Laws that should be nationalized

[RoJoHen]

While I understand that different cities and states have different needs (driving laws, for instance, can vary wildly because of of a state's terrain), I think it's strange that some laws aren't the same across the entire United States.

Liquor Laws are the biggest example I can think of. Tax Laws are another.

How are there still Dry States? I find that whole concept baffling. Why is Happy Hour illegal in some states (like here in good ole Illinois) when it is perfectly acceptable in other states? Why is okay in some places for you to order a mixed drink at a bar and then leave with it, while in other places you can't even go to a grocery store and pay for the liquor outside of the liquor department?

I get the need for local laws in some respects, but others just seem really odd.

 

[Mistral]

The local communities adapt to their needs.

 

[RoJoHen]

Do they, though? Or are they just hanging onto old laws because nobody has thought to change them?

 

[RJDiogenes]

There aren't any dry states, just dry counties; dry counties exist because of an overabundance of conservative elements in the area. The reason that some laws vary by State is that any powers not specifically given to the Federal government in the Constitution or specifically forbidden to the States automatically devolve to the States; this is because the US originally began as a group of thirteen separate entities and States' Rights were a big deal (and still are to some).

 

[Mallory]

I'm generally in favor of as much local control as possible, within reason. That's one of the reasons I love where I live. I don't want to pump my own gas. I want the price on an item to be the price I pay at the register (i.e. no sales tax). And if I want to buy a six pack of beer, a bottle of wine and two boxes of ammunition at the local gas station at 6am, well that's my right.

Some laws, of necessity, need to apply evenly across all the states. But I think the more the community controls the law, the better things are.

 

[Teelie]

But I think the more the community controls the law, the better things are.

This can and does quickly become a problem if you're not a local, or if your definition of "community" varies in size to another person's. Just where do you stop the local law from being local? Where do you place the limit on something illegal in one community but legal in the one next door?

Yes, local laws are good, but they can quickly outgrow their limitations and people being people, they think they should get an ever broadening scope of power.

For instance where I live, it's legal to buy liquor on Sundays but either the county or town has an ordance against it the last I knew. It's strongly discouraged in either event. Yet I can drive 30 minutes to another town and it's legal to buy a kegger and go all out on the booze if I want.

Sure, it's inconvienent to drive out of my way to get liquor if I wanted it on a Sunday but it's only an example. There are other issues that could be potentially more confusing or annoying to people out of town or new to town.

Local sales tax is one thing I realize is a necessary variance but there are differing laws on how to address it too. Do you require people to have sales tax on the item on the shelf already (ie $2.50 is $2.50, not $2.65 because of a tax) or do they still have to have it added at the register?

Some local laws are just plain weird or ought to be unenforcable too. Lots of old laws are still on the books that state out-of-date concepts or ideals. Having a broader, more uniform law to cover most illegal activity would be better than the existing hodge-podge of local, county/parish, state and federal laws.

 

[Cakes488]

While I understand that different cities and states have different needs (driving laws, for instance, can vary wildly because of of a state's terrain), I think it's strange that some laws aren't the same across the entire United States.

Liquor Laws are the biggest example I can think of. Tax Laws are another.

How are there still Dry States? I find that whole concept baffling. Why is Happy Hour illegal in some states (like here in good ole Illinois) when it is perfectly acceptable in other states? Why is okay in some places for you to order a mixed drink at a bar and then leave with it, while in other places you can't even go to a grocery store and pay for the liquor outside of the liquor department?

I get the need for local laws in some respects, but others just seem really odd.

Word! I remember when Jerry Garcia died I was away on business in Boston and nobody would sell me any liquor during the day. I had to go to a seedy store and beg -- what the hell was that all about? Scout can you remind me what the deal is up there as that happened over 10yrs ago. AND I got busted in the damn park by a cop -- thank god the "I'm from NY and we drink beer out of paper bags all the time" thing worked...or maybe it was the blowjob I gave him behind the hedge...not sure what it was but I "got off"....LOL LOL.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Federalized Conceal Carry Permits would be nice.

 

[Starbreaker]

It's not that people don't think to change the laws... some people really don't want to. Imagine trying to convince a group of white Baptists in Alabama to serve alcohol on Sundays. Ain't gonna happen.

 

[sbk1234]

OK, I'll go there. Gay marriage laws. Now I'm not trying to put a judgement on it. But assuming it gets legalized in some states, I can't wrap my mind around the fact that it wouldn't be legal in other states. What happens if a person in a legal gay marriage in one state gets relocated to a state where it isn't legal, for example? All of a sudden they aren't married anymore?
If you're married anywhere in the US, you should be married everywhere in the US.

