Rules, Ordinances, Codes and Statutes (ROCS)

Hey kids, It's me again, still in the "Polky" with a severe case of writer's cramp, and a dash of carpal tunnel to keep things interesting. Erasers are non-stardard equipment, and pens are contraband. Remember those never-sharpened standard issue golf pencils you get at golf courses everywhere? That's all your allowed to have here. After 2 sharpens, your pencil is gone. Needless to say, I have a full-tilt collection of 20+, always sharp and at the ready.

Anyway, since I'm dead center in No Rights Land, this may just be a great time to address this topic where the rest of you are concerned. Since I've already attacked this on several paths throughout this blog, we'll visit the remaining options today;  Rules Road, Ordinance Overlook, Code Court, and Statute Street; or as I like to refer to them, the 4 Highways to Hell.  We'll just call them ROCS for short...you know, to save space, as well as my left pencil paw.

Since the subversive appearance of these "Laws" in our society things have gotten progressively worse.  Like overgrown thick shrubbery, ROCS make life difficult, un-surmountable and un-enjoyable, at best. Where passage used to exist, leaf clusters block the rest of your progress in our very limited existence.  These supposed protectors of your life's quality have not only blocked out the world's evil-doers, they have now blocked your exit out as well. At this point in our history, ROCS are best ripped from the ground and replanted anew; in favor of being trimmed back, only to return twice as thick and tall in the spring.

Sadly, ROCS were begun and put into place with good intent, but have since, grown into a way to bring in revenue and produce and keep jobs, generally at the expense of the very citizens they were put in place to serve. The biggest problem with ROCS is that they aren't public knowledge unless you're either an avid fan of sifting through law digests, legislative transcripts and boring senatorial bills...or until they affect you directly.   Part B of that is, it generally, won't affect you directly... until you're ticketed, fined, or worse, arrested for violating them.

Crazy thing, though, in the case of tickets and fines, we simply open our wallets and just pay and pay; never giving a wince over the thought of the parking ticket that used to be $5, but is now $25. Generally, prices tend to be more sneaky in their rise, unless it's been the same rate for years, in which case we tend to be more tolerant of a sharp increase. We don't fight, not only because we don't have the time to, but also because it often costs more to fight it then it does to pay it. This is how Iowa's seat belt tickets went from $21 at their inception, to $156 today. Are you feeling that "ping" in your wallet finally?

Those arrested for violating ROCS pretty much share similar fates. Once arrested they bond out quickly, then accept plea bargains of "deals", which tends to lead them to believe they're getting the best of the state, when in fact, they're simply falling into the trap, and building up a light record with which the state can later bring more serious crimes against you.

Of course, this means more revenue at a later time. When lower crimes graduate to more serious ones, through the "3 strikes" ROCS, they ultimately produce life-long criminals out of some, due to their inability to find work (often because of their records) and their inability to adapt to that inability.

Here's the deal, America, and I really don't know how many more times I have to say this; It doesn't have to be like this. It used to be that we dealt with those around us, in our own ways, when the need arose. Unless you or your property is damaged by another, there remains no need for the countless "laws" passed to keep us from truly enjoying what little life we have to live; and no need for those who enforce (or force) and shove those laws down our throats because George has a problem with the walnuts that fall from your gigantic shade tree into your yard. Save to make those who pass hundreds of ROCS every year to make our cities, counties, states and country more money, they cost us more of our life, liberty and our pursuit of true happiness everyday.