Issue Position: Personal Freedoms

Issue Position

NH, once proud of our independence, resourcefulness and self-sufficiency is marching toward Nanny State status. Instead of addressing our dire fiscal issues and public policy responsibilities, busybodies in Concord waste their time trying to micro-manage our individual behaviors. Let's consider the simple example of bike helmets for cyclists, a high priority every year for many Democrats, promoted as an important public health concern. In the US about 700 people are killed in bike accidents each year with 70% of these occurring at city intersections. So, because urban automobile operators broke the law and mowed down a few hundred cyclists, the helmet advocates want to punish victims and further restrict the liberty of 307 million people including all of us in rural NH. Meanwhile the leading cause of deaths in the US is heart disease, killing 650,000 annually. Most of these deaths are related to obesity. The second leading killer is cancer, causing 560,000 deaths. Here smoking tobacco is the primary culprit. That means cheeseburgers and cigarettes are hundreds of times more dangerous than riding sans-helmet. It's no wonder we have such a shortage of creativity in the government with policy makers wasting time micro-managing the activities of law-abiding citizens. Resources wasted on helmet law enforcement would be better spent educating overweight people and smokers. Forward thinking companies have shown that there is a real return on investment (ROI) for health and wellness programs. I usually wear seat belts and helmet. I have run five marathons.

I support public health initiatives that are sensible, voluntary and cost effective.

As your representative I have no business telling you to wear a helmet or to go jogging. When Nanny State bills are introduced, I will always vote to preserve your individual liberties.

Freedom, industry, integrity and compassion all born of faith helped make Americans the most prosperous people in the history of the world.
Our freedom came at a great price, paid by generations of brave Americans. We owe it to our children to be responsible stewards of our land and our heritage of liberty.

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