When Big Brother Becomes the Nanny
In an effort to save ourselves from ourselves, Ohio joins Maryland, Michigan, Illinois, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont and Hawaii in proposing this month a ban on artery-clogging trans fats from restaurants. So far none of the bills have passed at the state level, although New York City's first phase of a ban (which applies to oils, shortening and margarine used for frying and spreading) has been in effect since this summer. These "for your own good" initiatives are misguided, largely because they have been forced down the throats of businesses and consumers.
Government attempts to tackle obesity problems and micromanage our daily lives are not new, but have become more aggressive and intrusive. How far can the government intervene in our lives? At what point should individual responsibility kick in?
David Harsanyi, award-winning columnist at The Denver Post, attempts to answer these questions and more in his latest book, Nanny State: How Food Fascists, Teetotaling Do-Gooders, Priggish Moralists, and Other Boneheaded Bureaucrats are Turning America into a Nation of Children. In the book, Harsanyi takes "nannies" to task from every level of government and argues that individual freedom should trump paternalistic policies, every time.
Recently, Mr. Harsanyi joined CFIF's Renee Giachino to discuss Nanny State and how and when we lost our right to be lazy, unhealthy and politically incorrect.
What follows is the interview originally heard on "Your Turn - Meeting Nonsense With Commonsense" on WEBY 1330 AM, Northwest Florida's talk radio. ...[Listen to the interview here.]