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Illinois to Pay for Unconstitutional Gaming Law
adam_sd writes "Those of us in the Video Game Voters Network were emailed a press release today stating that the state of Illinois will have to pay a half-million dollars in attorney's fees to the Entertainment Software Association, Video Software Dealers Association and Illinois Retail Merchants Association. ESA president Douglas Lowenstein is quoted in the press release saying "Judge Kennelly's rulings send two irrefutable messages — not only are efforts to ban the sale of violent video games clearly unconstitutional, they are a waste of taxpayer dollars." The law was declared unconstitutional in December of last year."
So I guess violence is OK in the US then. But the devil will grab you be the b...s if you show a nipple somewhere. Quite funny ;-) And sad....
"If controlling access to allegedly 'dangerous' speech is important in promoting the positive psychological development of children, in our society that role is properly accorded to parents and families, not the State."
Judge Matthew S. Kennelly for President!
You take it, I don't want it...
http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=180417&cid=149 34104
...to be an ESA attorney!
It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
- E. Debs
- Being able to persecute minority religions (prior to the ACLU it was actually illegal to be of the wrong religion in many places).
- Outlawing abortion.
- Eliminating enviromental legislation.
- Keeping black people from voting.
etc...Of course, few strict constructionist judges ever notice that the war on drugs is clearly unconstitutional too.
Illinois won't be paying - they will just raise taxes or cut services to recover the costs. Those who made the decision to do this will face no consequences. Rather, the taxpayer will face all of the consequences.
Oolite: Elite-like game. For Mac, Linux and Windows
You probably know this, but for those that don't -- this is only true if the money goes toward a good or service made in the US. Even if you buy from a US company, that good could be made elsewhere, you are contributing to that economy's GDP. On the flip side, you may be contributing to the US GDP if you buy a Toyota and that car is made here (Toyota does have factories here).
Because of all the outsourcing, buying "American" (i.e. from an American company) has very little meaning anymore. If we all started buying "American" from tomorrow on, it would probably have minimal effect on our trade deficits unless actual manufacturing moves back here.
This seems similar to "three strikes" proposals I've seen, wherein if three bills a Senator or Congressman voted for are declared unconstitutional, he is ineligible to hold office again.
The idea being to discourage a "throw whatever at the wall and see what sticks" approach, and actually encourage them to recognize limits on their own power.
Blagojevich is the worst Governer ever. Instead of worrying about the budget or education, he used his power to focus on this shit along with his attempts to try to move the capital to Chicago. He spends less time in Springfield than Chicago. Then again, Ryan wasn't that much better.
Judy Baar Topinka sucks too. I don't even know her stances on crap cause she displays stupid commercials about "more accountability" which people will OOOH and AHH for.
In fact, wtf do any of Novembers' candidates stand for? They're all bad-mouthing each other and on the "increased accountability" stance.
They should know that the system is in place to rip them off, but they keep going back. Kind of like the Stock Market.
>> Australia has a VERY vibrant gambling scene.
They gamble on vibrator races.
last i read the most American car was the Honda Civic made in Ohio ~70% US made parts and assymblie(sp?)
don't ask me to find a source - you can use google too
'...if only "Jumping to a Conclusion" was an event in the Olympics.'
Somewhere I think I hear Nelson shouting 'Hah Hah!'
"Powers. I have them."
One problem, then who'll run the government? They maybe incompetent and crooks but they are the only Congress we've got.
If millions of people play violent video games and don't act out what they see in the games, then when somebody does... maybe it's not the game, it's the person.
I'll subscribe to Slashdot when I see a month without a dupe, a typo, or an article the "editors" didn't read.
. . .the Honda Civic made in Ohio ~70% US made parts. . .
98% these days. On the other hand the Lincoln Town car, one of the few remaining quintessentially "American" cars, although "produced" in Michigan has so few American made parts that it is legally an import.
