Politician Grandstanding About Police Checkpoint App Results In Doubling Of Sales

from the schumer,-meet-streisand dept

We mentioned, recently, Senator Chuck Schumer’s misinformed grandstanding against a mobile app that alerts people to where police checkpoints are located, as he put pressure on both Google and Apple to block the app, despite the app not breaking the law anywhere. A few other Senators joined Schumer in this grandstanding effort… and all it seems to have done is double the sale of the app. Apparently, having Senators think you’re an abomination is good for sales.

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Comments on “Politician Grandstanding About Police Checkpoint App Results In Doubling Of Sales”

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23 Comments
Michial Thompson (user link) says:

Re: Re:

The United States *IS* already a dictatorship. The problem isn’t what we are, the problem is that no one come into this country and seized control. This country voted to hand over control, so we still call it a democracy.

No country can be ruled iron fisted by one person, even the worst of the dictators could not control the country alone. In our case it’s congress that dictates our lives. In other countries its called something else. is all.

Pips says:

Re: Re:

I have never seen a country that gets its members of government so up in arms about everything. I can see the U.S. turning into a dictatorship before long.

Because if they didn’t it would look like they’re doing nothing. Most laws aren’t passed with good intentions, they’re passed because the politicians have to look like they’re doing something. They want to keep their jobs like anyone else, they want to get paid and retire with nice benefits. Like any other job, you appear to look like you’re doing nothing, you get let go.

Pickle Monger (profile) says:

Re: Re:

In Quebec, the location of red-light and speed cameras are on various gov’t web sites. And the areas with speed trap cameras have the appropriate signage on the roads. And the police still get millions of dollars in fines. JUst the other day a friend of mine was saying that he knew there was a camera but he was stressed out and didn’t slow down… $400 +/-…

umccullough (profile) says:

Re: Re:

Because the primary point of checkpoints are to prevent people from drinking and driving in the first place – if they know they’re likely to encounter one, they are probably less likely to drink and drive.

Sometimes people just need a reminder that what they’re about to do is not only dangerous, but also illegal, and they’re gonna go to jail if they get caught.

The people who are gonna do it anyway probably won’t care.

Doug D (profile) says:

Re: Re:

In my opinion, there are two reasons:

1) It’s the law and they’re required to. The reason for the law is …
2) The whole point is to keep people from driving drunk. The cops are trying to keep you off the road by advertising heavy enforcement. They want to catch the drunks but they would rather there be fewer drunks in the first place.

kcritter46 says:

We are owners of the constitution and the law. We pay them to enforce it, sadly they break the constitution in the name of protecting us daily. It is time that someone with some smarts has finally found a way to watch them for a change. More apps. and devices should be created giving back to the citizens the opportunity to police them for a change. Thank you to the creator of this application and shame on a law maker who would try to outlaw or ban the app.

Pickle Monger (profile) says:

“A few other Senators joined Schumer in this grandstanding effort… and all it seems to have done is double the sale of the app. Apparently, having Senators think you’re an abomination is good for sales.”

There’s an old joke:
A robber stops a man and says:
– Give me your money!
– How dare you?! I’m a United States Senator!
– In that case, give me my money!

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