Nursemaid-in-chief

     Big Brother, the therapeutic state, nannyism, paternalism -- call it what you will, Bill Clinton embraces it heartily.
      Bill Clinton certainly fancies himself the nation's nanny: This intellectual predisposition is readily apparent in his tendency to frame every argument for his every new big-government brainstorm in terms of "saving" or "protecting" children. In Mr. Clinton's world view, safety and security are vastly more compelling political values than is freedom.
      The nursemaid-in-chief's latest idea is to force states to adopt tougher seat-belt laws. He wants police to have "primary enforcement" powers, meaning they can issue tickets for seat belt violations alone.
      It is a matter of no concern to this president that the Bill of Rights limits the ability of the federal government to usurp the power of states to deal with such non-federal issues. It is also of no concern to Bill Clinton that his attempts to outlaw gun ownership does violence to the Second Amendment or that his moves against liquor and cigarette advertising abrogate First Amendment freedoms. To this president, the Bill of Rights is merely an annoyance.