Bill, your last sentence says it all...
in that it has almost become the standard operating proceedure of the government to pass laws that are in the interest of the general citizen, then have little or no enforcement of those laws, thus 'creating' a need for even more laws until you get to the point that new laws are enacted that greatly restrict the very people they were supposed to protect. Two of the most obvious areas where this has and is occuring are guns and drugs. The gun laws do little to stop the violent use of firearms by a miniscule percentage of the population, but they have drastic effects on the vast majority of lawful recreational users. The drug laws are (arguably) even worse, especially when one considers the draconian prohibitions against the medical use of cannibus by patients suffering from serious and life-threatening diseases. It's a rather simple formula, pass a law to protect the people but don't enforce it, when the desired results are not forthcoming, pass another law and don't enforce that one either. Soon, you'll have all the reason you need to pass a law that encompasses EVERYONE, even those who aren't creating a problem or threatening anyone. It's a simple formula and they keep on using it because it works so well. Even worse, they have no qualms against passing laws that are in direct violation of the ultimate law of the land, the Constitution of the United States; which is why I'm a firm believer in 'two-term-limits'; the first being in office and the second being in prison!