Stop producing policy designed to change behaviour

An idea by - Tagged: , , , - Discussion: Comment

The idea

I am sick of the constant nagging from rent seeking groups like doctors unions and fake state-funded charities (e.g. Ash), telling us to stop doing the perfectly legal things we enjoy just because it offends something in their puritan hearts. I am even more angry that governments tend to hang on their every word.

Government should not listen to these groups and certainly should not be giving then my money. The state should not seek to change my behaviour as long as I do not break the law. Equally government should not enact meaningless new law after new law in an attempt to criminalise everything and gain control over me. Law should be based around protection of life, liberty and property only. Before repeal there needs to be a recognition of what law is for and an end to the culture of rent seeking groups seeking to use the state to enforce behaviour change. I am completely sick of the constant hectoring from "stakeholders" on the authoritarian left that passes for public debate.

Areas where you really need to think carefully about your approach are climate change legislation, restrictions on smoking and alcohol, initiatives designed to make us healthier, recycling, "toughness" on crime (leading slowly towards trial without jury and the destruction of habeus corpus), and child protection and social work. In these areas the last government lurched from one populist tirade to the next without pause. I sincerely hope that you will see, as Labour could not, that we do not like being herded like cattle in the direction of how the elite believe we should live. We own our own lives. You are only our government, not our masters.

Why is it important?

We are moving in a dangerous direction away from real liberty and towards entitlement. Groups who dislike the actions of particular other groups now do not hesitate to lobby the state to have that activity banned or regulated. Of course governments love this as it allows them to use vocal minorities to justify wholesale behaviour change. This has to stop

Share this idea

Related ideas

Comment on this idea

Good idea? Bad idea? Totally insane? Let us know your thoughts on this idea.