Dumb Laws

Nothing Funny About the Amusement Tax

Andrew Roth — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:38:10 -0500

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley is proposing an increase in the amusement tax to cover a budget shortfall. Cubs fans are still grieving over their team's loss in the playoffs and now this?

Brown Grass Means Jail Time

Andrew Roth — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:53:03 -0500

A man was put in jail because he failed to adequately water his lawn.

I'm Sorry

Andrew Roth — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:46:31 -0500

A proposal in Canada called The Apology Act would make it easier for people to apologize for doing something wrong without it later being held against them in court. I love this quote from the article: "However, [Attorney General Mike] Bentley said the bill isn't designed to make it easier for the government to apologize because it should do the right thing regardless." As opposed to private citizens who should do the wrong thing from time to time?

Perhaps the Stupidest Law Ever?

Andrew Roth — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:43:52 -0500

Michael Cannon at Cato has the details. And, yes, the law comes from California.

Dumbness During the Bailout

Andrew Roth — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 09:28:05 -0500

While the United States struggles through the credit crisis, what is the House of Representatives doing? Passing a resolution "recognizing the 150th anniversary year of the founding of Macy's, Inc."

Dumb Law Time Machine

Andrew Roth — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:37:00 -0500

Here's a dumb law from 1908 in New York City.

Man Tries to Get California to Sue Him

Andrew Roth — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 10:03:37 -0500

I like this guy. Great idea.

Dumb Court Decision About Mad Cow Disease

Andrew Roth — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:28:16 -0500

With caution, I put this court decision under the "Dumb Laws" category only because there are several legal details that might not make it entirely dumb. However, on the surface, it seems remarkably dumb. Apparently, the U.S. Court of Appeals is preventing a beef company from testing its own beef for mad cow disease at its own expense.

Dumb Proposal in L.A.

Andrew Roth — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:14:47 -0500

A committee for the Los Angeles City Council is going to consider a proposal that would prohibit people from smoking within 5 feet of restaurant tables that are located outside.

Dumbness in Knoxville, TN

Andrew Roth — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:04:22 -0500

You need a permit to go out of business in Knoxville, TN.

The Nanny State = The Richard Simmons State

Andrew Roth — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:07:54 -0500

From the Daily Mail in Great Britain:

A bizarre Government-funded campaign is being launched to encourage people to exercise while they’re waiting for a bus.

According to the campaign’s organisers, those minutes spent at the bus stop watching the traffic go by could be spent more usefully – by standing on one leg, pointing your toes or clenching your buttocks.

Dumb Letter to the NCAA

Andrew Roth — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:11:47 -0500

From TV Week:

[Nine c]ongressmen today sent a letter to NCAA President Myles Brand urging the NCAA to ban alcohol ads entirely from broadcasts.

“We find it puzzling that NCAA advertising rules prohibit ads for cigarettes, other tobacco products, organizations promoting gambling and alcohol beverages, yet continue to allow ads for beverages with alcohol content of 6% or less,” said the letter. “Given the devastating problems caused by underage college drinking, much of it in the form of beer, that policy makes little sense and flouts the core value of sports and learning.

“Please act to protect the integrity of college sports and the health and safety interests of college students, athletes and young fans by ending all advertising during NCAA broadcasts,” the letter said.

The letter was signed by Reps. Henry Waxman, R-Calif.; Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif.; Lois Capps, D-Calif.; Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.; Hilda L. Solis, D-Calif.; Zach Wamp, R-Tenn.; Jim Ramstad, R-Minn.; Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz.; and Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn.

First off, Waxman is a very liberal Democrat, not a Republican. Second, four of these nine congressmen (Roybal-Allard, Capps, Solis, and Grijalva) voted against banning Internet gambling in 2006. How do they reconcile these two diametric positions? It's okay to gamble your life savings away, just don't drink while you do it?

HT: Stu Clark

Dumb Ballot Idea

Andrew Roth — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 12:48:16 -0500

A proposal has been submitted to California's attorney general for consideration on the 2010 ballot (at the earliest) that would apply a death tax of 55% on all wealth over $20 million. That's bad enough, but the proceeds would not be used to balance the budget or build roads and bridges. No, it would be used to buy stock in Exxon-Mobil, Chevron, Citicorp, J.P. Morgan, and other companies. The goal is to make sure these companies do not drill or contribute to drilling off the coast of California, and to make sure they invest in alternative fuel research and development. Oh, and it would make sure these companies do not loan money to foreign companies at the expense of domestic ones. You know, because globalization is bad, bad, bad. Hear that sound? That's all of California's millionaires packing up their things and driving their SUVs to Florida.

Dumb Bill of the Year?

Andrew Roth — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:10:36 -0500

HR 6753, sponsored by Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ-06), would "provide for the issuance of a commemorative postage stamp on the subject of inflammatory bowel disease."

Dumb Taxes and Dumb Exemptions

Andrew Roth — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:58:32 -0500

Every state with a sales tax has an official revenue book that explains what items are taxable and non-taxable. You can always get a chuckle out of some of the explanations.

From PAPundit in Pennsylvania comes this gem:

One of my favorites: Non-flavored bottled water is not taxable, but if it’s flavored it’s taxable – unless it contains at least 25% juice, in which case it’s not!

HT: James Bookstaber