Bribing Us with Our Own Money

March 3, 2008

I wear a seat belt when I drive. Why? A belt might save my life in a crash — call me addicted to life. Additionally, I take it as my responsibility to make certain my kids wear their safety belts. And I have the authority to make them do it, whether they want to or not.

I bring all this up because the federal government is now bribing state governments to pass new laws allowing police to stop motorists on the suspicion of not wearing a seat belt. The feds are dangling millions of dollars in aid if states do as they are told.

We already have seat belt laws, but in most states the law doesn’t get primary enforcement, only secondary; meaning, we can’t be stopped for that offense.

I have problems with these laws. Government is not our mother or father. It doesn’t have authority over us. We are supposed to have authority over it.

This latest federal government scheme points out another problem. Why are we being taxed by the politicians furthest away from us — and least vulnerable at the polls — only so they can use that money against us?

As Arkansas State Senator Jerry Taylor said, “It’s kind of like the federal government is bribing us with our own money.”

Only there’s no “kind of.” The federal government is bribing us with our own money.

This must be brought to a screeching halt. Our state officials should not take the bribe. Nor the Feds have enough of our money to offer it.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.