I'm beginning to think that we should have a cap on the number of laws passed each year by state legislatures and the U.S. Congress. Maybe a total of ten. I know California passes 500 laws per year. A farce by any definition.
What brings this to mind is people talking on the phone while driving.
When this became widespread in about 2005 we already had more than a decade of auto cell phones in use. It was the proliferation of smart phones that attracted public attention. And concern. The concern was justified because we could see that many drivers were distracted by their cell phones while driving.
The first reaction of politicians everywhere was to introduce draconian penalties for cell phone use while driving. Those laws are still in place.
What has actually happened?
Our commercial society has adapted. Drivers have learned to use the phone in a way that does not require diverting their eyes or diverting attention. Manufacturers have built phone systems into automobiles and made them voice activated. A standard commercial response to a customer problem.
The whole issue is gone. Not because of the laws, but because of commerce and public learning, something that is an inherent part of a commercial society.