The Maverick Conservative

This is the follow up on today's entry:  "Air Travel in the 21st Century".  I had stated that this would be the "next entry", but I got sidetracked.

I watched the Preakness on Saturday (PETA's press for Federal regulation of HORSE RACING is one of tomorrow's planned entries).  The point here is that my TV ended up on ABC.  When I turned the TV back on, ABC News was talking about that carnival ride accident (in California, I believe). 

What was the focus of the story?  You guesssed it.  The focus was on the push for Federal Regulation of Amusement Parks/Fixed Carnival type facilities that are located (by definition of "fixed") within a state (like California or Florida).  There was the usual "sympathetic victim" calling for regulation to have Big Brogher "save us" from all harm.  The girl I saw on ABC was the one who had both of her lower legs severd on/by an amusment park ride.  Remember, for awhile there the media was hyping those (relatively few) accidents that happened at Disney parks. 

Re-read "Air Travel in the 21st Century".  WHY would ANYONE think that Federal regulation is the "solution" to this relatively minor problem (4 deaths a year, compared to 42,000 trraffic deaths--should the Federal government take over traffic enforcement; OOPS!!!  It will probably happen.)   As ABC admintted, in passing, there is already Federal regulation of those travelling carnival rides that go from state to state. 

This is now the automatic reaction to every problem (especially by the mainstream media, but seemingly by a majority of the people in this country).  "We want the Federal Government to protect us".  It does not matter to these people that the Federal Government is often the LEST effective and efficient means of "solving" our problems.  Of course, total "protection" is impossible".

Is there any REASON that California, Florida, or any other state, cannot effectively regulate amusement parks in a state?  Of course not. 

Forget that it is, or should be, unconstitutional for the Federal Government to regulate facilities within a state.  I fully understand that I am about the only person left in America who truly believes in federalism.

You can't get any more stupid than to look at the Federal Government, and its record on everything from airplane inspection to Katrina, and think that it "solves" a problem by imposing Federal regulation.  In fact, that is the DANGEROUS delusion here.   The idea that a central planning, Federal Government "solution" takes care of the problem is one of the great EVILS of central planning.   On paper, the problem is "solved".  In actuality, you may be headed for a disaster you have no chance of preventing, because the "central planning" "solution" cannot be quckly changed.  That is besides the bureaucratic, bloated, remote Federal Government bureaucracy being effectively unaccontable, and incapble of acting effectively and efficiently.

You say (the motto of central planners everywhere):  "What if the states don't do it?"  Well, that is the problem of the people in thoses states, isn't it.  More directly, the point is that it is a FANTASY that the Federal Government will "do it" BETTER.  California is just as capable as the Federal Government of regulating its amusement parks.  Despite its size (bigger than most countries), California is also closer to the people than the Federal Government.  Its bureaucrats are more accountable (maybe not by much, but some). 

That does not stoop us from demanding the Federal Government DO SOMETHING every tie something goes wrong.  It is insane. There is no excuse for it.  No sane person can expect a government as large and cumbersome as the Federal Government to be a better problem solver than a government closer to the people being regulated.  Of course, the EXPENSE is also much grater to route all of this money throught the Federal Government. 

Let me be blunt:  Federal regulation of fixed amusement parks will not save ONE life; it will not save ONE injury.  It will, perhaps, COST lives and injuires because states think the problem has been "turned over" to the Federal Government.  Worse, often Federal regulations PREEMPT state regulation, such that the states can no longer regulate, even if they see a need.  It is the same with EVERY problem we attack with a Federal "solution", including health care.  By defintiion, it is a CENTRAL PLANNING "solution" that supercedes all other approaches. 

Where have people gotten this idea that they should look to the Federal Government to solve all of their problems, and to "protect" them from everything?  Well, it is one of those leftist fantasies that seems to have a life of its own, and to appeal to some psychological need in people.  That does not change that it is obviously the WRONG approach, except in those cases where there is just no choice (much rarer than leftists, ABC News, and all of the rest buying into central planning would have you believe--as "no choice" does NOT refer to failure of states to do something, but refers to their absolute inability to do something).

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