# You gotta love the stupidity of our government **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 30, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281 "2013-06-30T19:46:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/41 "2013-07-01T04:14:43Z")
I’m a mad cat lady, and I always have emergency plans for our critters. Why would anyone not? Guesses I’m in good company, so I’m happy. I do it out of love, but wouldn’t most people try to take care of critters that they need to use for work? ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/42 "2013-07-01T04:17:17Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > It doesn’t appear he even has to do that much. The letter seems to say that he only has to keep a copy of his plan on hand in case there’s ever an inspection. > > In terms of anti-government rage, this is less than I felt when they raised the overdue fees at my local library by a nickel. HOLY COW, they raised Library fines. Dude, I’ll join the picket lines!!! Overdue fines here are 25 cents a day. How dare they?!?! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/43 "2013-07-01T04:17:22Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > As it’s been pointed out upthread, this was intended for keepers of groups of animals(circus, labs, etc.). The mistake was the regulation was written with no lower limit. Would you rather that the civil servants decide for themselves what to enforce and what to ignore? Even that wouldn’t necessarily be a valid distinction. I’ve read about [cases](http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/17/group-calls-attention-to-treatment-of-carriage-horses/) where carriage drivers were abusing their horses. Should they be exempt from regulations because their business only uses one animal? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/44 "2013-07-01T04:28:33Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > I did for a while. But the Derp like watching a massive trainwreck unfold. Just can’t turn away. Especially since you’ve created so many of the train wrecks yourself.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/45 "2013-07-01T04:57:46Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > It doesn’t appear he even has to do that much. The letter seems to say that he only has to keep a copy of his plan on hand in case there’s ever an inspection. On top of that, they went so far as to say they wouldn’t tell people what they should or shouldn’t do, only that they need to have some kind of plan in place. There’s just too many different situations for them [the g’ment] to set up any kind of standard end not end up with issues like this and that people, within their own groups should come up with what a good plan should be. This guy is probably has other magician friends, is in some kind of union or ‘alliance’ and maybe even on a message board. If they all got together, they could probably decide that if they’re using their own domesticated rabbit, and that’s the only live animal they’re using, they don’t need a contingency plan since it’s no different then just having a single pet, like millions of other homeowners. Or, they could go one step further and just come up with a form letter to keep on file. Something similar to what I wrote above. Short, vague, easy to comply with. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/46 "2013-07-01T05:31:00Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > Overdue fines here are 25 cents a day. How dare they?!?! That’s what they were in my county. But then last year, without warning, they went up to thirty cents. And they said it couldn’t happen in America. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/47 "2013-07-01T05:37:54Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > That’s what they were in my county. But then last year, without warning, they went up to thirty cents. > > And they said it couldn’t happen in America. HOLY COW!!! I’ll start making picket signs in the morning. The evil goberment has gone too far this time!!! ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/48 "2013-07-01T06:12:45Z")
> [@madrabbitwoman](#): > > I have a disaster plan for all my household pets. I do this because I care about their welfare. I can however understand why some folks would need to be forced to think about the welfate of the animals in their possession. This. Hell, I once sustained 16 wasp stings from the paper wasp nest that was built under the back barn steps way back in the early 90s when we got the gust front of a hurricane and it was storming hard enough I decided to put my half dozen chickens and the rooster inside. [we were in the process of building a new chicken house and they were still more or less adolescents and not really hardy enough to stay out in the storm] [and I have 2 penguin cages from the Mystic Aquarium that I can cram the chickens and guineas into in an emergency, 2 cat carriers for my inside cats, and a large cage that once held my iguanas for Phlip’s cats. All the cages actually fit in the momvan with space for feed and a 15 gallon minidrum of water.] ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/49 "2013-07-01T11:32:10Z")
In an emergency, my plan would be to eat the rabbit. Maybe not even in an emergency. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/50 "2013-07-01T14:22:23Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > I’m a mad cat lady, and I always have emergency plans for our critters. Well, damn, y’all are batman-prepared. I don’t even have emergency plans for my loved ones. Hell, I don’t have emergency plans for _myself_, besides yelling “NOOOOO” in slo-mo and jumping away from the explosion at the last moment without looking at it. If it’s a flood instead global nuclear war, I got nuthin’. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/51 "2013-07-01T14:45:44Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > As has already been pointed out the article is bullshit. The post you made references an example of dishonest reporting that you latched onto for the sole purpose of shrieking lie a harpy. > > The invective is warranted because you employ this asinine tactic of promoting half truths with links to unreliable sources. Reply? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/52 "2013-07-01T14:49:40Z")
