No litmus test for parents

The San Jose Mercury reports that a California couple risked losing their newborn to some government bureaucrat who thought the child might be better off without his parents. It is not government's role to apply some litmus to determine which parents are fit and which are not. The parents did not commit a crime, but some government agency believed that these parents should be punished with the loss of their child. Child protection services across the country are overextending their reach trying to apply some social suitability test. Child protection should have a role when parents are unable to raise their child due to incarceration, otherwise parents raise children, albeit some will do a better job than others.

Governments playing tax games

If taxes are levied, they should be collected in a transparant and equitable manner. Taxes are not a tool for social activists, but city, state and federal tax collections follow byzantine rules that hand out tax preferences like candy. The worst behavior is seen when cities try to lure new businesses to their regions by offering huge tax breaks, thereby shifting the tax burden to current residents and business owners. Good government maintains the same low tax levels for all constituents in a transparant manner rather than placing uneven burdens according to the whims of bureaucrats.

Let private sector conduct stem cell research

President Bush long ago limited the use of Federal funds for stem cell research. Now California is creating a tax-payer funded agency for stem cell research. The right answer is to let the private sector and academia fill the demand for scientific research, including stem cell research. But if governments decide to fund science, then science must be the guide and not religious leaders. When government starts to bend science to support religion, this is a sure sign of government over reaching.

Legal prostitution better protects prostitutes

What is the crime of prostitution? People have the right what to chose how to use their body, whether for fun or for riches. Criminalizing prostitution expose prostitutes to an unsafe work environment where they are exploited by their "protectors". Regulating prostitution like any other sexually explicit business would better protect those who chose to use their body for income - just like runway models, many Hollywood actresses, and many pop stars on MTV.