Letter to House Representative Howard Berman:
Why the frivolous legislation?

17 July 2003
Matt Warner

Today I read with dismay your proposed ACCOPS bill. It is my personal belief that the sheer number of laws, bills, and other legislation has reached the point of being burdensome to the people of the United States. We have already more than sufficient legislation in place to deal with the subject matter covered by your bill. There are far more pressing issues for you to address than creating redundant legislation that cannot reasonably be enforced by a law enforcement community that has a long list of crimes to investigate. Considering the state of the economy, and that the crime rate tends to fall during times of prosperity, I suggest you focus your efforts there.

I furthermore take exception to the frivolous creation of new legislation. I point to the Declaration of Independence, the justification for the very creation of this nation, as a reminder that our elected representatives need to weigh carefully any new legislation they may introduce, and what impact it will have on the people of this great nation.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, -- That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."

Sincerely,

Matt Warner