Friday, March 05, 2004

The Jet Set

Eugene Volokh writes: JETSETTING: I was just thinking about this word, and how much things have changed. Once upon a time, flying a lot on airplanes -- no, not just airplanes, but jets! -- was expensive and thus exclusive and glamorous; hence the word. Nowadays, being in the literal "jet set" is not something most of us would want . . . .

Just to put things in context.... My wife wanted to go to Europe in 1963. Pan Am's 707 service out of Idlewild (IDL) to London cost about $625 (one way). She went Third Class on the Queen Mary for $125 instead.

Thursday, March 04, 2004

Datapoint on SSN Regulation

Those of you who might be concerned about the dedication of the US authorities in SSN enforcement will be happy to know that (so far) the IRS has ignored
26 US Code 6039E which provides for a $500 fine for those who decline to enter their TINs on their Passport Applications.

I know many people who've declined to include their SSNs/TINs on their passport apps and no one's been bothered. One good reason to do so -- the Feds are supposed to yank the passports of those owing more than $5K in child support. Lack of an SSN makes it a little harder to match.

Somethings Trads can do about Marriage

Trads who are upset about Homosexual Marriage (or governments screwing up marriage in general) can actually take direct action to fight the problems. I can think of at least two steps they can take:

1) Refuse Civil Marriage. Unmarried Trads who plan to marry can have a religious wedding but refuse to apply for a marriage license and use their church wedding certificate as proof of marriage. Married Trads can obtain a civil divorce and continue to live as husband and wife. Most churches do not oppose divorce merely remarriage after divorce.

The opposition can hardly force Trads to marry and they can hardly refuse to recognize Trads religious marriages when they recognize a host of other much less formal relationships. Trads can call civil marriage "Queer Marriage" and their marriages "God's Marriage". This will serve to "personalize" their opposition to government action on marriage just as gay weddings have "personalized" the other side.

Back in the 18th & 19th Centuries when the new Nation States were feeling their oats and taking over the Law of Domestic Relations from the churches (who had heretofore controlled it) it was predictable that they would screw it up. And they did. While established monopoly churches are not a good idea, there is nothing wrong with returning Dom Rel to such private institutions that compete freely. They can enforce their decrees with disfellowship and economic retaliation (job loss for example). That was Christ's preferred method of jurisprudence; see Matthew Chapter 18 verses 15-17.

2) Fun test cases can be run in Mass. and SF. Trad lawyers can find (unmarried) brothers and sisters, brothers and brothers, sisters and sisters, fathers and daughters, mothers and sons, fathers and sons, mothers and daughters and a host of other relationships on The Table of Kindred and Affinity and have them apply for marriage licenses. If granted -- publicize. If turned down -- sue.

Remember, it's not a sin to apply for a marriage license when the couple is within the prohibited relationships, it would merely be wrong to actually marry.