The long arm of the law

“You will hear other people testify it is their right to stay unbuckled. It is their right to put their life at risk," testified state Sen. Mike Schneider, D-Las Vegas, at the Legislature in Carson City Tuesday. "I say if you want to attempt suicide, just get it done, but don’t come here to the taxpayers and say, 'Hey, pick up my expenses for my irresponsibility.’”

Weirdly, Sen. Schneider, left, then failed to introduce any bill that would make it illegal to shift onto taxpayers any responsibility for paying the medical costs of car crash victims who lack the savings or insurance to pay their own way. He didn't even propose a more limited bill, outlawing such redistributive cost-shifting only in those limited cases where the injured have failed to wear seat belts.

Why did Sen. Schneider fail to propose the only sensible solution to the problem he identifies?

Instead, Sen. Schneider was testifying in favor of a law that would empower Nevada police to stop and ticket motorists for failing to fasten their safety belts -- a bill with the notable flaw that it does NOT forbid officers from subsequently charging motorists with possession of firearms, contraband drugs, etc., which are precisely what the officers are going to be looking for if they're allowed to pull us over any time they choose by contending, "Oh, I couldn't see whether your belt wasn't fastened."

Sen. Schneider apparently believes the way to make Nevadans more "responsible" is to arrest and fine them when they act "irresponsible" -- that the best way to make people act like responsible adults is to treat them like children ... and then STILL force taxpayers to pay their expenses if they decline to accrue enough savings or purchase enough insurance to cover their own medical bills.

Ain't the Nanny State wonderful? No word yet on when Sen. Schneider will also seek to ban skydiving, riding motorcycles, drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco, being obese, and failing to take our blood pressure medicine.

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