Laws For You, Not Them

Have you ever noticed the way politicians love to pass laws for you to obey, not them ?

This came to mind recently with the traffic accident in which New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine was critically injured.

Now, let me say at the outset, I wish him a full and speedy recovery. But there's an important lesson to be learned for every American in this case — including Corzine.

The Democratic governor was racing up the Garden State Parkway to catch an important meeting between the Rutgers women's basketball team and Don Imus.

I use the term racing advisedly, as State Police Superintendent Col. Rick Fuentes said Corzine's Chevy Suburban (yes, a sports utility vehicle!) was cruising at an impressive 91 mph moments before the crash. That's 26 mph over the legal speed limit!

I know it was an important meeting to Corzine because his car, driven by a state trooper, had its emergency lights flashing. In fact, investigators believe this may have contributed to the accident.

It seems something spooked a driver in front of Corzine's car to swerve into another lane, which triggered another vehicle to swerve into Corzine's truck and force it into a guardrail.

Oh, and by the way, Corzine wasn't wearing a seatbelt in the front passenger seat. And, yes, New Jersey mandates the wearing of seatbelts. In fact, it was one of the first states in the country to so legislate.

But that legislation evidently was intended for you and me, not them , not the elites who actually make and enforce the laws. Do you get the way this works?

We also learned Corzine made a habit of not wearing a seatbelt. He liked to read and nap in the car and the seatbelt made those activities a little too uncomfortable.

(Imagine telling that one to the judge!)

As governor, Corzine is the chief law enforcement officer in the state — the man who is paid by taxpayers to execute the duly passed laws of the New Jersey Legislature.

Yet he was riding in a car being driven by a state trooper who apparently decided the better part of valor was letting this issue slide. Do you think you would get the same treatment sitting in a car with a state trooper? Do you think you'd get a pass from one if you were pulled over for a speeding ticket? I don't think so.

Furthermore, the state trooper was not compliant with the speeding law, either. And we have no reason to believe the governor advised him to slow down. After all, he had an important meeting to attend with Imus.

All of this might be comical if it hadn't resulted in a near tragedy. Not only was Corzine severely injured, but others could have been hurt or killed as a result of this flagrant disregard for the laws of the state.

And there's another reason not to laugh about this incident. It happens all too often with politicians and especially high and mighty elected officials.

Yes, they know what's good for you. But they won't take their own medicine. The laws are for the little people — the folks who obviously are incapable of running their own lives without direction from the elite members of society.

They pass laws with no intention of obeying them themselves. It happens every day in America — in city council chambers, in state legislatures and in the nation's Capitol.

It's too bad Corzine got hurt. But it's a good illustration of the way arrogant elected officials put themselves above the law.

Was a meeting with Imus really worth the pain and the embarrassment?

To find out more about Joseph Farah, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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