[thecavemaster]

I am strongly opposed to all seat belt laws for adults but support them for minors. I always wear a seat belt and so does anybody who wants to be my passenger. Let me agree to always wear a seatbelt in exchange for a lower insurance premium. If I renege on the bargain, then feel free to stick me with the entire cost of any medical treatment for injuries sustained in a wreck. If I am foolish enough to fail to wear a seatbelt, wreck, and I am unable to pay for life-saving treatment, then let nature take its course.

Conversely, if others want to pay much, much higher premiums for electing not to wear a seatbelt, then let them foot the bill for their foolishness.

I feel the same way about cigarettes and medical insurance. Why should anybody have to pay for another's risky lifestyle? If somebody wants to smoke, let them pay higher premiums for their elevated risk of a long list of potentially fatal diseases. If they lie to get lower premiums, then they should be on their own.

I have no right to hold a gun to anybody's head to make them pay for medical treatment or for any other consequences of my voluntary risky behavior. Neither does the federal government.

Whether the issue is seatbelts or the high cost of medical insurance, there is almost always better solutions to society's problems than more federal laws or unfunded federal mandates. Individual personal responsibility is the cheapest and most effective way to increase US citizen's quality of life. Having our federal government agree to pay for everybody's reckless behavior ensures that an increasing number of our citizens will throw caution to the wind. The one law that Congress follows consistently is the law of unintended consequences.

Although I oppose seatbelt laws for adults, I cannot understand how any legislator could support seatbelt laws and oppose motorcycle helmet laws. I guess motorcyclists just have better lobbyists than the rest of us.

:Thumbs: Congressman, as usual, I agree with nearly everything that you have said in your recent posts related to personal liberty and responsibility. Too often, our federal government takes a problem and makes it worse through legislation that seems well intentioned. Of course, we also get saddled with laws that are not passed in good faith as well. I am looking forward to gridlock following the 2010 elections.

I see where you're coming from on the whole individual responsibility thing and all; however, would you at least admit that it could be argued with resonance that the State has a compelling interest in an adult wearing a seatbelt, given accident statistics and the tremendous cost (in life and real dollars) to society in such "no belt" cases?