<instructions>Your goal is to analyze the following comment and estimate how highly it will be upvoted by the Hacker News community.</instructions><comment><author>jdietrich</author><text>Virginia and New Jersey have felony larceny thresholds of $200; Massachusetts draws the line at $250. Arizona, Oklahoma and Tennessee all class possession of half an ounce of marijuana as a felony. Several states make possession of any amount within proximity of a school, church or park a felony. There are countless examples of misdemeanour possession being trumped-up to felony possession with intent based on very flimsy grounds.&lt;p&gt;This is all nitpicky and arbitrary, which is largely my point. The line between misdemeanour and felony is thin, but the consequences of crossing it are severe. In one state, you might get a $50 fine; in the next, you might be barred from voting or lose your green card.</text><parent_chain><item><author>DamnYuppie</author><text>Stealing a coat or possessing 1&amp;#x2F;2 and ounce of marijuana are generally not felonies.  Stealing would be larceny and there are cost thresholds associated with that.&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&amp;#x2F;wiki&amp;#x2F;Felony&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&amp;#x2F;wiki&amp;#x2F;Felony&lt;/a&gt;</text></item><item><author>jdietrich</author><text>Consider the restrictions that US law places on convicted felons. Millions of Americans have been stripped of constitutional rights, often for infractions as minor as stealing a coat or possessing half an ounce of marijuana. Felons often face considerable difficulties in finding employment and housing. &amp;quot;Once untrustworthy, always restricted&amp;quot; is a practical reality in the US.</text></item><item><author>awakeasleep</author><text>To me the principle of “once untrustworthy, always restricted” sounds like the beginning of a new caste system.&lt;p&gt;Everyone&amp;#x27;s children are going to make mistakes. The wealthy are going to be able to cover up their children&amp;#x27;s mistakes, the poor are going to be put on &amp;#x27;the list&amp;#x27; and become &amp;#x27;restricted.&amp;#x27;&lt;p&gt;The restrictions will grow, and eventually you&amp;#x27;ll have a new group of &amp;#x27;untouchables&amp;#x27;</text></item></parent_chain></comment><story><title>China to bar people with bad &apos;social credit&apos; from planes, trains</title><url>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-credit/china-to-bar-people-with-bad-social-credit-from-planes-trains-idUSKCN1GS10S</url></story>
<instructions>Your goal is to analyze the following comment and estimate how highly it will be upvoted by the Hacker News community.</instructions><comment><author>mikeash</author><text>In Virginia, felony larceny starts at $200, easily within coat range. I once had jury duty and was faced with the prospect of sentencing the defendant to up to 20 years in prison for the crime of receiving stolen goods valued at least $200. I got rejected from the jury, probably because I said I couldn’t possibly consider 20 years in prison for that.</text><parent_chain><item><author>DamnYuppie</author><text>Stealing a coat or possessing 1&amp;#x2F;2 and ounce of marijuana are generally not felonies.  Stealing would be larceny and there are cost thresholds associated with that.&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&amp;#x2F;wiki&amp;#x2F;Felony&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&amp;#x2F;wiki&amp;#x2F;Felony&lt;/a&gt;</text></item><item><author>jdietrich</author><text>Consider the restrictions that US law places on convicted felons. Millions of Americans have been stripped of constitutional rights, often for infractions as minor as stealing a coat or possessing half an ounce of marijuana. Felons often face considerable difficulties in finding employment and housing. &amp;quot;Once untrustworthy, always restricted&amp;quot; is a practical reality in the US.</text></item><item><author>awakeasleep</author><text>To me the principle of “once untrustworthy, always restricted” sounds like the beginning of a new caste system.&lt;p&gt;Everyone&amp;#x27;s children are going to make mistakes. The wealthy are going to be able to cover up their children&amp;#x27;s mistakes, the poor are going to be put on &amp;#x27;the list&amp;#x27; and become &amp;#x27;restricted.&amp;#x27;&lt;p&gt;The restrictions will grow, and eventually you&amp;#x27;ll have a new group of &amp;#x27;untouchables&amp;#x27;</text></item></parent_chain></comment><story><title>China to bar people with bad &apos;social credit&apos; from planes, trains</title><url>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-credit/china-to-bar-people-with-bad-social-credit-from-planes-trains-idUSKCN1GS10S</url></story>