Question:

Do you think it’s appropriate for government to be involved in campaigns to reduce smoking, and enforce seat-belt laws, and motorcycle helmet laws? If they’re going to foot the bill, they might as well try to make the bill smaller, right? Do you agree? I know you would rather not have government involvement in health care, but given that it is there, and it’s probably not going away for a while, should the government try to improve the health of its citizens?

Answer:

Two wrongs won’t make things right. Trying to force better health habits on people ultimately costs more than the medical treatment would, because force is very, very expensive and inefficient. The War on Drugs, as an example of such a “self-improvement” program, has killed more people than drugs themselves. Do you really think that more government can correct the problems that too much government has already created?