Penn & Teller - Federal V.I.P Penn - 11/13/02

Federal V.I.P Penn - 11/13/02
Penn

Last Thursday I was flying to LA on the Midnight flight. I went through security my usual sour stuff. I beeped, of course, and was shuttled to the "toss-em" line. A security guy came over. I assumed the position. I had a button up shirt on that was untucked. He reached around while he was behind me and grabbed around my front pocket. I guess he was going for my flashlight, but the area could have loosely been called "crotch." I said, "You have to ask me before you touch me or it's assault."

He said, "Once you cross that line, I can do whatever I want."

http://www.pennandteller.com/03/coolstuff/penniphile/roadpennfederalvip.html

Wickard v. Filburn -- Sixty Year Anniversary

Wickard v. Filburn

Wickard v. Filburn, 317 U.S. 111 (1942), was a U.S. Supreme Court decision that dramatically increased the power of the federal government to regulate economic activity. A farmer, Roscoe Filburn, was growing wheat to feed his chickens. The U.S. government had imposed limits on wheat production based on acreage owned by a farmer, in order to drive up wheat prices during the Great Depression, and Filburn was growing more than the limits permitted. Filburn was ordered to destroy his crops and pay a fine, even though he was producing the excess wheat for his own use and had no intention of selling it.

Prior to this, Congress could only regulate what crossed state lines. Now they could regulate anything.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wickard_v._Filburn