G.W.,
You can't legistlate morality.

Feeling contrary today, I'm going to agree with Robert Bork on this
one and say that ALL legislation is legislation of morality. We make
laws to distinguish what we think is right from wrong; morality is
the distinction between right and wrong; all legislation is about
morality.

I think what you're referring to here is primarily sexual behavior,
maybe with some social behavior added in. We effectively legislate
against many aspects of those things on which there is a large
consensus. On others, the consensus breaks down, and the laws are
largely or partially ignored.

--
Ed Huntress

You are 100% correct. Morality is legislated every day. People that
claim otherwise are simply mistaken. Everything from the age of
sexual consent, to the use of alcohol, to the language we use, you
name it the government regulates it. So for anyone that doesn't know
it the answer is yes, morality is regulated all the time. Hope that
clears things up.


My point was that it doesn't work.


Actually it does work, and quite well. The problem of course is in how it's
applied. When done well it has salutary effects. When done incorrectly it's
effects are odious. The main problem is that government doesn't know when to
stop. In this area a little goes a long way. The problem is that once they
get started they want to go on and on until the cure is worse than the ill.

Hawke