We need only look at our nation's capitol to see this in action

You can take the man out of the animal, but you can't take the animal out of the man (which is why jails and prisons stay full)

Good point. Look at the make up of Jails and Prisons: If pot had never been illegal, many people incarcerated (and/or fined) would not be in jail. Many murderers wouldn't be there because a drug deal went bad. There's a number of victimless crimes that lead to incarceration because society has placed a social constraint upon it. Prostitution, gambling, and heaven forbid that the blue laws be enforced.

Where I live there are many people incarcerated for the felonious act of having driven an automobile with a registration that had been expired for 6 months or longer.

How silly is that?

too many laws are written just to punish people. If you ever get a chance, check the history of Nixon's war on drugs. It was set out to punish and control liberal hippies and minorities. thanks to that, gang wars have cost the lives of thousands as well as today's opioid crisis.

Felons can't vote, felons can't lawfully own guns....that's the angle - plus the privatization of jails and prisons where the government guarantees a minimum head count. It is my opinion that from the time the average "law abiding" person gets up in the morning and goes to be at night he or she could have been cited or arrested for at least 10 violations of statutes. EVERYTHING is illegal or some code violation.

I think we're on the same page about this.

Ayn Rand said it best:

"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 or enforced nor objectively interpreted - and you create a nation of law-breakers - and then you cash in on guilt."

Add in the greed factor, and you've got it. Starting with the corporate prisons, and you have to wonder why more corporate leaders aren't in them. Next comes law enforcement,and the funds they receive. This includes everything from the meter maid to the prosecutors, and up.

Legislators? Why do you think corporate America supports them? Super PACs, and the like have their own agenda, which is to control the masses, and our elected officials are merely their puppets.

Another P.J. o'Rourke observation.

This is the story of my life. Fortunately for me, I rarely drank. As a teen, I only wanted poontang.

And most of all, the love of upvotes!