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So by wanting to get all the facts before I make a decision on this issue, I am a loony ! You got me smiling on that one. I really don`t have the same problems you do with our government. I have more problems with the public in general, to be honest. They effect me far more than our federal government does. Is there corruption in our government, well yeah. Do they abuse the power we have placed in them, of course. Does it need to be corrected, absolutely. But not everything they do is bad. I know that must be a shock to you. So do you think speed limits are bad? How about blood alcohol limits ? Are these over- reaching government policies?

The problem is, the government has no vested ownership over anybody's life, and certainly not mine. Speeding laws generally (and there are plenty of exceptions) have the effect of protecting other people on or near the road, as do DUI type laws. It makes sense in most cases to provide laws that encourage that what we do doesn't have a large detrimental effect on others. But seat belt laws, like helmet laws and such, have no effect on the general population, but only on the person who chooses to wear or not wear them.

The point is that I own myself and only I have the right to decide my fate. As one of adult age, if I choose to wear or not wear a seatbelt is my decision and nobody elses. Having government protect us from ourselves is silly. They work for us - we are not to be beholden to them.

But seat belt laws, ........, have no effect on the general population, but only on the person who chooses to wear or not wear them.

Unfortunately, I disagree. Not securely restraining yourself behind the wheel of your vehicle does put others at risk, and in some cases great risk. Have you ever seen someone get thrown from the drivers seat after hitting a curb ? I have. The result was the their car going completely out of control and causing several other accidents. If that driver was belted behind the wheel, they very likely would have simply applied the brakes immediately after the incident ( which could not be done from the passengers seat or floorboard). What was initially a very minor accident, turned into something much worse. And it was only because of the drivers unwillingness to act in a responsible manner that caused the initial event and the event there after. If someone cannot act in a responsible manner behind the wheel of their car/truck, then they have no business being on the road. And personally, I believe wearing a seat belt is part of acting responsibly. --

A federal mandate ??? I don`t know. It is not like the federal government has never over-stepped its bounds before !!!! If they only applied it to interstate highways, then maybe I can accept that. It is about they only way I can see it even happening, without a huge court battle ( which will likely happen anyway).