Guys, it's never about safety, it's never about stopping crime or protecting people, it's simply about votes.
The person that is perceived to be protecting the masses will be perceived as a saviour even when no real problem exists or the problem that does exist can be dealt with another way.
The leader of genius must have the ability to make different opponents appear as if they belonged to one category.
So disincentivised tossers lasing planes (so nasty little jonny who has no pointer will end up playing with weedkiller and sugar)
Uneducated tossers lasing planes (the guy who is too stupid to realise the danger will likely do something else just as dangerous when he loses his lasers)
Malicious tossers lasing planes (Lasers are easy to get hold of, so are guns)
Bored tossers lasing planes (the devil makes work for idle hands)
Insane tossers lasing planes (don't you just love "care in the community?)
Terrorist tossers lasing planes (they started using plastic IED's in Afganistan as the metal mines / bombs could be detected)(where there is will there will be found method)
For the purpose of votes all you need do is make it appear to be a single entity problem, ie: people lasing planes, that way you get public opinion behind you, score some votes and get re-elected.(when in reality you just shift the problem to another means)
In reality it is a myriad of problems leading different groups of people to point lasers at planes for different reasons but if the people (US) expected the Governments to deal with the individual problems such a feat would be close to impossible ergo: no votes get scored as treating the cause rather than the symptoms leads to failure due to the sheer bulk of different causes. No nice decrease figures to post next election time.
oh and the "leader of genius" quote?
Hitler!
cheers
Dave