The Bellingham City Hall passed a ban on plastic shopping bags based on fraudulent data that they were all too willing to believe. You know, like those emails that get forwarded all over the internet, that seem to say exactly what you want to believe, but when you “snopes” it, none of it is actually true? Well, we now have public policy based on data that was never “snopesed”. Even the EPA published a report saying that plastic shopping bags are not a significant contributor to the nation’s litter stream.
Do you think the city will reverse its ban? That isn’t likely. Once you lose liberty, it is very unlikely that you will ever reclaim it. After all, the bag ban still appeals to environmental extremists, who will squall like hammered cats if anyone attempts to repeal the ordinance. That just would not sit well with the illiberal control freaks.
After all, what’s so bad about a silly little bag ban? It’s just a minor inconvenience, and we can all feel good about how well we project the illusion of green-hood. Except, well, an entire industry (along with its jobs) is likely to disappear. Our liberty cannot withstand death by a thousand cuts. Today, it’s a minor inconvenience, eventually it’s oppression. And more’s the pity when it’s based on a fraud.
Do you think the city will reverse its ban? That isn’t likely. Once you lose liberty, it is very unlikely that you will ever reclaim it. After all, the bag ban still appeals to environmental extremists, who will squall like hammered cats if anyone attempts to repeal the ordinance. That just would not sit well with the illiberal control freaks.
After all, what’s so bad about a silly little bag ban? It’s just a minor inconvenience, and we can all feel good about how well we project the illusion of green-hood. Except, well, an entire industry (along with its jobs) is likely to disappear. Our liberty cannot withstand death by a thousand cuts. Today, it’s a minor inconvenience, eventually it’s oppression. And more’s the pity when it’s based on a fraud.
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