Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Jobs Plan Out of Hartford

Connecticut's unemployment rate at the end of last year was 8.2%. The Connecticut General Assembly is currently in session, and they may have come up with a way to produce dozens, maybe hundreds of new jobs (although they will be government, and probably union jobs). After the tragic Christmas day fire in Stamford, that killed three young girls and their grandparents, there has been legislation proposed that would require smoke and carbon monoxide in all residential buildings. What a great idea! Of course you should have those in your home. You'd be an idiot not to, BUT should this be mandated by the State. Absolutely not! This is like seat belts, cell phones, & motorcycle helmets. All great ideas, but has any state law ever stopped anyone from being stupid and not obeying these laws? At least these violations can be visually spotted by police, and the offenders pulled over, but how do you deal with the smoke detectors? Are we going to create a Department of Smoke Detector Safety? They would have to hire many inspectors to do those weekly/monthly inspections of all residential buildings. Now, those inspections run right up against the Fourth Amendment you know, "probable cause". How are these inspectors going to get by that? The same way they always do, ignore it until challenged in court, and more of your freedoms go out the window. The State Legislature is once again attempting to legislate stupidity, and they think that if they say so, it will be so. People will still not put detectors in their home or let the batteries go dead and then have someone die in a fire. It has happened in the past, and will happen in the future, law or no law.