Exceptional cases make bad law

I just read an AP news story on Sheepherders' living conditions.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/farm_scene

The reporter actually says

"Miguel's living conditions — barely a roof over his head and no sanitation — mirror those of a majority of California's sheepherders, according to a survey by Fresno-based Central California Legal Services.

The numbers are high despite a state law passed to ensure adequate living conditions."

The numbers are indeed bad:

"91 percent had no toilet, 67 percent had no shower and 64 percent had no heat. Nearly 70 percent had no access to a cell phone or radio for emergency medical communication."

At least until you put it in perspective:

"In interviews conducted with 22 herders scattered throughout five counties, the group found that [...] Most of California's shepherds are legal migrant workers from Peru, Chile and Mongolia. The few dozen immigrants roam the state's grasslands, deserts and foothills during grazing season."

Maybe the reason they don't have toilets is because they work by migrating around in the freaking woods. I think I just discovered my new cause de jour: Latrines for Ursine-Americans

So they want to take this to the California assembly to legislate improvement for a few, no-skill-having, marginally employable people who probably had worse conditions where they came from.

You gotta be kidding me. Maybe we should be legislating toilets for the illegal immigrants who constantly cross our borders too. I can see it now, a line of port-a-potties along the Rio Grande. Of course it would have to be illegal for Border POatrol Agents to catch them there, that would be like entrapment.