why, why are laws a thing you can buy?

aside from the fact that laws like SOPA and PIPA would probably snuff out this and many other sites (hey, you don't think lolthreats would fare any better than lolcats do you?), this video raises an interesting question about laws being a thing you can buy. in fact, it may well be one of the most important questions of our age.

regulation, law enforcement, and other forms of authority can usually be thought of as a class of strategies for meeting the basic human need to keep ourselves and the things we value safe, much like security is (which is why i'll often include content that strictly speaking has more to do with authority than security). but when laws become a commodity that can be bought and sold then the entire system of legal authority is being gamed and is no longer fit for it's intended purpose. then laws can only protect the interests of the people rich enough to buy them.

don't let SOPA/PIPA pass, but also don't make the mistake that they are the width and breadth of the problem. they are merely a symptom. if they don't pass then the people paying for them will just pay more for new versions. so long as laws are a thing you can buy...