On the other hand many violins legally labeled as Made in U.S.A. actually had all of their parts manufactured and assembled in China (additional labor in reconstruction, finishing and fitting them out makes them legally "American").
KFG
Australia isn't interested in banning gambling as it brings in so much money. They just want to ban online gambling, as the money is likely to leave the country and not get taxed by the Australian government! This is protectionism, not some moral judgement on the part of the Australian government.
I think you've failed to understand how stupid that particular piece of legislation is.
It bans Australians from using an online gambling site IN AUSTRALIA ONLY (money staying in the country)
It does not ban the following:
- Australians using an online gambling site overseas (money going out of the country)
- Foreigners from using Australian online gambling sites (money coming into the country)
Yet another gem from the desk of the World's Biggest Luddite.
LOAD ".SIG"
PRESS PLAY ON TAPE
I'm an out of state student at the University of Illinois and although it's a great school, it's not easy to forget that we are in need of increased state funding, especially for colleges other than Engineering. Instead of the state being able to use that half-million dollars for something useful now, it's going to be sucked into paying damages in a lawsuit over video games? Obviously the gaming law ruled unconstitutional was a Bad Thing, but so too is wasting taxpayer funds.
I'll subscribe to Slashdot when I see a month without a dupe, a typo, or an article the editors didn't read.
I'd add no more "backslash" stories to that list.
"It ain't a war against drugs.it's a war against personal freedom" --Bill Hicks
they are a waste of taxpayer dollars
So where do you think the $500K is coming from?
I'm really not trying to be a troll here... this is a genuine question. It makes no sense to me.
Given that the proposed law only made illegal the _SALE_ of violent video games (ie, there was no prohibition at all against such games if the games were free), what reason existed that this proposed law would violate the constitution?
And if banning the sale of violent video games is unconstitutional, then why is, for example, prostitution unacceptable? That's selling something that could arguably be a form of self-expression and therefore speech. Yet there's certainly no law against it noncommercially.
File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
If the legality of that law is still in question? I'm an Illinois Resident (also 25) and I was carded for a video game purchase 2 weeks ago. "Ah, store policy, sounds good" I mumbled as I reached for my ID Card. "Oh no, it's Illinois Law" was the snippy reply. I then got into a huge argument about how I do understand that they are a concerned parent but ... etc etc etc.
Was this sales clerk just horribly misinformed?
Doesn't a 'Made in USA'-label scare buyers away?
Yes, but not as far away as Made in China, which is why most Chinese made violins labeled as Made in U.S.A. have fake Italian brand names.
KFG
1) "Bush" can't "pass laws". If you don't understand how the US government works, don't jabber about it, k?
2) "Bush" had nothing to do with this. This was an action of the state of Illnois, which, not to put too fine a point on it, is one of the most anti-Bush states in the Union.
3) It's not really necessary to start screeching about "Bush", regardless of the topic under discussion. Please stop behaving like a rat that's been conditioned in a Skinner box. Thanks.
Nobody wants me tho...I don't know any languages other than English well enough.
But some day! Some day!
Blar.
"1) "Bush" can't "pass laws". If you don't understand how the US government works, don't jabber about it, k?"
Actually, it isn't a law until the President (Bush or otherwise) signs it so yes, the President does pass laws especially if Congress can't get the votes for an override. The President also sets the national agenda for what legislation gets introduced as well as proposes a budget for his input on what gets funded.
B.
This is a sig. This is only a sig. Had this been an actual sig you would have been informed where to tune for more sigs.
The US feeds attorneys, so no wonder the lawyer scum takes over the world.
What about: Less lawyers, more engineers...
Not so. If the president does not sign the bill, it becomes a law within 10 days as long as Congress does not adjourn. Signing it will make it a law immediately, but not doing so will not necessarily prevent it from becoming a law.
Yes, it's not a law until he signs it, but he can't sign it until it's been passed by both houses.
By the time he signs it it has passed. When he gets it he can veto it, sign it, or let it sit on his desk and it will automatically become law.
