"Government has to protect us from our own stupidity" - Granite Grok

“Government has to protect us from our own stupidity”

From June

OK, I have no idea how I got on NH Insider blogger (and NH House Rep ) Steve Vaillencourt’s email list, but I have.  Mostly I read (even briefly) and sometimes I just delete (don’t be offended as I sometimes have to do it to LOTS of incoming email – I barely keep up with the deluge some days and other days, it’s a losing struggle).  Anyways, THIS caught my eye:

That’s a verbatim quote uttered on the House floor Wednesday during the debate on Senate Bill 2, a spending caps bill.

I repeat.

“Government has to protect us from our own stupidity.”

I could not disagree more.

This ultimate confession of nanny state mentality is a reflection of everything I have spent my legislative career opposing.

The fact that it was uttered by a Democrat I usually respect, Kris Roberts of Keene, is especially troubling.

Imagine the consequences of that statement.

People are too stupid to act in their own best interests; government exists to do what’s best for us.

Indeed – gaffe of tremendous import (a gaffe being the sometimes loosing of the truth behind the situation).  It confirms how Democrats / liberals view the electorate.  Instead of seeing sovereign adults, fully capable of running their own lives and taking responsibility for their own actions and decisions, the Progressive stance is that life is too complicated and that we adults choose wrong (to our detriment).  Thus, it is their purpose in life to save us from ourselves – even if we do not wish to be saved and even if the decisions they force upon make no sense to our lives whatsoever.  Their thoughts are “hey, if I see a wrong, I have to make EVERYONE pay for that wrong – and keep you from doing that wrong”.  Choice of action?  Freedom of thought?

No, we are not entitled to make our own decisions.  The fact that many people put up with this nonsense and allow others such power over them is just beyond me.  Sure, I make some great decisions as well as some boneheaded ones.  And that’s ok, because that is true Freedom – the ability to do a nose plant.

After all, we do learn (most of us, anyways) from our mistakes.  Nannies need not apply, thank you.  Nor do I want you to force one on me.

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