Ohio has stepped up their efforts to combat drinking and driving, by tagging convicted offenders with a scarlet letter. Fox (search) News reports that "a new state law in Ohio requires judges to brand convicted drunk drivers with special 'scarlet letter' license plates -- with red numbers on a yellow background so other motorists will know exactly what they've done."

People generally think this is okay because drunk driving is so unpopular, and the law only impacts a minority of people. However, as lawmakers lower the allowed blood alcohol content and make it much easier to be considered a drunk driver, more of these plates will be issued. The other slippery slope argument is that this could easily expand into other areas. If the program becomes popular enough, how long before activists start demanding their own 'scarlet letter' license plates? Today it's drunk drivers, but tomorrow it could be deadbeat dads, tax delinquents, or even those evil, horrible smokers.