But he can't pass a law. He can't even introduce a law, he has to get someone else to do it for him.
mcgrew's razor: Never attribute to stupidity that which can be explained by greedy self-interest
Maybe they'll have to take out a mortgage on the state capitol. /sarcasm
Maybe we should just sell the Governor's Mansion, Governot Blag hasn't slept there once! He lives in Chicago and stays in a hotel when he's here in Springfield.
mcgrew's razor: Never attribute to stupidity that which can be explained by greedy self-interest
Although you both are correct, the President has a huge say in the laws that are passed as well as introduced. More so if Congress is of the same party as is the case today. That is the reason that President Bush has only needed to use his veto powers once in his entire time as President.
The point I was trying to make is it really takes all three branches of government to make laws that stand the test of time. A law is enacted by Congress, approved (either actively or passively) by the President, and upheld by the Courts or it isn't a law. It is that simple.
B.
This is a sig. This is only a sig. Had this been an actual sig you would have been informed where to tune for more sigs.
We're all about zero tolerance these days, right? I say it's time to apply it where it counts.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
Step 1, pass law limiting state's liability in "loser pays" lawsuits in state court.
Step 2, get Congress to do same for federal court.
Step 3, pass high-profile unconstitutional laws that tie up civil-liberties groups and make them spend money they'll never get back
Step 4, while the ACLU is going broke pass low-profile laws of questionable constitutionality
Step 5, ????
Step 6, PROFIT
Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
that will teach those sanctimonious bureaucrats not to "think of the children."
how many pairs of boxer shorts should you own?
To a certain degree isn't that the point? It's one thing for a meat packing plant to have unclean food; as a consumer you have an expectation of goodness based on the fact that you have no way to identify if the food is wholesome based on any examination of the product (except in the most obvious cases).
On the other hand, if something is so obviously wrong then shouldn't there be an expectation and assumption of risk? I realize this is a fine line and maybe not so obvious in every case. But if you go to "joesgamblingsalon.ag" and it asks for a lot of personal questions to gamble, then shouldn't you at some point ask a lot of questions? If a man walks up to you on the street and says "You can play 3 card monty, just give me your credit card number", you'd run away. I don't get why it's any different on the internet.
I don't want you to interpret this to mean that criminals shouldn't be caught and prosecuted, nor am I saying that government has no role. But to somehow think that the government should even try to stop any harm from coming to people is shortsighted. It's not only impossible, but more importantly, it takes resources away from the things that a government is capable of doing, such as inspecting food, building bridges, providing militias for defense.
You were mistaken. Which is odd, since memory shouldn't be a problem for you
I think a nice letter to the Judge is a great idea. I'll do it. Anyone able to find the address?
http://cltracker.net -- powerful craigslist multi-city search
Someone please think of the children and their virgin ears!!
This is Slashdot. If we worried about virgin ears, we wouldn't be able to say much of anything at all...
"Ladies and gentlemen, my killbot features Lotus Notes and a machine gun. It is the finest available."
I think the reason the law works out this way, is that it would be obviously unjust for a woman to have to continue with a pregnancy that she doesn't want, because of somebody else's (the father's) wishes.
Frankly, I think the way it should work is something like this: if both parents want the child, everything's hunky-dory. If the father doesn't want it, then he has to cover the cost of the termination, but after that has no further liabilities. If the mother wants to continue with it at that point, it's on her. If the mother wants to terminate, and the father doesn't, then it isn't fair to require her to continue with the pregnancy: at best, she could be required to have the pregnancy terminated in such a way that the frozen embryo could be turned over to the father, and he could find/pay someone to act as a surrogate mother, if he was so inclined. Either way, either partner could leave but leave the other partner the possibility of continuing on without them, if they really wanted to.
I think the key is that we need to make it clear that nobody who is uninterested in becoming a parent should ever become one. It's too damned important a job to take on if you have any reservations at all about your ability or desire to do it. There are enough people in the world: I'd rather have more abortions than have kids born to parents who didn't want to be parents.
