The Straight Story
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Mon Dec-21-09 06:16 PM
Original message |
Poll question: Should fines be tied to income? |
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IE if you get fined for driving without a seat belt, etc, should your fine be a percent of your income so that the rich and poor both feel the 'pain' equally?
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Maine-ah
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Mon Dec-21-09 06:18 PM
Response to Original message |
1. what if the offender does not have an income? |
The Straight Story
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Mon Dec-21-09 06:19 PM
Response to Reply #1 |
2. Then they are in debt (basing fines on poverty level) and, uh, what happens to them now? (nt) |
Cant trust em
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Mon Dec-21-09 06:24 PM
Response to Reply #1 |
6. I believe that there are certain exemptions. |
dysfunctional press
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Mon Dec-21-09 06:25 PM
Response to Reply #1 |
7. most fines also offer jail time as an alternative. |
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they'd become a guest of the state.
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glen123098
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Mon Dec-21-09 06:32 PM
Response to Reply #7 |
11. Would you be OK with people going to jail because of a seatbelt ticket? |
dysfunctional press
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Mon Dec-21-09 06:36 PM
Response to Reply #11 |
13. i'm not okay with seatbelt tickets in general. |
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but- if the penalty for breaking a law is either a fine or jail time- they need to do one or the other.
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ipaint
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Mon Dec-21-09 06:20 PM
Response to Original message |
3. If it's the same percentage for rich or poor |
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then the rich do not feel the same degree of pain.
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notesdev
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Mon Dec-21-09 06:21 PM
Response to Original message |
4. Most fines are for revenue purposes |
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They're just a way to extract more money from people going about their business.
If someone wants to ride around without a seatbelt, that's their risk, and their business. Cops should have better things to deal with - and if they don't there should be fewer cops.
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The Straight Story
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Mon Dec-21-09 06:24 PM
Response to Reply #4 |
5. Yeah well, you won't find folks here usually agreeing with that |
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Edited on Mon Dec-21-09 06:25 PM by The Straight Story
I feel the same about people who want to smoke in a bar with other like minded folks, their body, their choice, butt out - the same with wanting to work there (and I know a few bar maids who smoke and work at bars).
But now we have a lot of people who want to 'protect' us from ourselves, kind of the like the church wants to protect us and keep us from sinning.
Your body, your choice is only good on ONE topic, outside of that many seem to abandon it.
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taterguy
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Mon Dec-21-09 06:26 PM
Response to Reply #4 |
8. Do you have a source for that or are you just making it up? |
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I only know of one instance where fines were for revenue:
When Virginia experimented with very high fines for traffic offenses.
For most traffic fines, it costs the state more to collect it; once you pay the officer, attorneys, judges and other support people involved.
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notesdev
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Mon Dec-21-09 06:41 PM
Response to Reply #8 |
14. Most of them won't admit it, of course |
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The bill in Virginia which did admit it was refreshing in its honesty, but otherwise no different than what goes on everywhere else.
I point to the fact that the elected officials who push this stuff into law are frequently caught transgressing those very same laws, as evidence that they don't really believe that these laws improve safety.
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taterguy
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Mon Dec-21-09 07:22 PM
Response to Reply #14 |
17. So in other words, you're just making it up |
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In Virginia, the fine exceeded the cost of collecting it.
In most other situations, the reverse is true.
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notesdev
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Mon Dec-21-09 07:26 PM
Response to Reply #17 |
18. No, I'm using common sense |
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Anyone who has ever heard of a speed trap knows it's not revenue negative.
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taterguy
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Mon Dec-21-09 07:27 PM
Response to Reply #18 |
20. Fine, cite a budget that demonstrates that |
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If it's "common sense" it shouldn't be too difficult
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notesdev
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Mon Dec-21-09 07:38 PM
Response to Reply #20 |
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http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2009-07-21-parkingfines_N.htmYou're fighting a losing battle trying to argue that revenue isn't the motive force behind fines, anyone can google "fines +revenue" and get more evidence of the phenomenon than they'll have time to digest.
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taterguy
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Mon Dec-21-09 08:00 PM
Response to Reply #22 |
23. That's a newspaper article, not a budget |
Chemisse
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Mon Dec-21-09 06:32 PM
Response to Reply #4 |
10. I agree with your seat belt opinion. |
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I believe in erring on the side of freedom.
With the seat belts, you are only hurting your stupid self if you don't wear it. So why should "Big Daddy" tell you you are naughty and slap your hand with a fine?
You should just have the good sense to do it yourself, and if you don't, I guess evolution is taking its course.
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ixion
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Mon Dec-21-09 06:30 PM
Response to Original message |
9. Other: There should be no fines |
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because there should be no mandates.
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Libertas1776
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Mon Dec-21-09 06:33 PM
Response to Reply #9 |
phasma ex machina
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Mon Dec-21-09 07:26 PM
Response to Reply #9 |
19. +1 Best solution. (Voted yes.) K&R. nt |
Tesha
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Mon Dec-21-09 06:45 PM
Response to Original message |
15. It's already done in the more-civilized nations in Europe. |
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day-fineUnder this system, a Nokia VP was recently fined something like 87,000 Euros for racing his motorcycle through Helsinki. Tesha
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bigwillq
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Mon Dec-21-09 06:58 PM
Response to Original message |
16. There should be no fines |
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for not wearing a seat belt. It's a personal choice to wear one or not.
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valerief
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Mon Dec-21-09 07:29 PM
Response to Original message |
21. Richest people don't have incomes. They have capital gains. nt |
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