Trump's Looming Social Media Post That Had Everyone on Edge Today Has Finally...
There's One Reaction to US-China Trade Deal That We Should All be Looking...
So Much Winning: We Have a New Trade Deal With China
Yes, Liz Cheney Somehow Made the New Pope About Trump
Everybody Hates Fetterman
All Hell Broke Loose When ICE Showed Up in This Town
Jasmine Crockett Admits Dems Abandoning Diversity Push, Rallying Behind 'White Male' for 2...
'I Didn't Do Anything Wrong': Dem Mayor Arrested for Storming ICE Facility Plays...
Democrat Rep Blasts DHS, Accuses ICE of Faking Arrest Footage of Newark Mayor
Hamas Says It Will Release Last American Hostage Edan Alexander
Kash Patel Claps Back at Patty Murray During Senate Hearing
Zelensky Agrees to Meet Putin in Turkey for High-Stakes Talks Amid Growing Calls...
Top Dems Slam Ilhan Omar's Remarks on White Men
Ukraine, Allies Demand Russia Accept Unconditional 30-Day Ceasefire Starting Monday
Trump Announces 'Total Reset' in U.S.-China Trade Relations After High-Stakes Talks in Swi...
Tipsheet

The Danger of Indulging Liberal "Distractions"

The great George Will recently wrote a column counseling calm when it comes to the myriad nanny-state intrusions the left has been visiting on Americans:

Advertisement

Climate alarmism validates the progressive impulse to micromanage others’ lives — their light bulbs, shower heads, toilets, appliances, automobiles, etc. Although this is a nuisance, it distracts liberals from more serious mischief.

All true, as far as it goes. The time liberals spend attending to light bulbs, toilets and shower heads is time they don't have to . . . "reform" the health care system.

But there's one nagging problem when the left is able to amuse itself by imposing petty regulations on everyone else's life. It's the danger that, constantly buffeted by a never-ending steam of micromanaging rules, free-born citizens will over time lose their innate resentment of and resistance to government oversight of their lives.

Once that resistance is worn down over less-consequential matters, it becomes infinitely easier for tyrants of all stripes to encroach on more meaningful liberties without occasioning mass resistance.

Freedom is a little like a muscle that must be exercised if it is to remain strong. If, worn down by a series of inconsequential-seeming laws, Americans allow the habits of freedom to atrophy, it's that much more likely that their liberties will be more seriously eroded in the future.

Just ask the East Germans.

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Recommended

Trending on Townhall Videos

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement