We have been seeing the insanity that takes over politicians when they gain power. They somehow think the office bestows them with (a) demigod-like insight into the workings of the universe (though many cannot keep up with basic science) and (b) have been given the right to tell others how to live.

Our laws were once meant to protect people from other people’s bad decisions or dangerous behavior. We had established boundaries on behavior that could endanger others. Thus, no matter how good a driver you are, you cannot race at top speed on the public highways. Clearly you cannot take your anger out on someone by killing them. Laws were designed to bound personal behavior, but not life choices or decisions inside these boundaries. Thus you could smoke, drink and chose the food of your liking if that was your pursuit of happiness. You just could not endanger others. 

Fair enough. But now politicians are starting to make choices for us, limiting what we can do because we might harm ourselves! And that is unconstitutional. Taking risks is part of life and is required in the act of pursuing our own versions of personal happiness. Some take risk in sky diving, others in motorcycle riding, others in skiing, others in drinking, others in jogging. Some indulge in eating. It doesn’t matter, these are all legal pursuits.

But maybe not for long:

Singer Jimmy Buffett will never find his “lost shaker of salt” in New York City or any other place in the country if Mayor Michael Bloomberg has his way. The mayor is waging a war on salt and he wants food manufacturers and restaurants to join his army … or else. 

…

The city’s plan is to get food manufacturers in the United States to agree to gradually start reducing salt content until it reaches a 50 percent cut in 10 years. 

“Salt, when its high in the diet, increases the blood pressure and high blood pressure is a major factor for heart disease and stroke,” said Dr. Sonia Angell of NYC’s Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Program. 

Actually, it only raises the blood pressure of a fraction of the population to dangerous heights, but why let a little fact get in the way. People are responsible for themselves. If they want to indulge in some high salt binges once in a while, so be it. The problem is you remove the choice to be ‘naughty’ once in a while because you assume people cannot control themselves or have the brains to take care of themselves.

Moreover, do not restrict those of us who can take care of ourselves simply because there are (and always will be) some who have serious personal challenges. We will not fix their challenges by limiting the choices of others.

I am so sick of arrogant fools telling all of us how to live. Clearly we need some sort of ego limit for political office, which results in the automatic loss of the job the instant delusions of godhood set in.

Tags: Blood Pressure, Delusions, God-like, Godhood, Mayor Bloomberg, Salt