 

[nevermore]

Why is okay in some places for you to order a mixed drink at a bar and then leave with it, while in other places you can't even go to a grocery store and pay for the liquor outside of the liquor department?

Or, you know, at all, since grocery stores do not sell alcohol in many states.

 

[Mistral]

Keep in mind that while rule of law is necessary to keep our civilization running, an over-abundance of laws reduces us to a "baby-sitter" nation, ie, the government acts like an over-protective nanny. Take warning labels. Used to be on stuff that made sense, like poisons and medicines. Now they are on everything. If we'd just remove the warning labels Darwinism would kick in and improve the overall intelligence level of the (surviving) population. I mean, do I really need to be told that a cup of coffee is hot? If I do, I deserve the worst. A uniform law code only makes sense in a limited fashion. The fact that we have so many variations is a good thing, IMO, as it keeps the situation confused. Straighten out that confusion and the Gov will be regulating us all, uniformly. How far would we be from there to 1984? Or THX-1138?

 

[RoJoHen]

I just want to know that I can buy alcohol at the same time of day no matter what city I'm in.

 

[Trekker4747]

Word! I remember when Jerry Garcia died I was away on business in Boston and nobody would sell me any liquor during the day. I had to go to a seedy store and beg -- what the hell was that all about? Scout can you remind me what the deal is up there as that happened over 10yrs ago. AND I got busted in the damn park by a cop -- thank god the "I'm from NY and we drink beer out of paper bags all the time" thing worked...or maybe it was the blowjob I gave him behind the hedge...not sure what it was but I "got off"....LOL LOL.

God, I love this woman.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

AND I got busted in the damn park by a cop -- thank god the "I'm from NY and we drink beer out of paper bags all the time" thing worked...or maybe it was the blowjob I gave him behind the hedge...not sure what it was but I "got off"....LOL LOL.

Did he get off too

Honestly, the more local control, the better, imo. Granted, that means there are counties that suck as far as liquor laws go, but you can always go somewhere else (and, if enough people go somewhere else, they might be encouraged to change the law so they don't lose out on money).

The big things that need to be universalized are things that fall under the full faith and credit clause of the constitution. The big one for me is marriage licenses (or really personal contracts in general) where, if you go to another state, you don't want your license revoked. This would (not trying to invoke controversy, just pointing out the legal continuation of this) also apply to gun permits and conceal and carry permits (provided the state allows conceal and carry permits at all, they would have to recognize all of them).

I'm happy driving 20 minutes to buy alcohol if the area I'm in sucks (I drive less than that, actually, since the MD border isn't that far if I want to buy alcohol on a sunday after 8pm).

 

[JonathonWally]

Federalized Conceal Carry Permits would be nice.

No, they really wouldn't

 

[InklingStar]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution



The US is not a single-government entity. It is a collection of fifty federated states, who are in turn collections of county and municipal governments.

The whole point of the federal system is that different states have different laws. If I prefer things one way and you prefer them another, we can make our homes in states that suit our preferences. Viva la difference.

 

[Alpha Romeo]

I just want to know that I can buy alcohol at the same time of day no matter what city I'm in.

Then move to a state where it is allowed.

 

[FrontLine]

But I think the more the community controls the law, the better things are.

This can and does quickly become a problem if you're not a local, or if your definition of "community" varies in size to another person's. Just where do you stop the local law from being local? Where do you place the limit on something illegal in one community but legal in the one next door?

Yes, local laws are good, but they can quickly outgrow their limitations and people being people, they think they should get an ever broadening scope of power.

Im 100% with Mallory. Each community should be able to set up the laws that govern them in the manner that they like so long as the basic constitutional rights are not abridged. There is a reason why our Federal government is set up the way it is with the restrictions on its power. As for where are the limits, you set them at the municipal boundaries be they village, town, city or county.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution



The US is not a single-government entity. It is a collection of fifty federated states, who are in turn collections of county and municipal governments.

The whole point of the federal system is that different states have different laws. If I prefer things one way and you prefer them another, we can make our homes in states that suit our preferences. Viva la difference.

Yep. Besdies, if you were to have unified laws across the nation which group of people should write them? Conservatives? Liberals? Democrats? Republicans? Libertarians? Objectivists? Socialists? Greens?

 

[Thespeckledkiwi]

I personally think we need stricter laws on drunk driving in the US to simply put an end to it. Almost every week I open up a news paper and some family or some young kids have been killed because of a drunk driver that is on their 5th DUI.