Leviathan on a fishing expedition

[thebin]

It is important from time to time to remember why you can’t ever let the govt get an inch more authority than is absolutely necessary.

www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/will072912.php3

[AustinHoya03]

I think this story is less about government power and more about the need to have competent and level-headed people in government. This prosecution seems to be a gross misapplication of the law rather than a systemic problem.

[Elvado]

When people work in what is essentially a consequence free environment, this is what happens. Any real business would never tolerate such a shameless waste of resources. Other glaring exampleas include the Clemens and Bonds prosecutions

[thebin]

Aug 3, 2012 8:22:12 GMT -5 AustinHoya03 said:

I think this story is less about government power and more about the need to have competent and level-headed people in government. This prosecution seems to be a gross misapplication of the law rather than a systemic problem.

The problem is a systemic one on its face if this can ever happen. In my opinion you are stating a distinction without a difference.

[SFHoya99]

Aug 3, 2012 8:36:20 GMT -5 Elvado said:

When people work in what is essentially a consequence free environment, this is what happens. Any real business would never tolerate such a shameless waste of resources. Other glaring exampleas include the Clemens and Bonds prosecutions

While I do not disagree the government can be ridiculous, the idea that things like these do not happen in major corporations is wrong.

It's the size of the bureaucracy that creates crap like this more than anything. As well as the fact that individual motivations in companies are not driven for the company's benefit, but rather that individual's benefit.

[jgalt]

Aug 3, 2012 11:02:11 GMT -5 SFHoya99 said:

Aug 3, 2012 8:36:20 GMT -5 Elvado said:

When people work in what is essentially a consequence free environment, this is what happens. Any real business would never tolerate such a shameless waste of resources. Other glaring exampleas include the Clemens and Bonds prosecutions

While I do not disagree the government can be ridiculous, the idea that things like these do not happen in major corporations is wrong.

It's the size of the bureaucracy that creates crap like this more than anything. As well as the fact that individual motivations in companies are not driven for the company's benefit, but rather that individual's benefit.

Yep. You dont notice this happening in corporations because they can make a profit, so small wastes can be ignored. As SF says all larger organizations suffer from this problem.

The best way around it is to move to a flatter structure, which promotes personal responsibility among more people. Lower level employees perform better when given more responsibility and many enjoy their work more if give more responsibility (if they feel they are also compensated fairly). Large corporations and governments suffer from employees thinking "this is not my problem" and passing off potential trouble on to other employees or up the chain of command.

[AustinHoya03]

Aug 3, 2012 10:19:17 GMT -5 thebin said:

Aug 3, 2012 8:22:12 GMT -5 AustinHoya03 said:

I think this story is less about government power and more about the need to have competent and level-headed people in government. This prosecution seems to be a gross misapplication of the law rather than a systemic problem.

The problem is a systemic one on its face if this can ever happen. In my opinion you are stating a distinction without a difference.

Please tell me how a criminal law system which cannot be abused by individual bad actors would work. Or any system with human beings at the switch, for that matter.

This is an isolated incident. It doesn't call for reform of the criminal justice system any more than any individual murder calls for stricter gun control laws. There is not a widespread problem with overzealous prosecutions for violation of the nation's whale-feeding laws.