It gets more invasive all the time, and more disturbing because these random driver pullovers were run by a private contractor. Fort Worth, Texas police were apparently not involved even as it was done in its jurisdiction. Instead, a test that randomly pulled drivers over and then got them to “voluntarily” submit blood, saliva and breath tests was run. Intimidated drivers cooperated. Unknown to the drivers, their breath was being tested anyway.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration authorized the tests, done by Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, a private government contractor.
A bit troubling, yes, but to be expected when the populace is clamoring for state control to make things fair and protect the victims among us. Your politics included.
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I don ‘t see any clamoring for this.
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I see the usual suspects, like you, clamoring for things like a minimum wage, more regulation, more food stamps, more guaranteed income, more public service jobs, more stimulus via more education jobs and slots, etc, ad infinitum. Don’t be surprised when the busy bodies you want come after your bodily fluids.
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Ah, the slippery slope. Let them perish.
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No, but in your wanton haste to prop up the alleged perishable, we get checkpoints where our bodily fluids are gathered.
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I happen to think, Fred, that we have a duty to one another to provide the basics of existence, which are food, health care, education and shelter. I also think that the most efficient way to provide for the general welfare is through the tax system. Maybe income tax is not the best way to go, but “tax” is the key word. We just spent a chunk of change on VAT in Thailand.
I happen to think that just giving people money is destructive of their character. I only think we need guarantee them a platform from which to make their lives better. This system assures the same starting gate for everyone, and not arrival at the finish line. I happen to think that Food Stamps is a poor idea, and rather we should just give people access to basic foodstuffs, like milk, cheese, pasta, meat, without the processed foods that are so unhealthy. But the reason we have Food Stamps as it is is because of the power of the processed food industry.
So stop projecting on me – I’m aware of the destructive nature of charity, of the need to teach a man to fish.
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Nice exposition, but when the time comes you just advocate for more, more, more.
You’ll talk about “duty to one another” but not so much when it might require citizens to quit asking so much of government and do the duty themselves.
I only think we need guarantee them a platform from which to make their lives better.
I like this line, but the argument then becomes on what constitutes the platform, and the usual suspects go to a venue shopped court and gets a ruling to increase the height of the platform.
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The platform is called the international Declaration of Human Rights. It’s a sense of mission and statement of purpose, non-binding of course, but the agreement you seek. The US is signed on.
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I noticed the UN did not offer the fund the thing. I guess that’s what victims are for.
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