Posted on 05/31/2006 9:42:50 AM PDT by from occupied ga
Virginia's secretary of transportation sent out a letter announcing the state's annual "Click It or Ticket" campaign May 22 through June 4. I responded to the secretary of transportation with my own letter that in part reads:
"Mr. Secretary: This is an example of the disgusting abuse of state power. Each of us owns himself, and it follows that we should have the liberty to take risks with our own lives but not that of others. That means it's a legitimate use of state power to mandate that cars have working brakes because if my car has poorly functioning brakes, I risk the lives of others and I have no right to do so. If I don't wear a seatbelt I risk my own life, which is well within my rights. As to your statement 'Lack of safety belt use is a growing public health issue that . . . also costs us all billions of dollars every year,' that's not a problem of liberty. It's a problem of socialism. No human should be coerced by the state to bear the medical expense, or any other expense, for his fellow man. In other words, the forcible use of one person to serve the purposes of another is morally offensive."
My letter went on to tell the secretary that I personally wear a seatbelt each time I drive; it's a good idea. However, because something is a good idea doesn't necessarily make a case for state compulsion. The justifications used for "Click It or Ticket" easily provide the template and soften us up for other forms of government control over our lives.
For example, my weekly exercise routine consists of three days' weight training and three days' aerobic training. I think it's a good idea. Like seatbelt use, regular exercise extends lives and reduces health care costs. Here's my question to government officials and others who sanction the "Click It or Ticket" campaign: Should the government mandate daily exercise for the same reasons they cite to support mandatory seatbelt use, namely, that to do so would save lives and save billions of health care dollars?
If we accept the notion that government ought to protect us from ourselves, we're on a steep slippery slope. Obesity is a major contributor to hypertension, coronary disease and diabetes, and leads not only to many premature deaths but billions of dollars in health care costs. Should government enforce, depending on a person's height, sex and age, a daily 1,400 to 2,000-calorie intake limit? There's absolutely no dietary reason to add salt to our meals. High salt consumption can lead to high blood pressure, which can then lead to stroke, heart attack, osteoporosis and asthma. Should government outlaw adding salt to meals? While you might think that these government mandates would never happen, be advised that there are busybody groups currently pushing for government mandates on how much and what we can eat.
Government officials, if given power to control us, soon become zealots. Last year, Maryland state troopers were equipped with night vision goggles, similar to those used by our servicemen in Iraq, to catch night riders not wearing seatbelts. Maryland state troopers boasted that they bagged 44 drivers traveling unbuckled under the cover of darkness.
Philosopher John Stuart Mill, in his treatise "On Liberty," said it best: "That the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant. He cannot rightfully be compelled to do or forbear because it will be better for him to do so, because it will make him happier, because, in the opinions of others, to do so would be wise, or even right. These are good reasons for remonstrating with him, or reasoning with him, or persuading him, or entreating him, but not for compelling him, or visiting him with any evil, in case he do otherwise."
Dr. Williams serves on the faculty of George Mason University in Fairfax, VA as John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics.
so is it alright to smoke medical marijuana, crack cocaine, crystal meth...it doesnt harm others if i do it in my home....the socialist government is keeping me down (sarcasm)...im being brought down by "the man"
No bet - I'm sure he'd publish it if he had.
actually i am a man...as man as george w. is when he choose the patriot act to fight terrorism....as man as abraham lincoln when he dismissed some of the rights in the constitution to preserve the SECURITY of the united states and keep the union together...were they women....are they not the leaders we love...for what they did....?
Why are y'all jumping on me, I didn't make the rules, I'm just the messenger here.
There is no comparison between guns and autos. It does not require any infrastructure for you to have a gun. It does however require roads to drive, and roads are a key part of our infrastructure, which is one of the legitimate roles for government.
To say that driving is a right, the same as the right to free speech or the right to bear arms is folly.
And as for not wearing seat belts only affecting the passenger, a passenger without seat belts in an accident can become a projectile that can pose a threat to others.
Now if you extremist libertarians want it your way, I'll make a deal. You can go without wearing seat belts, if you also will agree to paying all of your medical bills out of your own pocket without causing everybody else's insurance rates to go up, should you get injured. And oh by the way, no death benefits for your survivors should you get killed, why should the rest of us pay for your stupidity?
