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	<title>Comments on: There isn&#8217;t a law-abiding majority</title>
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	<link>http://idealgovernment.com/2007/06/there_isnt_a_law_abiding_majority/</link>
	<description>What do we want from Internet-age government? Wouldn&#039;t it be better if...</description>
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		<title>By: Richard S</title>
		<link>http://idealgovernment.com/2007/06/there_isnt_a_law_abiding_majority/comment-page-1/#comment-1718</link>
		<dc:creator>Richard S</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:52:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://there_isnt_a_law_abiding_majority#comment-1718</guid>
		<description>There&#039;s something odd about the BBC&#039;s report: Compare their eye-catching headline against the detail:

Headline: &quot;More than six out of 10 people [b]regularly[/b] commit crimes...&quot;

Detail: &quot;61% had committed [b]one[/b] of a series of offences...&quot;

Detail: &quot;[b]Of those who admitted to an offence,[/b] nearly two-thirds (62%) had broken the law [b]on up to[/b] three occasions...&quot;

(All emphasis is mine)

Perhaps reporters should improve their numeracy skills?
---

Three other points:

1. In their frenzy of new laws, crimes and thought crimes; even the current government admits (even boasts) that it doesn&#039;t know the law: It leaves that for the courts to decide.

So, their intention seems to be that trick of totalitarian regimes: Pass laws which ensure that [b]everyone[/b] is a criminal; then use those laws selectively, to pressurise opponents.

2. My ghastly new local rail franchise (judged almost the worst in the UK) claims that 1 in 4 passengers avoid paying - very hard to believe given that so many are commuters using season tickets.

So, rather than improving their ghastly service; they&#039;ve cut ticket office staff, cut trains, reduced lengths of trains, increased ticket prices, imposed extra restrictions on times of travel, removed discretion from ticket inspectors... and in &quot;the interests of customers&quot; are paying millions of Pounds to install ticket barriers &amp; put police on their trains.

Their contractors have blocked-off the disabled parking spaces.

As with the London Congestion Charge, their intention (supported by government) seems to be to make it even more difficult to buy tickets, then make extra revenue from penalties.

3. The BBC report (surprisingly?) mentions people not paying for TV licences.

Despite having a valid &quot;small hotel&quot; type TV licence, the BBC&#039;s horrid henchmen have again started issuing their abusive letters &amp; threats against us: This time, they have &quot;made up&quot; a non-existent post-code for a non-existent address!

Wibbi: The travelling public had a say in the appointment - and termination - of rail franchises.

Wibbi: The government had even a little respect for its electorate.

Wibbi: (BBC) Journalists didn&#039;t go for a cheap headline.

Wibbi: The (BBC) TV licence and all of its horrid infrastructure was scrapped, immediately.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>There&#8217;s something odd about the BBC&#8217;s report: Compare their eye-catching headline against the detail:</p>
<p>Headline: &#8220;More than six out of 10 people [b]regularly[/b] commit crimes&#8230;&#8221;</p>
<p>Detail: &#8220;61% had committed [b]one[/b] of a series of offences&#8230;&#8221;</p>
<p>Detail: &#8220;[b]Of those who admitted to an offence,[/b] nearly two-thirds (62%) had broken the law [b]on up to[/b] three occasions&#8230;&#8221;</p>
<p>(All emphasis is mine)</p>
<p>Perhaps reporters should improve their numeracy skills?<br />
&#8212;</p>
<p>Three other points:</p>
<p>1. In their frenzy of new laws, crimes and thought crimes; even the current government admits (even boasts) that it doesn&#8217;t know the law: It leaves that for the courts to decide.</p>
<p>So, their intention seems to be that trick of totalitarian regimes: Pass laws which ensure that [b]everyone[/b] is a criminal; then use those laws selectively, to pressurise opponents.</p>
<p>2. My ghastly new local rail franchise (judged almost the worst in the UK) claims that 1 in 4 passengers avoid paying &#8211; very hard to believe given that so many are commuters using season tickets.</p>
<p>So, rather than improving their ghastly service; they&#8217;ve cut ticket office staff, cut trains, reduced lengths of trains, increased ticket prices, imposed extra restrictions on times of travel, removed discretion from ticket inspectors&#8230; and in &#8220;the interests of customers&#8221; are paying millions of Pounds to install ticket barriers &#038; put police on their trains.</p>
<p>Their contractors have blocked-off the disabled parking spaces.</p>
<p>As with the London Congestion Charge, their intention (supported by government) seems to be to make it even more difficult to buy tickets, then make extra revenue from penalties.</p>
<p>3. The BBC report (surprisingly?) mentions people not paying for TV licences.</p>
<p>Despite having a valid &#8220;small hotel&#8221; type TV licence, the BBC&#8217;s horrid henchmen have again started issuing their abusive letters &#038; threats against us: This time, they have &#8220;made up&#8221; a non-existent post-code for a non-existent address!</p>
<p>Wibbi: The travelling public had a say in the appointment &#8211; and termination &#8211; of rail franchises.</p>
<p>Wibbi: The government had even a little respect for its electorate.</p>
<p>Wibbi: (BBC) Journalists didn&#8217;t go for a cheap headline.</p>
<p>Wibbi: The (BBC) TV licence and all of its horrid infrastructure was scrapped, immediately.</p>
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