4th of July Hypocricy (was: OT Celebration)

From: Richard Erlacher <edick_at_idcomm.com>
Date: Thu Jul 5 10:39:55 2001

You're right, of course, but this type of legislation is instigated not by
random legislative supidity, but by insurance interests. They save lots of $$$
by avoiding the injuries and subsequent lawsuits. Here in the U.S. we have a
really STUPID law, called the McCarran-Ferguson Act of 1945, that gets renewed
every so often, the original purpose of which was to help the insurance industry
grow to such extent that insurance would be available uniformly thoughout the
country. Now, over 55 years later, it's still around, the insurance companies
don't need it at all, but it still makes the insurance industry exempt from
nearly all anti-trust laws. If you're curious, contact your federal legislators
to see how they voted. I'll bet it's hard to get a straight answer, not only to
how they voted, which, ultimately, is a matter of record, but watch what happens
if you ask them WHY they voted for it.

Dick

----- Original Message -----
From: "Geoff Roberts" <geoffrob_at_stmarks.pp.catholic.edu.au>
To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2001 6:21 PM
Subject: Re: RE: 4th of July Hypocricy (was: OT Celebration)


>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Richard Erlacher" <edick_at_idcomm.com>
> To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
> Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2001 6:58 AM
> Subject: Re: RE: 4th of July Hypocricy (was: OT Celebration)
>
>
> > It all supports the Californian conclusion that "you can't legislate
> good
> > sense."
>
> No, but it doesn't stop the government from trying.
>
> > It's worth noting, however, that the U.S. is about the only
> industrialized
> > country in the world that bends over as far as it does to protect
> those who are
> > STUPID while doing absolutely nothing to protect the rest of us from
> them.
>
> Uh, you've obviously never lived in Australia.
> In all States it is illegal to ride a motorcycle without an approved
> crash helmet. $200 on the spot fine.(Varies from state to state)
> In South Australia (maybe others too) it is now illegal to ride a
> bicycle without an approved bicycle crash helmet. $50 on the spot fine.
>
> Not silly in the sense that they save lives, but indicative of the depth
> of interference in peoples lives by politicians needing to be seen to be
> doing something.
>
> cheers
>
> Geoff in Oz
>
>
>
>
Received on Thu Jul 05 2001 - 10:39:55 BST