Congress to criminalize caller-ID spoofing. ... Up next: whoopee cushions

Several members of Congress appear intent on making caller-ID spoofing a crime -- large fines, property forfeitures, even the prospect of prison.

Bills are making their way through the House and Senate, according to this story, which correctly notes their high likelihood of passage given the absence of a pro-caller-ID-spoofing lobby.

Every time I read about one of these too-much-time-on-their-hands legislative efforts, I'm reminded of the passage from Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant" where he's sitting on the bench with a bunch of criminal types and he's asked by the toughest of the toughs to establish his criminal bona fides:

"He said, 'What were you arrested for, kid?' And I said, 'littering.'  And they all moved away from me on the bench there, and (gave me) the hairy eyeball and (said) all kinds of mean nasty things, till I said, 'And caller-ID spoofing.' And they all came back, shook my hand, and we had a great time on the bench, talkin about crime …"

Now I'm sure that someone, somewhere has suffered some serious consequence as a result of caller-ID spoofing. (And I'm sure I'll hear from them.)

But the chances are awfully strong, it seems to me, that any such serious consequences would already be covered by established law, thus negating the need for Congress to prevent Bart Simpson from torturing Mo the bartender.