: ...: : That is why we need a government of laws, not of men. If the laws are objective and not open to interpretation, than you cannot have the numerous loopholes in the legal system as there are now.
: Now we have the U.S Federal Register. Last I heard it was 150,000
: pages and growing. It appears there are plenty of folks out there
: trying hard to 'close these damn loopholes'.
: "There is in fact a true law -- namely, right reason -- which is in
: accordance with nature, applies to all men, and is unchangeable
: and eternal. By its commands this law summons men to the
: performance of their duties; by its prohibitions it restrains them
: from doing wrong. Its commands and prohibitions always
: influence good men, but are without effect upon the bad. To
: invalidate this law by human legislation is never morally right, nor
: is it permissible ever to restrict its operation, and to annul it wholly
: is impossible. Neither the senate nor the people can absolve us
: from our obligation to obey this law, and it requires no Sextus
: Aelius to expound and interpret it. It will not lay down one rule at
: Rome and another at Athens, nor will it be one rule today and
: another tomorrow."
: Cicero, 51 BC
: On the Commonwealth
: And for 2000 years we haven't learned this lesson.
: This makes my eyes cross and smoke come out of my ears.
HMMM. i 've always been a fan of the romans, however what cicero is alluding to here is the concept of natural law and alas as noble a sentiment as it might be there are few apart from christian apologists who hold the doctrine to have any content.
At any rate it is a general concept, one that needs to be specifically applied consequently any attempt to apply natural law will be as 'subjective' as other law. Ie it will be subject to interpretation.
None.
