The Nanny State

Arnold Kling

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Marc Fisher writes,

Montgomery County, the government that brought you bans on trans fats, smoking and any sales of liquor except by the county's own stores, last week added a new kind of regulation, becoming probably the first place in the country to require residents who hire nannies to do so via a written contract.

This is a classic MoCo decision to make law as a political statement rather than as a remedy to a burning social need.

Pointer from streiff, who remarks,

I'm guessing that if Fisher was a business owners he'd find a lot more to object to in Montgomery County that the regulating of nannies.

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CATEGORIES: Regulation and Subsidies

COMMENTS (3 to date)

Latest Comment

Anittah Patrick writes:

It would be fascinating to see what impact these laws have on residents in and out of Montgomery County and ability of the County to recruit businesses to be based there. I, for one, couldn't imagine buying real estate and living in a place that forced me to put an agreement in writing with my hypothetical nanny.

Anyway, who on earth has a nanny that can read English? ;)

Posted July 22, 2008 10:36 AM

liberty writes:

"This is a classic MoCo decision to make law as a political statement rather than as a remedy to a burning social need."

Or it could be the start of a licensing drive by nanny agencies, toward keeping away competition.

Perhaps a combination.

Posted July 22, 2008 10:36 AM

Alex J. writes:

Perhaps we should thank Montgomery County's gov't for drawing off the voters who like this kind of thing and sparing everyone else.

Posted July 22, 2008 11:21 AM

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