The Penalty Must Stop the Crime

       I was once the manager for a manufacturing plant that made pickup covers.  These covers were for an eight foot pickup box so they were over eight feet long counting the forward slant and rear door handles.  Legally these covers could not be hauled crossways when shipped as they would make the load over eight feet wide.  A wide-load permit could not be obtained because they could be legally transported lengthways. 

       The problem was that 23 covers would fit on 40’ trailer crossways and only 19 if hauled lengthways.  The fine for the over-width load was usually around $50, and the drivers were seldom stopped and fined.  Putting four extra covers on a trailer saved freight.  We could afford to pay a fine on every load and still make money. 

       Once a driver was stopped at a weigh station and not allowed to move until the load was legal.  He was partially empty and hired other drivers to help him rearrange the load.  Only one time in two years was a driver stopped with a full load and not allowed to proceed.  That time cost us, since he was in another state and we had to send a pickup and small trailer to make the load legal. 

       The $50 fine clearly was not enough to stop the crime. The reward was greater than the risk.  If the drivers were always stopped and not allowed to proceed, or if the fine had been $500 and frequent, we would not have broken the law.

      The penalty often does not deter the crime in this country.  Corporate executives break the law to enhance their bonuses, and are never prosecuted.  Instead, the corporation pays fines that end up costing the stockholders and consumers.

       The rewards for drug dealers far exceed the risk and penalties, so they continue selling illegal drugs.  These drugs destroy people’s lives, homes, and the future of children in the home.  Taxpayers bear the cost of that destruction.

       We have regulations that hurt small business, and help big business because big business can and do buy the politicians.  Small business must often ignore the regulations or go out of business.  The entrepreneur and small business is what made this country great.  We should be encouraging them.  Now big government shuts down many small businesses, and discourages new small business start-ups.

       Illegal immigrants are breaking the law and usually face no penalty.  Instead, they are rewarded with free education and many government benefits.  Legal immigrants and taxpaying citizens pay the cost of not securing our borders and not enforcing our immigration laws. 

       Politicians, sports stars, celebrities, and the super rich consider themselves above the law and seldom pay a penalty for breaking the law.  They simply deny and cover-up the crime.  They need to face severe penalties that make them adhere to the laws.

       This great country is a country of laws.  These laws must be enforced equally for all.  The penalty must be adequate to discourage the crime.  We seem to have lost sight of this in many cases.  This is egregiously unfair to all the hard working citizens who do obey the law. 

        We must reduce the size of the federal government, and stop the unfair political advantage of big business.