August 24, 2007
A Vocabulary Lesson for Lima
Here's a lesson in the proper application of the word "unscrupulous" for Charlene Lima:
Unscrupulous vendors in Thailand have been selling meat of the deadly puffer fish disguised as salmon, causing the deaths of more than 15 people over the past three years, a doctor said Thursday.
Clearly those vendors need increased fines and a requirement for continuing education.
Justin,
I'm a little confused here...I must be missing something. Are you saying that fraudently selling poison food that results in 15 deaths is merely "unscrupulous"?
Those vendors don't need fines or education, they need prison.
I'm saying that doing so is unscrupulous (i.e., lacking moral principles), behavior that clearly requires more than fines and education. Similarly, if the "unscrupulous" contractors whom Ms. Lima's recent legislation was ostensibly intended to target are, indeed, unscrupulous, then her legislation ought to have targeted them as criminals. (Point being that, as I've written before, her use of "unscrupulous" is an indication of rhetoric targeting a group for political reasons.
Posted by: Justin Katz at August 25, 2007 7:50 AMThere is a kernel of necessity in this legislation. People have been taken advantage of by dishonest contractors.
Unfortunately, instead of doing something reasonable (if not minimal), Lima and the General Assembly have overreacted so as to pander to a particular special interest.
[Gratuitous swipe: Lima and Weed are convincing counter-arguments to the bromide that "government/the country would be a lot better if women were in charge".]