Why Libertarians are not Democrats: Pricey ("I'm Your Nanny") Harrison in NC's District 57

Issues like this are what drove Jan MacKay to run for the North Carolina State Senate in District 15.

A story from DigTriad.com:

Greensboro, NC -- Having your kid in a safety seat is very important and a law in this state.

But a viewer contacted us with a question about a possible loophole in the law.

Of course, driving with a small child in your car without a car seat is illegal.

But a child riding a motorcycle without restraint is not against North Carolina law.

A viewer contacted us after a man on a motorcycle picked up a small child at school.

We contacted the DMV and a spokesperson told us there is no law restricting kids from catching a ride on motorcycles.

We took the issue to state legislator Pricey Harrison to get answers as to what can be done.

"I can't see that it is very healthy or safe. And you know we don't want to be heavy handed government. But if the parents don't exercise the right the kind of control, I guess we're probably going to need to legislate this."

Harrison serves on the Child Fatality Task Force.

She says the issue actually came up during the group's meeting Monday.

That committee has the power to make recommendations on age or restraint restrictions in the near future.

Let's try that quote from Representative Harrison just one more time: ""I can't see that it is very healthy or safe. And you know we don't want to be heavy handed government. But if the parents don't exercise the right the kind of control, I guess we're probably going to need to legislate this."

Basically, that bit captures the essential premise of Nanny-State Democrats: "If you, as a parent or a citizen, make different choices than we would, we'll make laws that criminalize your behavior."

This piece has Jan MacKay seeing red.

Here's what she wrote to Nanny Harrison:

Motorcycles are an acceptable means of travel. It might not be acceptable to everyone, but that is what makes America great. We still have choice over a few remaining things, though they are fewer with each passing legislative and congressional session. I keep my 37 mpg mid-sized car at home, almost always riding my 57 mpg motorcycle. In some years, I saved money by not having any vehicle other than a motorcycle. I have lived in rural areas and Fayetteville, Charlotte, and Raleigh, but have never lived near a satisfactory mass transit systems.

In the excerpt above, you were on the right track when you said "we don't want heavy-handed government", but then you considered legislation as a solution. Even during this insane and imposing era of the New World Order, legislation is not the answer to every question. We already have a heavy handed government. We do not want it even worse. That is where we are heading if you think the answer is "to legislate this".

A few years ago Nelson Cole [Dem-NC House 65] heard from a constituent. The woman didn't like the fact that her ex picked up their child during visitation privileges, on a motorcycle. Instead of telling her to bring the issue to family court, which was the appropriate venue already in place for working out these differences, Cole introduced a bill which got the motorcycling community in an uproar. During the arguments we put together to stop this bad legislation, we discovered that there just one fatal accident in the last twenty years that might have been affected.

I love swimming and boating, and loved it even more in my younger years. Lots of children drown, and it is a tragedy, but that does not justify the State in enacting legislation to put its plastic safety bubble society to work to prevent people from swimming and boating. The same is true of children as passengers on motorcycles.

Now I know why Libertarians are surging in the Tarheel State.