Both Bill and I (my spouse, Bill, not our esteemed Mr. Paxton) have felt, for quite some time now, that our country would probably be headed for another Civil War, if two (or more) sides could agree upon just what, exactly, would be worth splitting the country apart.
One of the big problems we've had for the last 20 years is trying to outlaw the cause for every- (and any-) one's fears.
Case in point: At first there was no data available, and now the available data disagrees with those who have determined the Segway to be unsafe, and have outlawed its usage in their jurisdictions.
But because someone, somewhere feared it... it had to be outlawed.
And because our lawmaking has been fear driven for twenty-plus years, it's gotten to the point where the government supports health care insurers who refuse to pay claims, home insurance providers who do the same. In Texas, fearing doctors would leave the state if they weren't paid, a bill was passed making the STATE the automatic power-of-attorney for health care purposes of anyone without medical insurance, superceding any and all health care directives already in place for the patient; during the whole Terry Schiavo escapade on the national level, at the state level, a case was making its way to the Texas Supreme Court where the hospital was being sued for pulling the plug on an 8-year old child, against the wishes of the parents of that child.
Texas won. The kid died.
Didn't see word one in the national media, though.
|