Government Saves the Day Again!

 

Barack Obama has signed into law a bill that will finally protect us (and our children, never forget about the children) from the horrors of big tobacco. The FDA will now shield us from the evils of advertising for tobacco or even flavored tobacco. We can no longer be tricked by labels like “light” or “mild” and the FDA is ensuring that everyone knows that cigarettes are, in fact, bad for you. This act is so important that everyone from congress to the media to the Altria Group, the parent company of Phillip Morris, is firmly behind the president. We are once again saved from our own ignorance by the benevolent hand of our caring masters. This all sounds wonderful until we actually look at what is going on with this new regulatory power that the FDA has been granted.

At the most basic level, this is yet another intrusion into our rights by the government. Every time we cede any ground to the government for any reason they will take more, and we will never get it back. If we are unable to exercise our own judgment and make our own decisions (no matter how bad they are) in one area, then how can we expect to maintain our ability to in any other? It is ironic that many on the left see this president as one that will move towards decriminalizing marijuana, as his government moves to put more regulations on tobacco. What many, on both the right and left, have failed to understand is that government does not steal rights in a vacuum. Even if you hate smoking you have to defend people’s right to smoke as they will come for you next.

The other interesting part of this story is the backing of this bill by Phillip Morris. Why would a tobacco company want to give the government more power to regulate and potentially interfere with their business? The answer is actually fairly simple. They are a big enough company to handle any regulations or fines that the government may throw at them. They have basically shut the market out from smaller companies or new competition. Products like electronic cigarettes will now have a much more difficult time competing in the market. Phillip Morris is also unlikely to be upset if the FDA forces them lower the amount of nicotine in a cigarette. All that means is that addicts will by more so they (and the government) will get more money.

We the people need to be constantly on guard for this kind of governmental do-goodery. It is up to us to regulate our own lives and make our own decisions. We have already lost this ground and it is unlikely the government will stop here. We must force our employees (because they are our employees) to represent us, and stay within their constitutional bounds. Just like previous government abuses were used to justify the current law, it will likely be used to justify abuse in the future. It is up to us to hold them back – they are not very likely to do it themselves.