Iowa Senate Democrats are embracing nanny statism this session in the form of at least two bills that I am aware of. The bills represent a statist position, plan and simple.

The first is a bill that cleared the Iowa Senate Transportation Committee last week. Senate File 27 introduced by State Senators Amanda Ragan (D-Mason City) and Daryl Beall (D-Ft. Dodge). It basically states that Iowa motorists would have to have their headlights on while operating their windshield wipers. This is a priority? First off, I recall being trained to do this during driver’s education so it’s something I and most Iowans practice already. Secondly, if Democrats were so concerned about traffic safety why didn’t they pass this years ago when they had control of the House, Senate and the Governor’s office? Third, it is becoming a moot issue when most new cars have headlights that are on all of the time.

I’m not saying that having your headlights on while using your wipers are a bad thing, but I don’t believe it needs to be mandated. We’ve gone this long without it being a law so why do we suddenly “need” to do this now?

The second bill is SF 248 sponsored by State Senator Herman Quirmbach (D-Ames) it would ban those under the age of 18 from using tanning beds. House File 257 is the House companion bill sponsored by State Representatives Lisa Heddens (D-Ames) and Todd Taylor (D-Cedar Rapids) Now do kids need to be using tanning beds a lot? Probably not. Do they need to be drinking a ton of Monsters, eating a bunch of junk food, spending hours playing XBox, and other things that can’t really be considered healthy behavior? No, not really.

Is it the State’s role to control this? Absolutely not. It is the parent’s job to restrict teens if they don’t believe those activities to be healthy. You’d think these particular Democrats would like to emulate New York City. Are they going to ban trans fat and Big Gulps as well?

Then there is a gun control bill, SF 233, introduced in the education committee of all places which threaten your 2nd Amendment rights. This bill was sponsored by State Senators Jack Hatch (D-Des Moines), Bill Dotzler (D-Waterloo), Liz Mathis (D-Cedar Rapids), Steve Sodders (D-Marshalltown) and Daryl Beall (D-Ft. Dodge).

Beware of government that wants to wrap its “loving arms” around you. This is about them having control, not your well being.