The Nanny State Strikes Again

Fox News ^ | 12/26/03 | William A. Niskanen

[jimkress]

Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, who must have little else to do, has recently urged state governments to pass "primary" seat-belt laws, which allow police to stop and cite motorists solely for failing to wear a seat belt.

And the Bush administration has proposed a $400 million incentive to reward state governments that pass such laws.

[JOHANNES801]

Insurance protects the other guy,seat belt laws dont so therefore Im for choice.

[inquest]

It's likely that Reagan would not be electable, today.

Of course he'd be electable. The country hasn't gotten any more liberal since his time. If anything, they've gotten more conservative. The fact that Bush hasn't caught up doesn't change that.

[FairOpinion]

Funny, the so-called "conservatives" bringing up Reagan, who also never could make them understand that "half a loaf is better than no loaf". Reagan called them "radical conservatives".

In Reagan's own words:

"When I began entering into the give and take of legislative bargaining in Sacramento, a lot of the most radical conservatives who had supported me during the election didn't like it.

"Compromise" was a dirty word to them and they wouldn't face the fact that we couldn't get all of what we wanted today. They wanted all or nothing and they wanted it all at once. If you don't get it all, some said, don't take anything.

"I'd learned while negotiating union contracts that you seldom got everything you asked for. And I agreed with FDR, who said in 1933: 'I have no expectations of making a hit every time I come to bat. What I seek is the highest possible batting average.'

"If you got seventy-five or eighty percent of what you were asking for, I say, you take it and fight for the rest later, and that's what I told these radical conservatives who never got used to it."

-- Ronald Reagan: An American Life (his autobiography

[Stew Padasso]

"Support nutjobs..."

Not much to chose from is there? Big government goons or nutjobs?

[Stew Padasso]

"It's likely that Reagan would not be electable, today."

Thats the spirit!

[MEG33]

See #60 and 74,Byron.The county hospitals cannot just refuse the wreck victims at the door.

It costs a fortune to treat head trauma victims.They DON'T throw them out and we pay for them if they can't pay.

[sinkspur]

Of course he'd be electable. The country hasn't gotten any more liberal since his time.

Maybe you're right. Reagan raised taxes, twice (Bush never has), and he appointed two moderate-to-liberal Supreme Court Justices (O'Connor and Kennedy).

So Reagan knew how to compromise as well.

And Reagan also spent like a drunken sailor.

[ovrtaxt]

Of course he'd be electable. The country hasn't gotten any more liberal since his time. If anything, they've gotten more conservative. The fact that Bush hasn't caught up doesn't change that.

That's precisely correct. The problem lies in the choices the 2 parties are giving us. Hard core, full on socialism or creeping, slowly intrusive socialism.

[inquest]

"If you got seventy-five or eighty percent of what you were asking for, I say, you take it and fight for the rest later, and that's what I told these radical conservatives who never got used to it."

Sounds cool. Lemme know when we reach 50%.

[ovrtaxt]

And Reagan also spent like a drunken sailor.

Now, don't neglect the other half of that story. The congress lied to him repeatedly. And I for one thought that Reagan had his failings, but his core values were never a question. HAving said that, Bush's core values are obviously left of Reagan's.

[politicalwit]

What's your point? ...the republican party would sell its' soul to remain in "power". Come to think of it the big sale has already begun. First entitlements, then CFR, next AWB, then immigration...how long will it be before they sale out on the "life" issue?

[sinkspur]

HAving said that, Bush's core values are obviously left of Reagan's.

I don't agree. Bush is much more aggressive militarily than Reagan would have been, IMO.

The congress lied to him repeatedly.

Reagan never ONCE vetoed a Democrat-Congress-passed budget.

[Peach]

I said that we have excellent insurance and an extremely comfortable retirement.

You said: "A benefit of working in an industry where bad business decisions never result in the loss of a dollar.
You just hand an uncollectable bill to some other customer.
What a racket."

Sounds like a big business hater to me.

[org.whodat]

The GOP has about one election cycle left in the tired mantra of "We're not as bad as the other guys!

I Think not, they have already gone too far.

[CWOJackson]

I'm not sure about al Quida but there sure does seem to be a concentrated attack on the President tonight.

The Taliban is in full battle cry for some reason.

[NMC EXP]

Convoluted logic was an understatement on my part.

You boast about your benefits.

I assume you are in the health care business.

If so your compensation is a direct result of your employer handing a bill he cannot collect to a third party who can pay for his own bill and the bill of the freeloader.

THat is not business.

It is a racket, or it is socialism.

When a client doesn't pay me my only recourse is to go to court and put a lein on him.

Regards

J.R.

[tbpiper]

You can take that pile of self righteous government wannabes and take a flying leap.

[sinkspur]

The GOP has about one election cycle left in the tired mantra of "We're not as bad as the other guys!"

The GOP keeps winning, and winning, and winning, and will win again in 2004 and increase its hold on the House and the Senate, and you're issuing silly ultimatums?

Seems like America likes what the GOP is doing, and will continue to ignore the bleatings of the Constamatooshinalists, the Loosertarians, and all the other fringe rubber-roomers.

If you want to stay at home, go right ahead. But, if you do, kindly shut the hell up.

[nopardons]

This president didn't start the draft seatbelt garbage,most,if not ALL states have them required,and have their police stop those ( especially on holiday weekends ) cars, in which someone/s isn't/aren't wearing them and fining them. So...what's " new " ? NOTHING !

Those, here, who drag out the L/libertarian code words/phrases, at the drop of a hat, immediately LOSE; just as those who first yell NAZI do.

From colonial times' morality and personal behavior laws of all kinds, to the Fed's intrusions, such as what led to the WHISKEY REBELLION and its repercussions, to laws put into place during almost EVERY war, in this nation's history, from rationing to blackout curtains to well needed FOOD AND DRUG BILLS ( and there were numerous ones, which the populace demanded from the government ! ),and more, there will always be the UNAPPEASEABLES, who scream " statist ", " police state ",and worse, without any sense, at all, as to what, exactly, these terms mean.

And rent control is still in existence, but not a one, NO ONE AT ALL, from the fringe group, ever screams about that!They don't scream about salmonella outbreaks, nor protection from MAD COW DISEASE, or a whole host of " nanny state " things, which are keeping them & theirs safe.

Even IF every FREEPER and everyone them are related to and know, voted for a fringe party,instead for the GOP, the fringe party's candidate would lose and the damned Dem would win. Would that " teach " the GOP anything ? Just that there was a whole lot of cretins out there!

MEG, we have more than one threat out there, one of who is NOT President Bush...but one of whom is the enemy within...THE UNAPPEASEABLES !