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Every day, law enforcement at the behest of big government excessively targets and prosecutes Americans of all race, class and creed. In modern America, this activity goes far beyond groups targeted by the IRS who are otherwise upstanding citizens. When government creates laws designed to compel citizens to act in according to that which the state has deemed to be “right” behavior, it is known as overcriminalization.
Here in lays the dangers of the “Law & Order” mentality that some on the right have. When you give the state or any level of government such power it will, inevitably, lead to a reversal in how the power is directed and for what purpose. Now that big government has that power that was granted by the once opposing political ideology, they will use it against any and every American they deem necessarily.
Naturally, overcriminalization leads to injustice that affects everyday, honest hardworking Americans at literally every level of society. Of course, it is much more detrimental to the lower and middle class citizens who do not possess the political connections to fight back against the oppression.
A few stories to serve as examples of everyday Americans who have had there lives destroyed by “Law & Order” big government:
- A young girl was fined $535… for rescuing a wounded woodpecker.
- A businessman was jailed for years… for shipping lobsters in plastic bags rather than cardboard boxes.
- A Maryland father and building engineer faced a years-long legal ordeal… after being unfairly targeted under the Clean Water Act.
These are only a few of the shocking incidents The Heritage Foundation chronicles in our new project, USA vs. YOU. Experts at Heritage’s Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies reveal the stories of 22 people from all backgrounds, races, and income levels victimized by carelessly written laws.
Get the FREE e-book USA vs. YOU now >>
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Public interest groups from across the political spectrum recognize how this flood of criminal laws violates our basic liberties. Diverse organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, the American Center for Law and Justice, and Right on Crime, among others, have joined with Heritage to reaffirm the true purpose of America’s justice system: to ensure public safety and protect the innocent.
When was the last time you saw the ACLU work together with a faith-based group like Justice Fellowship? With USA vs. YOU, the problem is grave enough to bring together unlikely allies. And we’re delivering this bipartisan message just as the House of Representatives has launched a task force aimed at correcting this issue.
This morning, Heritage Senior Legal Fellow John Malcolm will testify at the first hearing of the Overcriminalization Task Force—shining a spotlight on the scope and severity of this threat to our liberties. Ending the practice of trapping our citizens with unnecessary laws will be no easy task, with an estimated 4,500 criminal law offenses and 300,000 criminal regulations on the books.
Experience the stories of Americans like you treated unjustly – download the FREE e-book now >>
Over the next six months, Members of Congress from both parties will study this issue in depth, hold hearings, and—with the right encouragement—take steps to enact real reform.
This new effort includes tools for you to raise your voice and make a difference in defending our liberties. So explore the documented stories in USA vs. YOU, follow the links, and take real action today to help turn the tide.
In USA vs. YOU, experience the documented stories of your liberties violated—and learn what you can do to reverse this escalating trend.
A diverse group of public interest groups, from Right on Crime to the ACLU, are united in this effort to restore fairness to America’s justice system.
