Your Taxes Pay for...

... the "click it or ticket" program. For those of you not familiar, this program requires police forces to issue a ticket for those of you who don't wear your seat belt. In some states cops can even pull you over for not wearing a seat belt as a primary offense. In Massachusetts, thank god, it is only a secondary offense. However, this program raises two fundamental issues.

First, according to the program's website, the "click it or ticket" is funded by a federal highway safety grant. This means that your taxes are paying for this program, in which you have no say as to whether or not you approve of it. I could not find specific dollar amounts as to the cost of the program, but, all one needs to do is drive around or watch television to see their taxes being spent "wisely". You are paying for all of those commercials! You are paying for all those signs on the side of the road which say "click it or ticket"! You are paying for all of those posters and billboards! So, why is this an issue? Well that brings me to my next point.

Point two. This is a program which takes away an individual's freedom to think and choose. The government says it needs this program to "inform" people as to the dangers of driving without a belt. That's similar to them saying they need money to "inform" people about the dangers of smoking. If you don't know about the dangers then either you are a child or an idiot. In this day and age people do not need to be told that something is dangerous. We already know. Yet, the government uses this to take away your choices in life. They are telling you that they know better and you have no say in how to run or ruin your life. It is your right to not put on a seat belt and if you die in a car crash then that is the consequence of your decision. The government should have no say in this at all. I believe it was Jacob Hornberger who said, "if you are not free to choose wrongly and irresponsibly, you are not free at all."

So, to our government... please give us our money back and that thing called... ummm... oh yeah... FREEDOM!