In case you ever wondered why the 6th Amendment contains the confrontation clause, what's happened to Bloke on the Range is a great private sector example.
This is also why we need to massively purge our laws and regulations.
If you literally cannot know that you're breaking the rules; how can you avoid breaking them?
If your only contact from the people in charge is the beginning of punishment for breaking a rule you had no idea existed, what then?
It's not happenstance that things are set up this way.
I'm reminded of Dr. Ferris' speech in 'Atlas Shrugged':
ReplyDelete"Did you really think we want those laws observed?" said Dr. Ferris.
"We want them to be broken.
You'd better get it straight that it's not a bunch of boy scouts you're up against... We're after power and we mean it...
There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals.
Well, when there aren't enough criminals one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.
Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What's there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced or objectively interpreted – and you create a nation of law-breakers – and then you cash in on guilt.
Now that's the system, Mr. Reardon, that's the game, and once you understand it, you'll be much easier to deal with."
--Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged, 1957