Politics

Don't You Go Using the Phrase "Nanny State"! Think of the Children!

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A telling exchange in that New York Times interview with Rand Paul that Jesse Walker linked to below:

Mainstream Republicans seem concerned that their party is being taken over by "angry white guys," as Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina senator, said. He doesn't want you to hijack the Republican Party.

I think this quote you are reading is about my father and not me.

But in light of your distrust of the federal government, where are you on an issue like seat belts? Federal legislation requiring people to wear seat belts could obviously save lives.

I think the federal government shouldn't be involved. I don't want to live in a nanny state where people are telling me where I can go and what I can do.

You shouldn't trivialize issues of health and safety by calling them nanny issues.

The question is, do you want to live in a nanny state where the government tells you what you can eat, where you can smoke, where you can live, what you can do, or would you rather have some freedom, and freedom means that things aren't perfect?

If you don't subscribe to Reason, go out and buy our May issue, which has a feature on Paul's campaign for Senate.