OT - No-Call list

[Thermodyne]

Mathias:

In the US congress writes federal law. If it violated the constitution the courts would be
expected to vacate the law. Usually they do. The issues that the courts dodge are usually social issues where there is not a clear course or where modern interpretation has altered the original intent. In some cases they tend to make social judgments, which in my opinion cause the most harm. In this case my right to privacy is based on existing law and the addition of the law
passed by congress. While it extends the reach of the existing law, it has a firm foundation. Is
the law perfect, hell no. But it aint half bad considering the amount of cash the other side spent fighting it.

As to the federal jobs, that is a myth based on the way things used to be. Work like this will be
done by contractors. And the contractors will lower the bid each year to get the work and in
the end it will be done by contract stiffs with low wages and few benefits. Some powerful
Senator will have the data center moved to some backwater location in a backwater state. Then the construction people will get rich building a new facility so that the contractors can hire
undereducated hicks for lower wages and less benefits. And then they will decide that the
system needs to be fixed, so they will lease a new facility with new systems and the contractors
will hire more people at even lower wages. And so on and so on.

The thing will be a cash cow, but not because of federal wages. The cash drain will be pure
politics as usual

[Mathias_Ice]

Originally posted by Thermodyne:
Mathias:

In the US congress writes federal law. If it violated the constitution the courts would be
expected to vacate the law. Usually they do.

I suppose I should clarify: I am a constructionist. I believe the Founding Fathers had an unbelievable amount of wisdom they put into our country's Constitution. They were very adamant about restricting the power of the Federal government. Sure Congress passes laws, for the most part they pass laws to keep thier asses in Congress, by appeasing what ever group they think will get them the most votes come election time. I don't see where my Federal tax dollars should be going to pay for a railroad company (AMTRAK) that for the most part only benefits people in a handful of East coast states. I don't see where my Federal tax dollars should be going to pay for an educational system that is graduating kids that can't read or write, then sending them to college, many times on government grants, so they can take remedial courses just so they can get up to a level where they can take the regular college courses. I don't see where my Federal tax dollars should be going to pay for a system to keep telemarketers from calling me. I pay for an unlisted number and caller ID for the main reason of keeping those calls to a minimum. I don't see where my Federal tax dollars should be going to pay for ad infinitum ad nauseum . The Federal government has become a nightmare of bloated bueracracy and all three branches have ignored the Constitution for about a hundred years. It makes me want to go on a John Brown killing spree through our nation's capitol.

/rant off

As to the federal jobs, that is a myth based on the way things used to be. Work like this will be
done by contractors. And the contractors will lower the bid each year to get the work and in
the end it will be done by contract stiffs with low wages and few benefits. Some powerful
Senator will have the data center moved to some backwater location in a backwater state. Then the construction people will get rich building a new facility so that the contractors can hire
undereducated hicks for lower wages and less benefits. And then they will decide that the
system needs to be fixed, so they will lease a new facility with new systems and the contractors
will hire more people at even lower wages. And so on and so on.

The thing will be a cash cow, but not because of federal wages. The cash drain will be pure
politics as usual

On this I will agree.

Mathias Ice

Hey, looky there, this post promoted me!

[ July 11, 2003, 04:17: Message edited by: Mathias_Ice ]

[Krsqk]

Oh, I'm completely disgusted with telemarketers; I'm not against any form of torture which encourages them to seek new employment. I'm not even against state laws. I simply don't see the justification for the federal government to get involved. I'm not libertarian, but I do prefer private action to government action, and state government action to federal government action. And that's the principle of the matter to me, not the subject involved.

[ July 11, 2003, 04:33: Message edited by: Krsqk ]

[Mathias_Ice]

Originally posted by Krsqk:
Oh, I'm completely disgusted with telemarketers; I'm not against any form of torture which encourages them to seek new employment. I'm not even against state laws. I simply don't see the justification for the federal government to get involved. I'm not libertarian, but I do prefer private action to government action, and state government action to federal government action. And that's the principle of the matter to me, not the subject involved.

Amen, brother!!

[narf poit chez BOOM]

like i said, just hang up. if they send email, don't respond. we rarely get spam of any kind.

[General Woundwort]

Originally posted by narf poit chez BOOM:
like i said, just hang up. if they send email, don't respond. we rarely get spam of any kind.

I don't respond to spam either. Never have, never will. Not that that's prevented me from getting deluged with the stuff. I never knew that I knew so many African finance ministers - no less than three have attempted to contact me this week.

[ July 11, 2003, 13:00: Message edited by: General Woundwort ]

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Krsqk:
I'm not even against state laws. I simply don't see the justification for the federal government to get involved.

Well, I can sort of see your point here then, but there are somethings that the states just aren't capable of dealing with. Phone communications cross state lines. Who has the jurisdiction to make and enforce the laws concerning their use? The state where the telemarketers are calling from, or my state? How do you enforce it. How do you even know what the laws are? What about calls origniating in one state going to another and routing through phone company switches in a third state. What if it's illegal in the third state. Can they step in and enforce it? What if the telemarketrs are calling from out of the country?

What you end up with is a bunch of lawyers running around in each state trying to enforce rulings that may or may not be possible to enforce, or even legal to enforce when issues of jurisdiction are given a constitutional test. A lot of duplication of effort and inefficency. And a lot of wasted time with the cases that end up getting transfered to other states or thrown out alltogether.

No, this is one case where the federal goverment actually has the potential to be more efficent then the states. Doesn't happen often, but there are times.

Geoschmo