4,000 federal crimes!

You might be breaking a Federal law, right this minute, and not even know it.

In Making criminals out of all Americans, Gene Healy reports:

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There are now more than 4,000 federal crimes, spread out through some 27,000 pages of the U.S. Code. Some years ago, analysts at the Congressional Research Service tried to count the number of separate offenses on the books, and gave up, lacking the resources to get the job done. If teams of legal researchers can't make sense of the federal criminal code, obviously, ordinary citizens don't stand a chance.
You can serve federal time for interstate transport of water hyacinths, trafficking in unlicensed dentures, or misappropriating the likeness of Woodsy Owl and his associated slogan, "Give a hoot, don't pollute." ("What are you in for, kid?" your new cellmate growls.) Bills currently before Congress would send Americans to federal prison for eating horsemeat or selling goods falsely labeled as "Native American."
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27,000 pages of the U.S. code!

Mind boggling.

27,000 pages of the U.S. code!

Now and then I've wondered if a political compagined based on "We'll get rid of the old stupid, outdated laws." would have any traction.

27,000 pages of the U.S. code!

Maybe we ought to have a law that Congress has to live under new laws for five years before the rest of us need to pay any attention.


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