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NH Weighs 'Communism,' aka Seat-Belt Law
New Hampshire battles over finally passing a seat-belt law
By Katherine Thompson
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Posted Mar 18, 09 11:03 AM CDT
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(Newser)
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The accusations of creating a "nanny state" are ringing out, which must mean it's time for New Hampshire to debate legislating the use of seatbelts. The only state without a law requiring adults to buckle up, the "Live Free or Die" state is embroiled in a battle over whether to join the crowd, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The case for instituting the law isn't complex: It will save lives and make the state eligible for $3.7 million in federal funds. The counterargument is also simple: Granite Staters don't want the government telling them what to do. "People don't want it," says one lawmaker, who gets around on a Harley—without a helmet, as if that needs mentioning. "It's an insult to their intelligence."