In the Crystal Ball: More Regulation for Psychics

[onager]

Source: Time

Starting this week, fortune tellers in Warren, Mich., must be fingerprinted and pay an annual fee of $150 — plus $10 for a police background check — to practice their craft. The new rules are among America's strictest on palmists, fortune readers and other psychics, part of a growing push to regulate a business that has never been taken, or overseen, very seriously...

"We had no mechanism of enforcement to protect people against unsavory characters," Warren city-council member Keith Sadowski says. "We want to be sure there is some recourse in case we do get somebody who is not legitimate..."

Psychic Gina Marie Marks pleaded guilty Wednesday, Sept. 1, in Florida to grand theft and organized fraud. One of her victims testified that Marks swindled her out of $312,926.29 — and persuaded her to get a tattoo, to boot. It's now "a constant reminder of the psychological abuse I endured at the hands of this false prophet," she told a Broward County judge...



Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2015676,00.html?xid=rss-nation-yahoo#ixzz0yfPx0pj4

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Enforcement would be very simple if every claimant had to pass a simple test of their "powers" in a controlled environment. e.g., James Randi's standing offer of $1 million for ANYONE demonstrating psychic powers.

Problem - the municipalities would never collect any money, since not one single self-proclaimed psychic has ever passed such a test.

[XanaDUer]

1. I think I saw the Marks woman on a crime TV show

she also made an old, sick man believe that, as long as he kept funneling money to her, she could keep him alive.

His wife only found out when a ton of money disappeared from their joint account. The wife DID make a fuss, since she was indignant and not embarrassed, like a lot of victims are.

[onager]

2. Hey, thanks!

How did I miss that one? I'll watch out for it.

I'm a sucker for true-crime shows. And the shows about spouses knocking each other off for the insurance money get kind of boring, since I've seen so many of 'em...

:rofl:

[Nuclear Unicorn]

3. I'm an atheist and I think psychics are a bunch of hooey

But they have a right to practice their "religion".

Charging people $150/year to exercise what should be a fundamental right is bullcrap.

If fraud is their concern they can keep a database with local criminal records just like everything else that doesn't cost.

[gophates]

5. I'd like to see that charge for all priests, ministers, and other purveyors of religious hooey.

You know, considering they're too important to be taxed like all other businesses.

[customerserviceguy]

9. Agreed

Regulations aren't going to protect people stupid enough to give their money to a psychic, or a TV preacher, either.

[Odin2005]

12. being a con artist is not a religion.

[d_r]

4. they should have seen this coming.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

7. i LOVE that sign,

"psychic fair cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances"

[Odin2005]

11. DUzy!

[ChairmanAgnostic]

6. apply the same test to christianity, and power of prayer.

then, I'd be very happy.

[Codeine]

8. Good. Useless filth will at least generate some city revenue. nt

[Odin2005]

10. This is a good idea. Get rid of these conmen that prey on the gullible.

[woo me with science]

13. "Weed out tricksters"

...as opposed to all the LEGITIMATE psychics...

Um, right. :eyes: