paternalism anyone?

Jacob Weisberg: "If, as evidence suggests, people aren't always rational economic actors, then it's reasonable toward better choices"

http://www.newsweek.com/id/215737 (I can't make the link work).

"The underlying left-right divide is about whether or not government should promote virtue, but rather about what kind of virtue it should promote...Both sides take pleasure in mildly persecuting those who fail to meet their civic ideals" Oh, the nature of political news analysts...

But, the next point about American politics is particularly interesting. "Because Democrats hold power at the moment, they face greater power of paternalistic overreaching. It would be wise for observe Sunstein's line. To exhort, nag, tax, and regulate people for the sake of diminishing purely self-destructive behavior is defensible. But to take choices away on the grounds that people should know better is infantilizing-and likely to hurt those who bear the burden of favoring more instrusive government. Liberals should show restraint, lest the freedom to be stupid go up in smoke." For all the sass in his statment, Wesiberg has a point. Should public policy be designed to restrain the public? Everyone has to make choices for themselves. Please don't waste public money Mr. Obama.