Saturday, August 23, 2008

Federal crimes

Article on the growth in the number of federal crimes:
Researchers have discovered a major trend toward federalization of crimes since the nation was founded in 1776, Accuracy in Media reports. A study has recorded a major boost in the quantity of federal crimes within U.S. law.

"When the country started, there were basically three crimes: piracy, counterfeiting and treason," former Attorney General Edwin Meese told the publication. "At the time of our [1998] report, there were some 4,000 crimes."

Meese is currently chairman of the Heritage Foundation's Center for Legal and Judicial Studies. He said most federal crimes became such in the last 30 years.

A Heritage Foundation panel on June 17 discussed substantial expansion of federal crime laws and power shifts from state to federal governments, according to the report. Meese, John Baker and Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert attended.

Baker and Gohmert told Accuracy in Media the federal government has created too many laws that focus on state issues, and it has been consistently removing powers from states.

Article here. Sadly, I expect this trend to continue.

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