MAGIC

Throughout the years, magic has helped as well as hindered man, because of the power of the Wish and the heights of power that the Wisher nearly rose to, magic and those who use magic have always been treated with a certain amount of apprehension.

Though magic may have been used to secure Americas freedom during the Revolutionary war.
Just a few years after the First Amendment was added to the Constitution, the federal government passed a law restricting freedom of speech and magic. In 1798, Congress passed the Sedition Act. War seemed likely between the United States and its former ally France. Members of Congress were convinced that people sympathetic to France would try to stir up trouble for the new nation.

Congress and President John Adams believed that the Sedition Act would help control pro-French troublemakers. The Sedition Act of 1798, however, went far beyond this. It required criminal penalties for persons who did anything "scandalous, or malicious" against the federal government, Congress or the president. This of course included magic.

Despite the arrests and convictions, many people spoke out against the Sedition Act. The state of Virginia even threatened to secede from the United States over this issue. The act was never legally challenged before the Supreme Court. Instead, it simply expired in 1801. By that time Thomas Jefferson, a bitter political opponent of President Adams and the Sedition Act, had been elected President. He pardoned all those convicted under this law.

Another major attempt to regulate freedom and magic occurred during World War I. In 1917, Congress passed the Federal Espionage Act. This law prohibited all false information and acts intending to interfere with the military forces of the country or to promote the success of its enemies. In addition, penalties of up to $10,000 and/or 20 years in prison were established for anyone attempting to obstruct the recruitment of men into the military.

Even during WWI and WWII, it was rumored that both sides had special forces that dealt purely with the use of magic.

In the 1950's the USA lead the initiative that called for the registration and classification of magic.

Now, along with the standardized tests children must take in school, they are also made to take tests that evaluate their abilities with the arcane forces.

Those that show an aptitude are placed on a database with a special branch of the FBI.

The Magical Use and Registration Act is one of the few McCarthy era acts that has not been repealed.

Those who show the aptitudes are assigned a level to which their power has the ability to grow to. But tests are not always reliable.

Those who have found ways to circumvent the tests and those who are not registered must tread carefully.

Ranks of Magic:

One being basic innate abilities
Those Users who are rated at a level one, are one trick ponies. The have no understanding of their skills, and their power works on instinct only. The power level that they work at is considered a minimal risk.

The majority of the Users worth note are ranked between a three to a five. These Users show the ability to not only understand the magic that flows within them but they also are able to control it. When these Users move to a new area, they are required to register with the local police so that they can be tracked and the energy signature of their magic can be recorded. Many of these Users have found fine professions in the entertainment industry, and can be found working in Las Vegas.

Users who rank a 7 or above are considered highly dangerous. Normally the police are alerted by the FBI if a User of such ranking has arrived in an area. These Users not only have the ability to control their magic but they have the ability to mold magic in ways that has not been seen before.

Rank of ten,being a Magus are considered extremely dangerous.
Those who deserve the Magus ranking are few and far between. It is said that the Wisher would have been a Magus ranked User. Those of this Rank are under observation from various government offices are required to check in with their Federal Liaison on a weekly basis.

The use of magic by an unregistered or rogue magus can lead to imprisonment.

It is said that those agents who work for the Magical Task Force are in their own rights considered Magus' of great power.

Of course, public policy does not reflect the preferences of the majority of Americans. If it did, the country would look radically different: Marijuana and magic would be legal and campaign contributions more tightly regulated; paid parental leave would be the law of the land and public colleges free; the minimum wage would be higher and gun control much stricter.

Underground societies have arisen on both sides of the magical debate, some to eradicate those with magical power and those who believe that the flow of magic should be freed.