What does government do better than the private sector? Honestly. Think about it. First thing that will come to mind is probably the military. But come on... I really doubt that the conflict in Iraq would still be going on if a private sector business with half of the resources and half of the manpower had been allowed to fight the war, free of the constraints of Washington politics, political correctness and illogical rules of engagement. But I am starting this off incorrectly. Click Read More... to finish this rant.

What I want to talk about is what the government actually does better than anyone else. And that is interfere where they don't belong. Over regulate. I appreciate that when I go to Chilis or Ruby Tuesdays, I know that the meat they serve is good, and that is in large part due to the fact that the FDA conducts spot inspections and has standards that must be met for the meat to be served. I get that, and I even appreciate it. I get regulating safety and even cleanliness to a certain degree.

But don't shove your government (im)morality down my throat. It just goes to show that the government doesn't know what it's job is when they start telling a business owner that they cannot allow smoking in their establishment. It isn't the gov'ts establishment, it is the business owners! If you don't like it, don't eat there. If you don't like it, don't work their. That is the customer's right! (And as for me, I wouldn't eat at a restaurant that did not provide a nonsmoking section, but that is my choice). Let the free market work it out. The customers will speak. Funny quote I heard once, "A non smoking section of a restaurant is like a non pissing side of the pool". Not really related, but I think it is funny. =)

Ok, so what brought this up? Some silly group of nursing mothers are going to a restaurant to have a "nurse-in". So what is a nurse-in you might ask? Basically some mom refused to show basic respect to the establishments request that she cover up a bit. They didn't ask her to stop breastfeeding, or tell her to go back to the bathroom or anything. Just asked that she put a sheet or napkin or something over the breast while the baby was eating. In this well air conditioned restaurant, her reply was "it's hot". And she proceeded to pull out the law stating that she could breastfeed where she wanted. Seriously, she carried it around in her purse. Well, their reply was that she could breastfeed there if she wanted, but she would have to cover up a bit.

Ignorant women are going to just go to this restaurant and pop them out to annoy the owner and then throw the law in his face! Ugh.

Ok, now here is my view of breastfeeding in public, and you might not have guessed it. I don't mind women breastfeeding in public. I would appreciate some discretion (which is all the restaurant asked) but if it truly IS hot or really uncomfortable or say the mother just has a very difficult child who pulls at the blanket or even has a hard time getting a latch, well, that is fine in my book. In my restaurant that woman can breastfeed all she wants, however she needs to. But this isn't my restaurant. And it isn't the governments restaurant either. But they sure do act like it is.

The Hawaii law of breastfeeding is pretty simply. You can breastfeed anywhere that both the mother and child are legally allowed to be. So basically, if you aren't in a bar or on a roller coaster that the baby is too young for, you can breastfeed. And I am ok with that, with regards to TRULY public places: parks, sidewalks, government buildings, schools, and any business that receives government subsidies or funds (think YMCA and even flippin Planned Parenthood aka Death to America's Young). But a private business shouldn't be seen as a regulatable public place. That simply is not government's job.

Pave a road or fence a border or learn to fight a war why don't you.