Is it too late to nominate George McGovern?

Former senator George McGovern has become a more-interesting figure over the course of the years since his 1972 run for the presidency. It seems that actual experience in business (an inn), laboring under the burdens imposed by government, has given him a new appreciation of the unintended consequences inherent in intrusive laws and regulations. Coupled with his already strong appreciation for a restrained foreign policy (he was the peace candidate in '72), it has to leave you wishing there was a way to draft him for the Democratic nomination.

Anyway, here's what he has to say in today's Wall Street Journal:

Under the guise of protecting us from ourselves, the right and the left are becoming ever more aggressive in regulating behavior. Much paternalist scrutiny has recently centered on personal economics ...

Why do we think we are helping adult consumers by taking away their options? We don't take away cars because we don't like some people speeding. We allow state lotteries despite knowing some people are betting their grocery money. Everyone is exposed to economic risks of some kind. But we don't operate mindlessly in trying to smooth out every theoretical wrinkle in life.

The nature of freedom of choice is that some people will misuse their responsibility and hurt themselves in the process. We should do our best to educate them, but without diminishing choice for everyone else.

The whole column is worth a read.