Local View: Instead of new laws, enforce what's on the books

How effective are our laws? As a country long priding itself as a nation of laws, that is a fair question. Current issues include gun control, abortion, immigration, privacy, taxes, and criminal justice. Can we really control behavior via legislation? I once read "control is an illusion." What we need is not more laws but the enforcement of existing laws while simultaneously reviewing them to clarify, eliminate, and update them. We have an overabundance of regulations and rules that stifle productivity and improvement; such laws are ineffective. Our current federal tax code is some 73,000-plus pages long. Are you - is anyone - in total compliance? Let's examine some of the above-mentioned issues. Gun control falls under the Second Amendment, which is attached to the Bill of Rights. President Barack Obama kept pushing for gun control as an antidote to mass shootings and other violence. But both Chicago and California have among the tightest, toughest, and most restrictive gun controls, and how is that working for them? How will President Donald Trump treat this issue of gun control? Abortion is another controversial issue. "Just say no" as a birth-control strategy is naive, while selling baby parts is sickening. Can we not figure out a compromise that allows women a right to choose within reasonable guidelines, like not after four months of pregnancy unless the mother's health is endangered? Birth control and sex education should be taught at home, at school, and within the community. Rights without responsibilities are simply reckless. Immigration is thorny given our melting-pot history and our "give me your tired, your poor," etc. Where would we be without immigrants? However, illegal immigrants are, as the term simply states, illegal. Accordingly, why not tighten up existing scrutiny, as Trump is doing, while allowing those who do enter legally? We could then create a path to citizenship for those here illegally but who are positive contributors to our nation. We cannot tolerate allowing some to enter illegally while denying others who've followed the rules. I have personally witnessed the declination of good, able-bodied, well-educated folks, those who would be positive additions to our melting pot. As an open society, we must have a balanced approach to privacy. Our government's inability to monitor our enemies gives no real encouragement it can do better with us. Traffic surveillance via cameras, however, does seem a no-brainer as a means to enforcing existing laws, raising revenue, improving public safety and freeing up law enforcement to pursue more serious crime issues. How about a flat income tax with no allowable deductions other than charitable contributions? How about putting some teeth into law enforcement with real consequences? Sweden has an automatic 90 days in jail for drunken driving. On Friday and Saturday nights, sidewalks are jammed with pedestrians (many inebriated) while streets are jammed with taxis. The accident rate in Sweden is very low as there are very few drunken drivers. If we simply revise and enforce existing laws, we might once again become a nation of laws - with attendant positive outcomes to follow. This would help preserve our heritage as the land of opportunity.   Tom Wheeler is a longtime Duluth-area businessman, civic leader, philanthropist and regular contributor to the News Tribune Opinion page.
How effective are our laws? As a country long priding itself as a nation of laws, that is a fair question. Current issues include gun control, abortion, immigration, privacy, taxes, and criminal justice. Can we really control behavior via legislation? I once read "control is an illusion."What we need is not more laws but the enforcement of existing laws while simultaneously reviewing them to clarify, eliminate, and update them. We have an overabundance of regulations and rules that stifle productivity and improvement; such laws are ineffective. Our current federal tax code is some 73,000-plus pages long. Are you - is anyone - in total compliance?Let's examine some of the above-mentioned issues.Gun control falls under the Second Amendment, which is attached to the Bill of Rights. President Barack Obama kept pushing for gun control as an antidote to mass shootings and other violence. But both Chicago and California have among the tightest, toughest, and most restrictive gun controls, and how is that working for them? How will President Donald Trump treat this issue of gun control?Abortion is another controversial issue. "Just say no" as a birth-control strategy is naive, while selling baby parts is sickening. Can we not figure out a compromise that allows women a right to choose within reasonable guidelines, like not after four months of pregnancy unless the mother's health is endangered? Birth control and sex education should be taught at home, at school, and within the community. Rights without responsibilities are simply reckless.Immigration is thorny given our melting-pot history and our "give me your tired, your poor," etc. Where would we be without immigrants? However, illegal immigrants are, as the term simply states, illegal. Accordingly, why not tighten up existing scrutiny, as Trump is doing, while allowing those who do enter legally? We could then create a path to citizenship for those here illegally but who are positive contributors to our nation. We cannot tolerate allowing some to enter illegally while denying others who've followed the rules. I have personally witnessed the declination of good, able-bodied, well-educated folks, those who would be positive additions to our melting pot.As an open society, we must have a balanced approach to privacy. Our government's inability to monitor our enemies gives no real encouragement it can do better with us. Traffic surveillance via cameras, however, does seem a no-brainer as a means to enforcing existing laws, raising revenue, improving public safety and freeing up law enforcement to pursue more serious crime issues.How about a flat income tax with no allowable deductions other than charitable contributions?How about putting some teeth into law enforcement with real consequences? Sweden has an automatic 90 days in jail for drunken driving. On Friday and Saturday nights, sidewalks are jammed with pedestrians (many inebriated) while streets are jammed with taxis. The accident rate in Sweden is very low as there are very few drunken drivers.If we simply revise and enforce existing laws, we might once again become a nation of laws - with attendant positive outcomes to follow. This would help preserve our heritage as the land of opportunity. Tom Wheeler is a longtime Duluth-area businessman, civic leader, philanthropist and regular contributor to the News Tribune Opinion page.