Beware of politicians promising to fix problems

We should all know by now that when a government official publicly states that any pending legislation is “a good first step,” we should be waiting for the other shoe to drop.

For instance, when expanded background checks for gun purchases were referred to as a “good first step” toward ending gun violence, everyone knew that if passed, more restrictions were coming, ending up in a national registry of firearms.

Utah lowered the legal blood alcohol limit to 0.08 percent, the lowest rate at the time, as a “good first step” toward eliminating drunken driving. It should come as no surprise that Utah has now lowered that limit again to 0.05 percent, another useless attempt.

New York City is proposing legislation to regulate tips for Uber drivers as an “important first step” to improve earning potential for those drivers. In reality, it is just another ploy to get their foot in the regulatory door.

When the current Assembly introduced a bill to raise the ceiling on property taxes to 3 percent to fund state projects as a “good first step,” we all knew that was a precursor to more taxes on those who can least afford them.

Any time the phrase “good first step” is used by a politician, committee, council, or legislative body, it should send up multiple red flags. As sure as the sun rises in the east, there are almost certainly more steps to come.

Three guesses who will get to pay for them, either in money or personal freedoms? Certainly not the people proposing them, because they will exempt themselves before the first vote is cast.