"Ladies and gentlemen, my killbot features Lotus Notes and a machine gun. It is the finest available."
Your parents let you read slashdot? Shame on them.
Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
I both agree and disagree with you. I agree because such a concept would be unwieldly for the reasons you mentioned, but would, nevertheless, offer an interesting check and balance.
Let's make a simpler solution...how about a law (easy enough to make at the state level) that requires the disclosure of the amount of times a lawmaker has voted for a bill which was later deemed unconstitutional...right on the ballot next to his name?
I'd like to add a personal idea to this (requiring that the amount of money spent on campaigning is added to the ballot as well) so that an incumbent's name on the ballot looks like:
For State Assembly, District 6
John Smith, Incumbent (Party)
Campaign funds spent as of 11/1/0x--$1,095,457
Voted for unconstitional legislation--2 times since 2004
Seems like existing obscenity laws could be used to control violent video games.
Violent content gets an "X" rating at theaters...why not video games?
If it's PG or less, minors can buy it..."R", parents buy it. "X"...well
parents can still buy it...seems possible compromise....
-l
It's been 30 years since we had a Democrat as governor. Although he didn't go to jail till the 80s.
"Cars have to be 75% made in the US or Canada to call themselves "Made in U.S.A.""
:)
I always found it amusing that a car could be completely made in Canada yet be American.
Or a clothing product in sweatwhops in US territories....
Nothing more than a marketing tool. That now comes back to bite them.
Since all the Dutch speak English so well, why would they import someone who doesn't even speak their language. Every IT job wants English + something else. Ah well.
I am learning tho.
Blar.
Isn't it past time we moved the capitol...again. (Springfield is actually Illinois, third capitol. Kaskaskia and Vandalia were 1st and 2nd) This time to Chicago. That's the real capitol of Illinois and everyone, even the downstaters, knows it. Though they won't admit it.
Bush has NEEDED to use his veto power more than once. He just has FAILED to use it. Just because congress is the same party as him, doesn't mean he needs to sign every peice of paper that crosses his desk.
That which is done from love exists beyond good and evil
I wish you luck in your bid for office but you missed the entire point of my post. The political system is rigged in the US on so many fronts it is impossible to disentangle them. You will never have true election reform until these basics are addressed:
1.) Redistricting has been allowed to favor incumbents. Not enough republicans (democrats) in your district? Redraw the district lines until there are.
2.) Media coverage of politics favors the duopoly we have in this nation. It also rarely focuses on true issues facing the people but instead goes on personal attacks. Add to that the 30 second sound bites used for news these days and it is highly unlikely that the people actually know who they are voting for much less what they represent.
3.) The funding of politicians campaigns is a holy mess. It has led to questionable if not downright illegal practices.
4.) Voter apathy is growing. So much so that a minority of the populace are the ones setting things up for the majority.
5.) Elections are often fraught with fraud or at least claims of fraud.
6.) Political lobbying is running out of control both in the bribes they offer politicians but in the fact that they are the ones actually writing the laws the politicians aren't reading.
7.) Politicians are so busy trying to fund their next campaign that they don't have time to actually do the job they were elected to do. That is why they rarely even read the laws they vote on daily.
Those are just the main ones I can come up with at the moment. I know there are more. The problem is that you will never get them fixed if you were elected because it isn't in your intrest to fix them. Fixing them means you may lose your seat and lord knows we can't have that.
B.
This is a sig. This is only a sig. Had this been an actual sig you would have been informed where to tune for more sigs.
I'd move it tpo Johnson County, just to piss off Chicago. Besides, my plan for cutting Illinois' crime rate by 90%, increasing school test scores by 100% and combatting corruption is to give Chicago to Michigan or Wisconsin and giving East St Louis to Missouri.
We could combat poverty by giving Johnson County to Kentukky.
mcgrew's razor: Never attribute to stupidity that which can be explained by greedy self-interest