Monday, August 10, 2009

We're #1 In Drunken Driving, Data Show

Embarrassing, yes, but also dangerous.

And still the legislature does nothing to tighten enforcement, broaden education, expand treatment.

Though I am not a fan, maybe recall elections for do-nothing captives of the alcohol lobbies should be on the table.

5 comments:

Vic said...

I looked around on you blog but I can't find your proposal for what you want the legislature to do.

James Rowen said...

To Vic:

In various blogs, I have supported making a first OWI conviction a misdemeanor, and a second a felony.

I also support:

Additional alcohol taxes to pay for greater law enforcement and court procedures, greater education and wider treatment.

Anonymous said...

James, just curious.

Is there any issue for which higher taxes, fees, IE more money to government not the answer?

James Rowen said...

To Anonymous: Of course. There are numerous services and activities best paid for or done with non-profit, charitable or individual resources.

But driving is a government-mandated privilege, and law enforcement is also a government activity.

Alcohol use is at the core of the aforementioned problems, so it makes sense to fund some of the enforcement and regulation, et al, with an assessment on the product.

Jim Bouman said...

Anonymous @4;21.

A perfectly reasonable proposal is that drunk driving be taken more seriously, that we begin to deter this rampant and chronic criminality by imposing heavy fines and jail on chronic offenders.

Moreover, a part of the suggested remedy is to make a first offense of driving while drunk more than a piddling ordinance violation.

Your response is to whine about how much it will cost to help law enforcement curtail this societal menace. Police and Sheriffs all over the state are requesting stiffer laws and heavier penalties to help them deal with this rampant lawlessness.

Yet, from you we hear another whine about how much it will cost to ramp up enforcement by imposing stiff penalties.

I'm as much (or even more) a fan of curtailing unnecessary governmental spending as anyone. But I wouldn't touch your nonsense approach with a fork.

Driving while drunk is a big problem all over the country. Places that have had some success in curtailing it prove that heavy penalties for DUI work to save lives and prevent further abuse.

But, still, you whine and complain about this element of government spending being too much.

There's something about the tone, about the cavalier attitude on curtailing DUI mayhem that makes me want to be off the roads--safe in my house--when you, and the people who you are defending from consequences for DUI, are out there driving (lurching) down the highway at 70mph and 0.138 BAC next weekend.