LTTE: Seats belts are for socialists

[rickrok66]

Walter Williams’s editorial, “ ‘Click it or ticket’ is an abuse of power”, which was published in the May 27th edition of the Lawton Constitution shows how much works for the public good in this country have been beaten down. Mr. Williams criticizes a mundane and benign attempt by the state of Virginia to advise citizens to wear their seat belts. He claims the campaign is socialism and government intrusion into our private lives. I have two objections to his thesis. First, as an economist, his claim that a seat belt campaign is act of socialism is clearly over the top to say the least. We have come to a point in our society that conservative and libertarian pundits are labeling anything that serves the public as a socialist plot. It is all part of the “starve the beast” theory that many on the right have. If we cut government activities down to nothing then Americans can be free to live in a free market dominated by a corporate oligarchy. Why go to a public library, when you can go to a big box bookstore? Why go to a public swimming pool, when you can buy one at a big box store and buy your own? Why take a bus, when you go further into debt and buy an SUV? Be a good consumer: sit alone in front of your cathode ray tube and vote for the next American Idol. If we had any form of true socialism in this country, we would have a universal health care system that was run by the state, accountable to the public and dispensed care to each according to his need. What we have now is a so-called superior health care system run by the health insurance industry and big pharmaceutical companies who dole out medicine to each according to the amount of money in one’s bank account. Our priorities are to make sure rich baby boomers don’t suffer from erectile dysfunction rather than the public’s priority of having enough influenza vaccinations to get through the winter. It not only violates Christian and humanist values; it also violates the Hippocratic Oath - To keep the good of the patient as the highest priority. This leads to my final argument. If Mr. Williams is concerned about the free market, then he should be criticizing the growing corporatist nature of our government, rather than socialism. The role of the state is to serve the interests of the public. Corporations are only driven by profits and have no responsibility to be forthright to the American public. Corporate interests will be socially responsible when forced by free market forces or by elected officials who represent the interests of the general will of the people. Yes, the free market does correct itself, but a responsible government will alleviate the inevitable suffering that happens during the process. What we have in recent years is a growing federal government that acts in conjunction with the interests of a few major industries. Even conservatives are scratching their heads on this one. When laws are enacted to favor large industries especially in the areas of bankruptcy, health insurance, and tax cuts for the oil industry, you must ask - is the concept of a free market still valid? Mr. Williams, you are afraid of a little socialist Teddy Bear under you bed, when you have a real corporate monster in you closet.

[blonndee]

1. Dude, not to be all English-teacher on your ass or anything

but paragraphs are your friend.

You may be on to something re: conservatives and government intrusion but even I gave up on following this about 1/4 through.

[Joey Liberal]

2. I saw your LTTE rickrok

Good job and I think I'll have to write one too!

[Big Kahuna]

3. Sorry, seatbelt laws piss me off too.

Not to detract from your other good points... Yeah, it's a good idea to wear your seatbelt, but we don't need a friggen cop around every corner just waiting to bust you that one time you forget to buckle up!