Overhauling the System

* Re “Ballooning Judicial System Needs an Overhaul,” Ventura County Perspective, July 16.

I applaud the Ventura County judiciary for inconveniencing Dr. Alan J. Peterson with jury duty. Maybe it will inspire him and the rest of the previously privileged exempt to apply their healing skills to our legal system.

His idea of no-fault insurance has merit if it were “pay-at-the-pump” basic coverage for all vehicles and supplemented by an individual liability coverage umbrella to meet asset protection needs.

The next step should be to remove the taxation policy of ticket writing by armed peace officers. Their job should only be to arrest or warn.

Why aren’t the insurance companies putting video vans out on major roads to document their policyholders’ driving habits? A notice that your rates will go up unless you attend traffic school would be just as effective as being a mass taxation victim in a traffic court of questionable justice.

The folks behind the badge need to be just the good guys. This means get them out of the “war on drugs.” I don’t mean stop drug interdiction; I mean bankrupt organized crime by using confiscated drugs to sustain licensed users and offer treatment. We have about a million prisoners and many more whose crimes were capitalism, free-market profiteering and pursuit of happiness.

The whole world of undercover investigation, deception, lies and informants undermines a society based on being truthful.

My Bible says that all green plants bearing seed were given me for food, as well as the use of herbs to heal. I find anything less from our justice system to be less than the ideal of individual freedom and personal responsibility we, the people, enacted.

MICHAEL E. LAWRENCE

Camarillo