I saw on Friday where Texas Governor Rick Perry used his veto pen to kill a new law that would've made texting while driving in Texas a crime. Governor Perry said texting while driving "is reckless and irresponsible" but that he saw the bill as "a government effort to micromanage the behavior of adults." It was co-sponsored by two Republican legislators, so its hard to cry some sort of partisan foul has occurred. Gov. Perry just thinks that adults should be left to their own judgement with regard to texting while driving. He doesn't condone it, yet won't permit a law making it illegal. Its not the correct role of Government to formally weigh in on this, according to the Governor of Texas. I happen to disagree with Gov. Perry. I've heard others on the Left say some pretty outrageous things about Perry for not signing this into law. Rather than consider that Gov. Perry is quite within his powers to veto such Bills, he's ridiculed as a...

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It makes as much sense as saying that DUI charges are trying to "micromanage the behavior of adults" .... what an idiot.

Get people like this out of office.

Texting is ONE bad thing that happens to distract drivers, but there are so many others, and it's impossible to outlaw everything that takes your hands off the wheel. I am all for banning the use of hand held devices in cars, but what about those who shave, put on makeup, drink coffee (me), search for CD's, read maps .. the list is endless. Texting is the worst offender, and I'd like to see an auto shutoff in the cars ignition system somehow, but sadly - once all that is done - there are all those other things to tackle.
Here's a short story ... and a true one:

A small town in Maine in the 70s advertised a game called "BEANO" at a local church. When an out-of-towner (my Dad) asked what the game was, the reply was: "It's like BINGO, but the town got together and outlawed the playing of bingo because they did not approve of gambling." The law was passed, the name of the game was changed, and the gambling goes on. It took so long to pass the first law that they lost steam on the cause. I swear it's true. I was there.

My point - laws can be stupid. Awareness needs to be raised to ALL forms of distracted driving hazards ... not just texting.

Just yesterday as I was driving my Mom to an eye doctor appointment, I passed a car on the expressway driven by a woman. Speed limit 65mph and she was traveling about 62mph so I passed by rather slowly and glanced over as I did. She was making use of the mirror on the back of the sun visor to apply eyelash makeup. Whew!

Dave, I've lost count of 'awareness' campaigns. Impaired driving (through drink or drugs), seat belt use, driving tired, road courtesy, obeying speed limits, signal use, etc. Yet what changes? Not much. Awareness only seems to go so far. Spend an hour on the road any day of the week and you'll see all of the above infractions on a regular basis.

Ideally, we shouldn't need laws. But common sense cannot be legislated so we end up having to protect people from themselves and the stupidity of others.

This Texas governor no doubt spends time on the road. But how can he, and others like him, be so ignorant of what goes on? Sometimes ideology gets in the way of common sense but, as I mentioned, you can't legislate that.

Never visited the US or Texas... but I feel that the governor does not (or maybe cannot) simply hop in a car and drive around alone... I suspect there is a motorcade of sorts... You are probably aware that quick-flashing red and blue lights tend to heighten the awareness of the other drivers, at least momentarily, so the governor is in the clear.