gotta complain about something. if the rules and regulations are broad and general and apply to everyone you might complain that government rules too broadly. if you have exemptions to rules and regulations then you have to have a system of people and paper to process those exemptions. you might then complain the government employs too many people and costs too much and needs its budget cut (exceptions abound by what is sacred in costs and revenues here). ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/53 "2013-07-01T14:51:58Z")
If this was the stupidest thing my government ever did, I would sleep better at night. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/54 "2013-07-01T18:36:53Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Especially since you’ve created so many of the train wrecks yourself.🙂 Here ya go, Colibri. You and your asshole response are the perfect personification of the typical user on the Derp these days. [![](https://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d97/Clothahump/ICanTyping_zps3084c894.gif) ](https://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d97/Clothahump/ICanTyping_zps3084c894.gif) ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/55 "2013-07-01T18:49:15Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Here ya go, Colibri. You and your asshole response are the perfect personification of the typical user on the Derp these days. > > [http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d97/Clothahump/ICanTyping\_zps3084c894.gif](http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d97/Clothahump/ICanTyping_zps3084c894.gif) Pot, meet Kettle. Kettle, this is Pot… > [@Clothahump](#): > > I love it when these kind of posts are made. You can’t refute what I post, but you disagree with it, so you attack me personally. Perhaps someday you will learn that ad hominem responses are an open admission that you can’t refute what was said. > > My post simply pointed out an example of the rampant stupidity in our government. Please explain to me, and to us all, how doing that warrants the assholishness of your response. I’d really like to know. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/56 "2013-07-01T18:58:58Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Here ya go, Colibri. You and your asshole response are the perfect personification of the typical user on the Derp these days. > > [http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d97/Clothahump/ICanTyping\_zps3084c894.gif](http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d97/Clothahump/ICanTyping_zps3084c894.gif) And yet you still haven’t responded to any of the posts. You asked us to refute you, but so far all you’ve done is called the government stupid and said the one of the responses was assholish. C’mon, you’re the OP. You wanted the discussion. But as of right now, you’re no better then a drive by poster that just drops off an OP and is never heard from again. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/57 "2013-07-01T19:10:24Z")
I don’t think it’s true that the linked article was complete bullshit. Apparently the letter was sent and the law does exist. But what I feel is also true is that the incident doesn’t indicate any stupidity on the part of the government. Overall, it’s a reasonable law that just looked a little silly in this context. So I think the outrage that was displayed by conservatives is a little manufactured here. They’re trying to make a case that doesn’t exist. On the other hand, this thread shows that outrage can be manufactured against conservatives as well. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/58 "2013-07-01T19:35:27Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Well, damn, y’all are batman-prepared. I don’t even have emergency plans for my loved ones. Hell, I don’t have emergency plans for _myself_, besides yelling “NOOOOO” in slo-mo and jumping away from the explosion at the last moment without looking at it. If it’s a flood instead global nuclear war, I got nuthin’. Actually, that works for floods too; you just treat the massive wall of water as if it were an explosion. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/59 "2013-07-01T19:51:32Z")
But don’t look back. Cool guys don’t look back, and can outrun an explosion. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2013, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281/60 "2013-07-01T20:27:31Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > So **Clothy** , I guess you didn’t delete your bookmarks for the Dope after all. To general hilarity. What would we do without him? Adaher is getting dull, and I like my prey limping and half-dead. > [@Clothahump](#): > > I love it when these kind of posts are made. You can’t refute what I post, but you disagree with it, so you attack me personally. Perhaps someday you will learn that ad hominem responses are an open admission that you can’t refute what was said. Perhaps someday you will learn that it’s not an ad hominem if your argument has already been addressed. It’s just an insult for good measure. 😃 > [@Clothahump](#): > > I did for a while. But the Derp like watching a massive trainwreck unfold. Just can’t turn away. What, you mean like every one of your posts? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-gotta-love-the-stupidity-of-our-government/662281.md?page=4)