Lefty Love

It's sure not to be confused with 'tough love.'

I'm afraid I'm going to be devoting a lot of space the real ways life is going to be different in St. Paul (and in Washington) now that the Democrats have the reigns. For instance, here in Minnesota, pretty soon you won't have to be responsible for yourself or the choices you make.

Even though you wilfully signed that purchase agreement to buy that car, Nanny Government doesn't want you burdened by the troubles of contract law. Why should you have your feet held to a fire of your own making?

Sen.-elect Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, says he's concerned that consumers can't return used cars. Latz says he's heard complaints from people who realized they couldn't afford car payments, but didn't realize it until they had already bought the car.

Latz says right now a consumer owns a car once he or she signs the purchase agreement and there isn't any legal recourse for a dealer to accept the car if a consumer wants to return it. Latz says he's talked to several consumers who bought cars, and later realized they couldn't afford them but couldn't return the car.

"Help me, Big Government; don't make me have to live with the decisions I make freely and by my actions alone."

"It's the state's role to protect consumers in a lot of ways and at least to make sure that the consumers can make informed decisions about what they're going to purchase, and yes, if they change their mind, that they have the right to return it," Latz says. "If you buy just about anything, you can return things, but a car. Why shouldn't you be able to return that too?"

There is no 'right to return.' I know that might break your great-big generous all-protecting Democratic heart, but it is absolutely NOT the state's role to mandate by law what is otherwise a voluntary service offered by retailers as an extension of customer service and good-will. This loser want to make car returns mandatory because it makes him feel warm and fuzzy.

The only thing more troubling that this hand-holding idiot are the truly stupid among us; those mutton heads out there who cannot wait to trade in one more bit of freedom for the alleged promise of a completely risk-free existence from the hand of government.

Wait - it only gets worse:

As the holiday shopping season cranks up, the North St. Paul Democrat Chuck Wiger and two colleagues promised legislation to ban expiration dates and fees on gift cards. They said too many consumers are being duped and never get their money's worth from the cards. "The goal here is just to make sure it is what people expect to purchase."

Republican Rep. Larry Howes said the proposal might not find enough support to pass. The state has bigger worries, he said, and retailers should be able to recoup something for the convenience of gift cards. "If you don't use it, you lose it," Howes said. "I don't see a problem with that." (Minnesota Retailers Association president) Buzz Anderson said most cards don't expire because consumers don't like expiration dates.

But he said the option is important for small independent stores that face an "accounting nightmare" if they have to carry the value of unredeemed cards on their books indefinitely. "If you don't like the terms on a card, don't buy the card," Anderson said. "Nobody's holding a gun to your head."

That last point is completely lost on the do-gooders that seek to wrap all us plebes in the safe glow or Big Government. You see, to a good and kind Democrat, life should not ever have any rules, regulations, obligations, responsibilities, binding agreements, hurt feelings, consequences or rainy days.

Vote Democrat kids, and every day can be filled with the thought-free bliss of predictable mediocrity and diminishing expectations.