Politicians Treating Themselves as "Special People"

[dennishoddy]

This. I'm actually in favor of the (limited) privilege from arrest, for this very reason. It doesn't mean they have a lifetime privilege, just while in session.

Why is this?

The speeding laws are designed for public safety.

The public is fined, and sometimes jailed for traffic offences.

Is a legislator immune from protecting the lives of the people that elected them to office, because they are the very ones that passed the legislation to protect us that they need protection from?? Are they not violating the very laws they passed??

I don't understand the reasoning.

Help me understand.

 

[Dave70968]

Why is this?

The speeding laws are designed for public safety.

The public is fined, and sometimes jailed for traffic offences.

Is a legislator immune from protecting the lives of the people that elected them to office, because they are the very ones that passed the legislation to protect us that they need protection from?? Are they not violating the very laws they passed??

I don't understand the reasoning.

Help me understand.

Because, without the (limited) privilege, an officer--whether acting on his own or upon orders from above--could change the outcome of the legislative vote by preventing certain members from attending. At the time the Constitution was written, this wasn't a theoretical concern; there had been cases of the King's men arresting Colonial political leaders who cast "incorrect" ballots.

 

[SoonerP226]

This is nothing unexpected. Many of us have known this for quite some time. Most politicians think themselves above the law.

You mean like how Randy Terrill tried to claim that he should be immune from prosecution for (allegedly) scheming to keep Leftwich from running for reelection because he did what he did as a function of being a legislator?