I think you libertarians should be ok with that, right?
Well we live on the tropical caribbean island of Anguilla, no seat belt law here and well we kind of gotten use to the freedom of being able to NOT use them if we so choose.
Anyway the misses was stateside the last few weeks and the last day in NJ she got a 'click it' ticket for not being belted in. She is happy to be back on island!
then you should have no problem with the federal government mandating 100 push ups and situps a day, and 3 servings of celry at every meal!
Since getting out of shape or not eating a proper diet could put a burden on the healthcare system. You would have loved the old soviet union.
This is the most pathetic comment I have seen today. But hey, it's early.
Who gave you the right to be overweight? Who gave you the right to smoke?
Ride in a car in the first place? If there was no travel by car, no one would die in car accidents. It sure would keep my insurance cost down.
Clearly, you are enemy of freedom.
I agree. Now I understand why the GOP is lurching towards socialism at a rate just slightly slower than the Dhimmicrats. It seems that a good portion of their membership enjoys having the goverment up their arse in the name of "safety".
its also pretty clear on owning private property, which is what a car is. by your argument, you have no right to own or live in your house, wear your clothes, etc.
WOW was that supposed to be an insult? because I AM A libertarian and proud of it. (as you are a socialist)
Uncommon sense was not really meant as sarcasm, but what Paine wrote was uncommon for the day as well as it is today (obviously)
You have bought into the Communist Socialist dogma that all people belong to the government.
If you had not you would be screaming about forced insurance instead of ragging on people who choose not to wear seatbelts.
I happen to wear them myself, but it's not my business nor yours if my neighbor chooses not to.
But keep on believing the big lie that "It's for the good of the whole", and good old Uncle Al and Aunt Hillary will be sure to thank you.
Now the enforcement issue is a whole other kettle of fish. I am strictly talking about if seat belt laws are legitimate, and the answer is yes.
"Such an argument can be made for the regulation almost any human behavior: diet, smoking, hobbies, sports, etc."
You are SO correct. Walter Williams speaks the truth. This is another incremental loss of our independence. Walter frequently writes about the tobacco nazis, who started out so innocently, and now want to ban smoking in your own house. Soon, it will be food. Bought time we had a new federal department to keep people from eating the wrong food, coming to your home refrigerator so we can keep insurance rates down, of course.
Elk do you post that picture to the MODS here everytime the login page requires a password? If you were posting this picture in all honesty then by all means you will answer my question yes!
but you won't will ya?
;)
In Texas we were promised tickets for non-use of seat belts would only be given when someone was pulled over for another offense...promised! Now Texas advertises their Click it or ticket weekends because they usually run their sting on holidays. I'm sure it's a great moneymaker for them. Of course, motorcycle riders don't have to wear helmets but anyone in the front seat has to be buckled up. I find it rather ironic.
About a year before the law passed my son and I agreed to voluntarily wear our seat belts. We had been watching some race on television when there was a really bad crash. When the debris finally came to rest, the only identifiable part left was the cage with the driver sitting in it. He got out and only suffered a broken collarbone. After hearing the announcers point out the importance of the seat belt holding the driver in the cage portion of the car, my son and I decided we'd wear our seat belts.
My son was either 11 or 12 at the time but that wreck made a major impression on him. He buckles up before the car is started and it's automatic now as it is with me. Even during his teen years and whether he was the driver or the passenger, he's always buckled up. He'll be 30 in September.
His Dad on the other hand, has never worn his seat belt. He's now suffering the consequences. After a wreck about 2-3 months ago where he damaged the vertebra in his neck and having had 2 surgeries to stabilize the vertebra, he's having to deal with some loss of use on his right side. As of yet, he's still not able to walk because of the weakness to his side. He spent close to 9 weeks in the hospital.
I don't like the Click it or ticket campaigns even though I see the value in wearing a seat belt.
off topic debate...these are related issues...and i didnt know i was going to be disciplined for lack of grammer in punctuation and capitalisation
Yep this sort of crap generates nothing but contempt for laws, those who write them, and those who enforce them.
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