Nanny State

According to Wikipedia: The term nanny state, used especially in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, is a derogatory term for state protectionism, interventionism, or regulation policies as they are perceived as being institutionalized as common practice. Its usage varies by political context, but in general it is used in reference to policies where the state is characterized as being excessive in its desire to protect ("nanny"), govern or control particular aspects of society.

I don't smoke. I quit about 25 years ago and I'm glad I did. Maybe because I'm a former smoker, or maybe because I worry about our country becoming a "nanny state," I do not like the idea of the anti-smoking regulations in coffee shops, bars, and restaurants. I would not frequent a restaurant that allowed smoking, because it stinks. But that is my preference. Why should everyone be forced to go along with my preferences? I prefer to let the market control the restaurants, not the government. If a restaurant owner chooses to allow smoking, it's his business, not mine. A smoker (and the restaurant owner) should be allowed to choose, just as I am allowed to choose.

It's the freedom I worry about. I also worry that my fellow citizens do not worry enough about freedom.

Thomas Jefferson said it well: "That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves."

He also said, "I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them."

For more on this subject, see www.nannystate.net