If you believed it when DD's said America runs on Duncan, you were probably talking during Civics class in high school.

No judgement here, we were, too, and donuts are life in these parts. All the same, it's probably time you got with the program on how a few things work in the land of the fried pastry.

via GIPHY

In reality, a free-thinking republic relies upon donuts AND the Rule of Law. As stated on the UnitedStatesCourts.gov website, the Rule of Law is a

principle under which all persons, institutions, and entities are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced, independently adjudicated, and consistent with international human rights principles.

To keep the donut-loving U.S. of A. running, our senators and members of the House of Representatives follow an eight-step process to transform even the whackiest of ideas into laws.

If you're in Utah, for example, you could drum up an idea like, "snowball-throwing should be outlawed."

8 Steps to Turning a Sane/Crazy Idea into a Legitimate Law

  1. Using your fanciest verbiage, draft a bill formally outlining why snowball-throwing should be illegal.
  2. Debate the very serious issue of snowball-throwing in a committee.
  3. Debate the very serious snowball issue even more on the Senate floor.
  4. Work with House colleagues to agree with your hatred for snowball fights and fun.
  5. Negotiate any snowballsy compromises to be made.
  6. Send your very important bill outlawing snowball fights to the President/Leader of the Free World because he obviously has time for such matters.
  7. Reauthorization...which we're too busy dunkin' donuts to summarize, but feel free to read up on it here.

And just like that, throwing snowballs in Utah is 100% illegal!

For an even simpler explanation of how a bill turns into a law, we invite you to kick it old-school with Schoolhouse Rock below!

Video credit: Jack Italix YouTube

Crazy Laws in California, Utah & Washington State

And that, class, brings us to...weird laws in California and Utah that are so madcap and crazy, you'd swear they were purely fictional! But alas, the elected representatives of Idaho's neighboring states applied all the workings of the American legal system to convert these whacky ideas into functioning laws.

Scroll on for a gallery of laws in CA and UT that range from the entertaining to the ERMERGERD.

Interested in Idaho's quirkiest or little-known laws? Check out: 10 Bizarro Idaho Laws You Might Be Breaking, Idaho Bike Laws, and These 5 Beers Are Actually Illegal in Idaho!

Idaho Has Crazy Neighbors: Weird Laws in California & Utah [gallery]

Scroll on for a gallery of laws in California & Utah that range from the entertaining to the ERMERGERD.

Gallery Credit: Ryan Valenzuela

19 Alarming Things You Can Be Buried With In Idaho + 2 You Can't Take with You!

Gallery Credit: Ryan Antoinette Valenzuela

TRUE OR FALSE: Can You Guess Which Idaho Laws Are Real?

Let's see how well you do at guessing which of these silly laws are true and which are false.

Gallery Credit: Chris Cardenas

The Top 8 Changes Boise Drivers Want In 2023

They're not real, they'll likely never happen, and they're downright outrageous. Locals share the driving laws they want to see go into effect in the great state of Idaho.

Gallery Credit: Chris Cardenas

5 Beers That Can Technically Land You In Jail In Idaho

These are the five delicious beers with over 16% alcohol by volume which is pretty high as it is. Even crazier? There's a beer with close to 30% ABV!

Gallery Credit: Chris Cardenas

Are You Really Breaking the Law By Burying Your Pet in Idaho?

What is the law on burying your pets in Idaho? Here are the rules you'll need to follow if you plan on burying your pet in Idaho according to the Idaho State Department of Agriculture.

Gallery Credit: Chris Cardenas

More From Mix 106