Fellow Mainers: Do You Feel That Maine Is Becoming A "Nanny State?" (Augusta: title, car)

[tcrackly]

Problem is how do you enforce it? I think its no less easy to legislate against stupidity.

[cebdark]

Originally Posted by tcrackly

Problem is how do you enforce it? I think its no less easy to legislate against stupidity.

I think it's more of a courtesy than an enforcement at this point.

[retiredtinbender]

Maybe its just the cynic in me but with people in such a rush driving and talking on cell phones or texting while driving would that be enough light? I got an email today about a woman crashing into the rear of another vehicle doing 70 mph and texting her friends whiole driving. A 3 yr old was in the hospital fro a month or more if I remember right, with tubes and a head would from ear to ear. You can't fix stupid and ignorant.

[cebdark]

Originally Posted by retiredtinbender

Maybe its just the cynic in me but with people in such a rush driving and talking on cell phones or texting while driving would that be enough light? I got an email today about a woman crashing into the rear of another vehicle doing 70 mph and texting her friends whiole driving. A 3 yr old was in the hospital fro a month or more if I remember right, with tubes and a head would from ear to ear. You can't fix stupid and ignorant.

I guess I'd have to say I'm a cynic with you 'cause I agree.

[retiredtinbender]

Until common courtesy (a misnomer if ever i heard one) comes back and people begin to show concern for others again and not who they can text or otherwise, then a lot of good ideas and laws won't amount to a hill of beans. We spend too much time trying to talk to everyone through cells, phones, computers, etc and throw personal contact out the window. It's nice to hear about all the lunch get-togethers going on in this forum. But most in the woprld just want to talk to who's next on the line. SIL gets angry with DW because she won't stay on hold on the cell phone while SIL checks her call waiting. MIL does that too. It's like saying "Hold on for a while; I'll check who this is. It may be someone I WANT to talk to." Just plain rude. We have to be busy all the time. As busy as we want to be. OK; Shutting up now.

[mainegrl2011]

I saw a bumper sticker "When the people lead, the leaders will follow."

[mainegrl2011]

Can you legislate common sense?

[cebdark]

Originally Posted by mainegrl2011

Can you legislate common sense?

No, but try telling some (however well-intentioned) people that. I'm not trying to be snarky in that comment - just keeping it real.

There are many reasons "nannyism" keeps cropping up, but for the most part, IMHO, people are just trying to be helpful. Unfortunately, also IMHO, it skates the "gray line" of being a "butinski."

The word "freedom" then becomes more diluted in it's true meaning as some people say "I should be free to not have to pay for someone else's stupidity" and "There ought to be a law..."

For me personally, since I haven't cost the taxpayers one thin dime over my 41 years on the planet - I'd rather have the freedom to make my own choices and stop having the "legislative babysitters" tell me what's good for me. I guess I still haven't gotten over the proposal (shot down btw - thankfully) to mandate toilet seat covers in public restrooms with the hope that it will keep kids healthier and thereby somehow miraculously reduce Mainecare costs.

[mainegrl2011]

Taxes are about raising money; who really thinks they are about protection?

Anyone heard about someone finding a cigarette on a beach and now no smoking on beaches? I don't smoke; just wondering if this is for real.

reloop may be right about people trying to be helpful....maybe the state wants to protect some people from themselves and protect others from them....when did coming up with any law force people to stop doing something....should I mention prohibition or stick to the 21st century? I saw bailout in regard to making a bad decision and expecting someone to bail you out--this way of thinking goes all the way up the ladder...I think I am more concerned about the "expecting" part.....someone must own part of a toilet seat cover company...

[retiredtinbender]

Originally Posted by mainegrl2011

Taxes are about raising money; who really thinks they are about protection?

Anyone heard about someone finding a cigarette on a beach and now no smoking on beaches? I don't smoke; just wondering if this is for real.

reloop may be right about people trying to be helpful....maybe the state wants to protect some people from themselves and protect others from them....when did coming up with any law force people to stop doing something....should I mention prohibition or stick to the 21st century? I saw bailout in regard to making a bad decision and expecting someone to bail you out--this way of thinking goes all the way up the ladder...I think I am more concerned about the "expecting" part.....someone must own part of a toilet seat cover company...

Yup, taxes are about raisng money. Money for fire dept, police; sounds like protection to me. Taxes are about raising money for services and County taxes for more services. In those services are protection and lower insurance in some cases.

From what I understand, the Guv today signed into law that you can't smoke on a deck outside a restaraunt. I don't know about the beach one though. One more place I can't smoke because some inconsiderate fool upset some folks and the gov't has to step in.