plummet, taking the money maker out of organized
> >crimes and removing the incentive a junky has to steal 3 T.V.'s a day for
> >his habit.  
> >        --Cliff [Matthews]
> 
> This bit about getting rid of victimless crimes is so true and obvious
> that it is no surprise people in power can't see it.  
> Martin Taylor

Maybe the problem is not that the people in power can't see it, but just
the reverse.  After all, it's been shown that congresscritters are 
bribeable, and SOMEBODY out there is making BIG bucks off of nearly
every victimless crime law.  When alcohol was illegal, people made
big bucks off of that as well.  If you were the head off the mafia, just
how much would YOU be willing to pay out in bribes to keep marijuana
illegal?
   Also, the people who choose to become lawmakers in this country, are,
naturally enough, people who enjoy wielding power.  They don't have
much power over people when the things that people like to do aren't
illegal.  But all they have to do is to illegalize something which
people enjoy, and then they are free to create organizations to fight
these 'crimes', selectively enforce these laws, etc.  
   It seems unlikely that any laws against victimless crimes will be
repealed in the near future.  *SIGH*

Jeff Sonntag
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