Red Light Cameras and the Fiscal Cliff

5 Ways Speeding and Red Lights Cameras Are Causing Political Outrage

Story Here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021899806

What has happened here is interesting.

What changed?

It was matter of judgement by a driver concerning the general degree of safety to either go through or stop on the caution light change from red to green.  Also judgment and decision by any observing police officer.

Poor (or no) judgment (unaware inattention) by drivers will still result in running red lights.

 Observation is the thing that changed.

A constant observation with binary decision applied to every car entering the intersection.  Failure of drivers to make the best decision might result in horn honking or a crash. 

Driving behavior changed.  Social sanctions like horn honking and other indications of displeasure for violation (in the degree of judgment exercised by the honkers) became traffic infractions with fine penaties.

The risk of a fine became the more important consideration that caused irrational behavior to slam on brakes that would likely cause rear end collision if the driver thought twice.

Binary risk outcome counter productively influenced the intuitive beneficial objective.

Set up a binary risk situation and behavior based on best judgment and associated action will be influenced.  Perhaps even manipulated.

Fiscal Cliff Red Light Camera?

Austerity one way or the other?  http://www.democraticunderground.com/101782885

DeFazio is using a degree of judgment that will not be influenced by binary proposition thinking:  http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021896121 DeFazio goes on MSNBC, says 'Fuck the fiscal cliff!' Grand Bargain Express wobbles, heads explode!

DeFazio: Sure. Well, first, off the 'cliff' is an unbelievable exaggeration. There's no cliff. In fact, the only tax rate that changes on January 1st is we do away with the Social Security/FICA holiday. The other tax rates we would have ample time to deal with, and we would be then bargaining from a position of strength.

Rep. Peter Defazio, D-Ore., says Congress should wait until after the new year to deal with the severe cuts and tax increases that will automatically take effect. Defazio insists says it’s a lame duck session and the most radical members of the Tea Party are still here, so it’s better to wait until the next Congress is in office.

I say:  Yes, indeed.  There will also be fewer binary thinkers in the next Congress!