The Government Takes Advantage of Americans’ Ignorance of Laws, All The Time!

Whoever first said “ignorance is bliss” must not have imagined what 21^st century life in the United States would look like. Sure, being unaware of all the problems in American government, and having a sweeping ignorance of laws can wave the veil of ease over the lives of those who are blissfully ignorant to its reality, but as many Americans are unaware of the state of American politics, both federal and state governments are cashing in on their ignorance.
Take, for example, the Affordable Care Act. Just weeks ago the Kaiser Family Foundation released a report that stated that “four in ten Americans (42%) are unaware that the ACA is still the law of the land, including 12% who believe the law has been repealed by Congress, 7% who believe it has been overturned by the Supreme Court and 23% who say they don’t know enough to say what the status of the law is.” And the longer Americans remain out of the loop, the more time the government has to implement the mandate with little push back from many Americans.
Free Rides
And what about riders? You know, those little provisions added to unrelated bills in an effort to see them passed. Most Americans know little about them because the media and politicians focus on the main topic of the legislation, neglecting to discuss what would typically be the controversial matters. Last summer, an agriculture appropriations bill dealt with federal appropriations. But hidden deep within the legislation was the biotech rider. If passed, the rider would’ve allowed genetically modified crop varieties to be planted regardless of whether a federal judge thinks the USDA improperly approved the crop. Although the biotech rider wasn’t passed, it was resurrected in March 2013 when it showed up in the Senate’s Continuing Resolution, another piece of legislation that had nothing to do with agriculture biotech. And most riders are written in an effort to keep you ignorant while you’re distracted by the larger piece of legislation.
At some point (perhaps immediately), Americans have to ask: Are we allowing the government to take advantage of us by refusing to know the facts?
The answer is: You betcha. And shame on the government for banking on our ignorance! But also, shame on those who don’t even attempt to be informed.
William, the Conqueror… of Nothing, in Kansas
Let’s talk about William Marotta, a fine example of this issue in action. In 2009, he responded to an ad on Craigslist and donated sperm to a lesbian couple. But unaware of a Kansas state law that requires men to donate through a licensed physician, Marotta dealt directly with the couple, not a doctor. Long story short, the couple’s family plans did not go as planned between them, and now, Marotta is being sued by the Kansas Department of Children and Families for back child support. Marotta and the couple signed an agreement relinquishing him of any parental rights and responsibilities, but the state argues that the contract is worthless because they defied the state law. Sure, we could argue that the state is taking advantage of Marotta considering that the couple doesn’t want his money, but we have to ask: Did Marotta even research the laws surrounding sperm donation? Is he an innocent victim being played by the government, or is he facing reasonable consequences for his disregard for the law? Whether this disregard was due to his ignorance or for convenience, or something else is up for speculation, granted, but the story suggests he was grossly uninformed.
Certainly, the government has a reputation for cashing in on people’s ignorance. With all of the scandals this year, it’s undeniable that the government likes to keep American citizens in the dark in order to have their way with us. But at what point do we fight it by becoming informed. It’s not an easy task to wade through the deluge of skewed facts and twisted information, but isn’t it time to seek the truth instead of waiting for it to land on our doorstep?
Remember what Benjamin Franklin said: “It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins.” As Always The Plain Truth!