There are numerous reasons why your Mandarin is thankful that Castle Gormogon is located in the greatest country on God’s green earth – the United States of America. But just in case I needed another reason, it seems that our progressive friends in Europe are now determining the fines one pays for speeding based on income level according to an Associated Press report at the San Francisco Chronicle.

For years the progressives have wailed, gnashed their teeth, and torn their garments in agony over the special treatment that the rich have received in legal matters in comparison to those less fortunate. But now the tables are turned and those evil men with their large wallets can pay for their crimes – monetarily that is.

According to the article, the way the Swiss law is currently written, those on the bottom of the economic ladder could receive little to no penalty for excessive speeding or even drunk driving. But the wealthy Swiss banker who takes his supercar out for a high speed run, fine him, put him in jail, and maybe if we can get enough of the poor to rally around the cause we can put him up against the wall – bang!

Now how long before one of our esteemed progressive politicians over here takes up this lunar idea? I can see it now – but in this country it won’t be only how much money you have that determines your fine. Your Mandarin is sure that the level of fine or imprisonment will be based upon what victim or oppressor group you belong to.

This is the progressive/liberal/Democrat/race-baiter’s dream. What better way to equalize the “injustice” in this country than by using a twist on the Marxist doctrine of each according to his ability to each according to his needs. Justice is no longer blind, but is now all seeing and compassionate – able to dole out justice as appropriate to right past injustices and make some additional revenue for the state to spend on further useless social programs.

Your Mandarin would also be curious to see what would happen if this were implemented here. Would the police be ordered to pay closer attention to someone driving a BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Ferrari, or other luxury car? If so, will we hear the hue and cry from the ACLU regarding the use of profiling? Somehow, your Mandarin thinks all he is going to hear is silence.

Well back to the lab, GorT and I have some work to do on that new radar detector and jamming device.

The Mandarin

The Mandarin, whose real name is 吏恆, joined the order in 1309, and introduced the Gormogons into England during the 18th Century.

The Mandarin enjoys spending time with his pet manticore, Βάρἰκος, or Barry (who can be found in the Bestiary). When not in the Castle…well, frankly, nobody is quite sure where he goes.

The Mandarin popularized the fine art of “gut booting,” by which he delivers a powerful kick to the stomach of anyone that annoys him. Although nearly universal today, the act of gut booting or threatening someone or something with a gut boot is solely due to him.