Government Taxies Out of Control

One of the realities of dealing with government is that laws designed to regulate one activity or another in the public interest are invariably twisted at some point to protect the regulated, typically at the expense of the those who counted on the regulation to protect them.

No better example is provided than that of Quincy, Illinois, detailed in this story. The story speaks for itself, but illustrates what happens when politicians and bureaucrats decide their election or appointment invests them with the superior wisdom to regulate all aspects of life and not merely those to which a regulation is directed. The law loses all sight of itself and becomes the tool of those it was intended to control.

It is an all too common problem. Once we gain the reigns of any power we are inclined to use it to impose our own visions of fairness and justice. The intent of the law goes out the window and we become obsessed with arbitrating the activities and needs of others. This is why I always advise my local government clients who are writing zoning laws to ask themselves, for every provision they draft, why are they doing this and what is their public purpose. It is amazing how often that leads them to conclude they don't need it. If only...