Neo Prohibitionists
At one point, the various xADD groups were fine organizations with a noble goal of educating people. Now, they’re just prohibitionist wrapped in righteousness:
M.A.D.D. activists are now pushing to make drunk driving a felony, and to lower the blood alcohol level standard for DUI from .08 (already lowered from .10 thanks to MADD activists) down to .04.
.04 is the BAC you’d get from a glass of wine.
It doesn’t take much imagination to see that this would create a gigantic new group of felons.
Well, making people felons is what politicians and activists do to look tough on crime. It’s easier than doing something.
More from Sebastian.
September 28th, 2010 at 9:39 am
Please. NC has a .04 blow level and no new set of felons has been created. The same politicians get away with it just like they always did and being a cop is get out of jail free. Sorry but paranoid ranting about something that is a non issue is useless…
September 28th, 2010 at 10:18 am
I’m no scientist, so I can’t speak as to the relevance of a .04 BAC vs. .08 in protecting public safety, but are you really saying that drunk driving shouldn’t be punished more harshly?
I realize that there’s debate over what should constitute “drunk driving”, but if we assume we agree on that, why shouldn’t willful wanton endangerment with a deadly weapon be a felony?
September 28th, 2010 at 10:48 am
Join D.A.M.M. Drunks Against Mad Mothers !!!!!!!!
September 28th, 2010 at 10:48 am
The fact of the matter is that people who blow .04 don’t cause accidents. The accidents are caused by those who blow .15 or higher and are already covered by existing laws. Going to a lower range is also problematic because you are rapidly approaching the error range of a breathalizer.
September 28th, 2010 at 11:26 am
I don’t drink, but I think that continuing to lower the legal limit is ridiculous.
I thought it was reasonable at .10.
September 28th, 2010 at 11:33 am
It takes 3-5 times the normal dose of local anesthetic to kill pain for members of my mother’s side of my family (and me, but not my sisters). There is no way to tell in advance what the exact effect of a chemical will be on an individual, and putting these limits in place is prior restraint of the worst kind. “Drunk Driving” doesn’t kill anyone; people getting into accidents whilst impaired do, and they’re already open to civil and criminal liabilities absent the presence of alcohol.
You guys in the pre-crime division need to STFU.
September 28th, 2010 at 11:48 am
A large tyranny is pieced together with such small laws. MADD can suck the high hard one. Fine initial purpose that has devolved into a hysteric outlet for moral superiority. No thank you.
September 28th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
September 29th, 2010 at 2:58 am
As a CDL holder .04 is already my threshold in ANY vehicle I drive.
September 29th, 2010 at 7:54 am
John Smith: “Please. NC has a .04 blow level and no new set of felons has been created.” Probably because violating that law is a misdemeanor. Also, the word “felons” is popularly used to refer both to people who have committed felonies and not been prosecuted – most every American – and those actually convicted of a felony.
September 29th, 2010 at 10:04 am
Pinandpuller – That’s state dependent; in Ohio it’s only while operating a commercial vehicle that the limit is .04. In a POV it’s .08 CDL or no CDL.