Hijacking human evolution
The government is always doing things to us "for our own good". That many of these "nice" things result in needless death and imprisonment seems to go unnoticed. Even in the best case, this "for your own goodism" reduces the quality of life for all it touches.
The "War on (some) Drugs" is one terrible example. Now, the "War on Trans-fats" is depriving taste buds of choice already. The proposed "War on Salt" is another oncoming locomotive. For years there has been a "War on Sucrose" (AKA "sugar"). Recently this has shifted into a "War on HFCS" ("high fructose corn syrup"). This mutation amuses me since I remember fructose being hailed as a healthy alternative to sucrose, and now it is demonized as worse than sucrose. Whatever. Some people are just horrified that anyone might be enjoying something.
Moderation is the key, and too much of almost anything can hurt you. That is a personal choice that no one has the authority, and certainly not the right, to make for anyone else. If you are concerned about possible, or even certain, health threats, you are free to tell everyone you speak to. Education, not legislation.
Which brings up an important point. If salt, fat, sugar, or marijuana are that bad for us, evolution, through natural selection, will weed out those who like them too much. It will select for people who desire healthy foods instead. Let evolution do its job, and leave people free to choose. No, it won't happen overnight, or even in several generations. So what? It's enough that if it really is a threat, it will happen.
Don't screech about the "public health costs" either, since those should never have been allowed to exist, and they can, and should, be canceled with the stroke of a pen today.
If this change in human tastes and desires fails to happen, then the threat was never that great anyway, and we should be allowed to live our own lives as we see fit. Nanny-statists be darned.
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And speaking of letting natural selection do its job...
The city of Albuquerque's difficulty in obtaining enough stolen loot to keep the goodies coming means that it is cutting back (or threatening to do so) on some of its summer programs for kids. One kid was quoted as saying without the programs he would "go bumming downtown" and get into constant fights. Nice admission.
When did it become a stranger's responsibility to pay for entertainment for kids who want to do bad things? Let them face real consequences for bad choices, and either learn or be removed from the gene pool. Once again government makes it safe to be irresponsible. This isn't "helping".
If kids' summer programs are beneficial and wanted, private individuals and business owners will step up and finance programs. All it takes is getting rid of the delusion that it is "government's job". Stop even pretending that coercion is an option. After all, if you are trying to demonstrate that being a thug is not a good life-choice, it helps if you are not being a thug.
