Sometimes it’s the little things that best illustrate just how far we’ve gone off the tracks. I saw the following article today on www.cellular-news.com:
US Politicans Seek to Ban Phones in Planes
Several US politicians are proposing a law to ban the use of voice communications on mobile phones within aircraft over the USA. Reps. Peter DeFazio, Jerry Costello, John Duncan and Thomas Petri (WI-06) all senior members of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Oberstar, have proposed the new legislation.
The European Union recently announced that it will allow people to talk on their cell phones while a plane is in-flight on all commercial airlines. Additionally, U.S. airlines are already experimenting with in-flight Internet access.
The proposed law, H.R. 5788, the HANG UP Act, Halting Airplane Noise to Give Us Peace Act, would insure that voice communication does not happen on U.S. flights.
“The public doesn’t want to be subjected to people talking on their cell phones on an already over-packed airplane,” DeFazio said. “However, with Internet access just around the corner on U.S. flights, it won’t be long before the ban on voice communications on in-flight planes is lifted. Our bill, the HANG UP Act, would ensure that financially strapped airlines don’t drive us towards this noisome disruption in search of further revenue.”
“Cell phone users should not be able to disrupt the comfort of an entire airplane cabin, especially when other passengers have no choice but to sit there and listen,” said Duncan. “This bill will ensure a relative amount of peace for the American public as they take to an increasingly crowded sky.”
The legislation only prohibits voice communications in-flight but passengers would still be able to access the Internet, e-mail and send text messages as these technologies become available on airplanes.
Any proposed legislation would need to be carefully drafted so as to ensure that while internet access is permitted – the use of VoIP is somehow forbidden, while still permitting VoIP as a potential service for built-in telephones.
Seriously? Is this what we’ve been reduced to? Am I to understand that the only way we as a society know how to deal with rude behavior is to criminalize it? Does anyone really believe that the use of cell phones on a plane should be a federal issue? I suppose the next step will be to criminalize cell phone usage in movie theaters. After all, if rude people in planes can only be dealt with by the criminal justice system, then surely moviegoers must be protected from these psychopaths as well. We couldn’t possibly leave such a life and death decision in the hands of those who actually manage these businesses!
What do you suppose the appropriate punishment should be for a person who dares to talk on a cell phone in a plane? Fines of up to $50,000 per offense, plus 1-5 years in prison?
“What are you in for?”
“Murder. You?”
“I used my cell phone on a flight to Albuquerque. SO YOU WANNA GET LOCO WITH ME, ESSE?!!!”
Maybe a three strikes rule for repeat offenders, punishable by life in prison. Or we could simplify things and put air marshals on every flight. They could just shoot any business travelers who dare call home to say night-night to the kids.
I see that the bill is sponsored by three Democrats (DeFazio, Costello, and Oberstar) and two Republicans (Duncan and Petri). Evidently the dumber the idea, the easier it is to get bipartisan support for it. I’m not surprised when Democrats turn to the federal government to address the smallest of problems, but Republicans are supposed to know better. Are Duncan and Petri so ignorant of basic free market principles that they really think airlines cannot handle this issue on a voluntary basis? When two Republicans support such an obviously illegitimate expansion of federal regulatory power, can there be any doubt that the GOP has completely abandoned whatever limited government principles it may have once held? Pathetic.
Look, I’m a frequent flyer and to me, airplanes are just buses with wings. There is nothing enjoyable about traveling these days unless you like long delays, bad food, and surly flight attendants. As far as I’m concerned the only upside to flying is that it gives me a chance to unplug and be out of contact for a while, allowing me the opportunity to read a book or maybe watch a movie. So I’m not saying that I want people to use cell phones on a plane – quite the opposite, in fact. I would prefer an airline that did not allow passengers to make calls. But I want the airlines to have the freedom to run their businesses in the way that they see fit, and let the market decide which cell phone policy is really preferred by the traveling public. The federal government has no right, no authority, and no reason to impose a one-size-fits-all solution, particularly over such a trivial matter as this.
Representatives DeFazio, Costello, Oberstar, Duncan, and Petri should be embarrassed to have their names on such a blatant nanny-state proposal, and their constituents should fire each and every one of them this November.
