I have stated on more than one occasion that the purpose of government throughout history (with apologies to Thomas Jefferson) has not been the protection of individual rights, but the protection and expansion of the privileges and power of the privileged and powerful. In fact the definition of the word privilege is:
a special benefit, exemption from a duty, or immunity from penalty, given to a particular person, a group or a class of people
The latin roots of the word mean “private law.”
So you can imagine my (lack of) shock when I read about California Public Employees’ Magical Immunity to Traffic Tickets (h/t: Instapundit):
“They’ve exempted themselves from the rules they’re enforcing,” said Chad Dornsife, director of the Best Highway Safety Practices Institute. “They know it, is what’s really sick about this. This isn’t some surprise that when the camera comes out they don’t have to worry about it.”…
“It’s a courtesy, law enforcement to law enforcement,” San Francisco Police Sgt. Tom Lee said. “We let it go.”
Want to avoid traffic tickets? Get a special license plate only issued to .gov employees. Don’t like Obamacare? Beg your lawmaker for a waiver. If you’re a lawmaker, give yourself an exemption. “Exempt(ing) themselves from the rules they’re enforcing” is SOP for the powerful and privileged. I don’t understand why anyone would be surprised. Why should the law apply to them? They have private law.