Columnist Eric Zorn discusses how mail fraud has now become an overly vague, umbrella term that can represent several other charges. Wayne State Law Professor Peter Henning responds to the question, "Why not simply write federal fraud and corruption laws to cover local officials? "Because it's important to maintain the line, no matter how thin, between the federal government and the states. The mail requirement is part of how we define the limits of federal power," Henning said.