A Stitch in Haste

An addendum to my recent post:

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ITEM: It's one thing for the government to insist that children go to school. It's another thing for the government to insist that parents go to school too —

A bill [in Texas] would fine parents who neglect particular meetings with their child's teacher.

[The bill] seeks criminal penalty for parents who fail to attend conference meetings requested by their child's teacher. This would not apply to the annual parent-teacher conferences, only meetings requested to address behavioral and educational issues. The offense could be punishable by a fine similar to children who break truancy laws.

MY TAKE: Let's call this what it is — giving subpoena power to teachers, as if they were on a par with judges or prosecutors, and giving fining power to school boards, as if they were on a par with the criminal justice system. Not every "good idea" warrants criminal penalties for non-compliance, and fines such as this will only foment bitterness in the parent — probably not the best prescription for those already behaving sub-optimally. The entire concept is facially absurd — and this particular version also happens to be unconstitutionally vague, because it exempts "legitimate" reasons for missing a meeting. "Legitimate" — to whom, by what standard? Such undefined, subjective, discretionary gobbledygook terms are simply not permitted under our standards of due process. (Via Cato@Liberty.)

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ITEM: Here's one way to combat global warming —

Three years ago, [Binghamton, New York] City Councilman Pat Russo counted 22 times as the same vehicle passed his Pine Street porch. Either the truck could make only right turns, Russo said, or the driver had an eye out for vice in a neighborhood plagued by crime.
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Russo has asked the city attorney to draft legislation that would prohibit cars from cruising in designated areas at certain times. Under the law Russo would like to see drafted, vehicles that pass by a specific sign more than three times in a three-hour period could be stopped, questioned and fined.

MY TAKE: Consider the implications: Simply driving your car in the "wrong" manner (i.e., in a circle) could now not only be reasonable suspicion for a Terry stop, but could also constitute a per se criminal offense subject to fine. Just like merely standing on a street corner can now, without more, be considered "vagrancy" or even "attempted prostitution." All because some local bumpkin politician is annoyed. The drug war claims more collateral damage. (Via CrimProf Blog.)

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ITEM: Nanny-state politicians insist that smoking bans are a good idea, except when they're not —

Smokers who plan to watch the Bears-Saints NFC title game Sunday at an Orland Park, Oak Forest or Tinley Park bar won't have to chance missing a Brian Urlacher fumble recovery while sneaking outside to light up.

All three of the [Illinois] towns' boards voted Friday to temporarily lift new smoking bans for taverns and eateries in time for the 2 p.m. kickoff.

The bans are on hold until March 14 in Orland Park and Oak Forest and until Feb. 21 in Tinley Park — post-Super Bowl.

MY TAKE: It's either wrong to "put a dollar value on human life" or it isn't; there is no middle ground or "special exemptions" — especially for something as petty as a sporting event. Say what you want about us "cold, heartless, brutal" capitalists; at least we're intellectually honest about our belief that "almost everything has its price." So what's the politicians' excuse? Oh, right — I forgot: Da Bears. (Via Out of Control.)