We'll Make Neighborliness Legal

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and state lawmakers say they support a bill that would allow friends and neighbors and relatives to watch each other's kids. This follows media reports that the state Department of Human Services had threatened Irving Township mother Lisa Snyder with legal sanctions if she continued to watch a neighbor's children for a few minutes each day as they wait for their school bus. The agency accused Snyder of running an illegal daycare center.

Comments

[Dan]

It sure is nice to know that it will be legal to do something nice for a neighbor.

I wonder if I am allowed to help an old lady across the street.

[tired dog]

Dan, step away from the lady, unless you've got proof of completion of the 'elderly female perambulation assistance curriculum' and a current 'efpac' license. Unbelievable but true, everything is forbidden unless specifically authorized by the state.

[miklen]

The nanny state employees are incapable of comprehending sarcasm. So dammit, Don't give them any more ideas.

[Mr. Blather]

That's right. They'll take your forum post as a mandate for change.

--You're either with us, or you're a racist.

[perv]

Good.

I like to watch kids.

[Anonymous Coward]

If government has the power to regulate economic behavior it has power to regulate all behavior... I don't understand why so many people fail to understand this.

[Debra]

Because people like you allow your rights to be taken away. Go right ahead and accept your chains and electronic tags and cozy little cells- I and other sensible people prefer personal responsibility and our rights as described in the Constitution.

[plisade]

If I refuse to watch my neighbors' children, will I be taxed - I mean penalized - I mean made to pay my fair share?

[LarryA]

Well this ought to be illegal. The neighborhood I grew up in I couldn't get away with a damn thing without someone calling Mom. (I can hear Mike's Mom right now, "Larry used the d-word.")

When I had kids, of course, attitudes changed.

[booger]

Passing a law to make watching a friends, relatives or neighbors kids a legal activity would not only be ridiculous, but would be an acceptance that the state actually has the right to make it illegal in the first place. anyone remember the stamp tax act?

[prolefeed]

A more satisfactory approach, rather than legislation, would be the Governor calling in the head of the Department of Human Services and reading the riot act to him or her about this incident, and then calling a press conference saying that this idiocy will not be repeated, and that anyone who tries it will be fired.

[miklen]

The unions would never tolerate this.
Way too much common sense and logic. (Unfortunately)

[the innominate one]

All that is not permitted is forbidden.

[CarlS]

Please, let's not pass another unnecessary law. Instead, let's use existing laws to terminate the employment of the bureaucrats who started this, and let's also make them liable to criminal and civil lawsuits by removing the prohibiton against sueing government and its' employees.

[Debra]

More undeniable proof that compassion and friendship is illegal unless approved by the Nanny State. What's next? State approval who to love and offical laws on how to do it?