On Sun, 5 Nov 2000, Peter Capelli/Raleigh/Contr/IBM wrote:
Yes, while it would be unconstitutional for the federal government to pass this law, how could it be unconstitutional as a local or state statute? Something similar to requiring X number of smoke detectors per square foot.
An interesting exercise is to ask where the government (ANY branch of government) gets the authority to require me to put smoke detectors in my home. If my house burns down, that's my tough toenails, right? Well, probably not in the city. In a densely built area, the government is exercising the PRESUMED property rights of my neighbors to minimize the risk to their homes from fires I may start. But it has done so, in most cases, without ever consulting my neighbors or getting their authorization for such action. I really wish that property ownership, or whatever else, came with an attached list of the supposed "property rights" exercised on your behalf by government. I think people would be appalled at what their presumed interests amount to complicity in. Bear