I’ve been a parent for three weeks and I’m already hearing Those Words:

“Well, now that you’re a parent, you’re going to be more progressive. You’ll want to provide for your daughter and protect her. I’ll see you at the next Hillary rally.”

Um, no.

Read this decade-old interview with Dave Barry and take home this quote — “Any parent that relies on any law to help him parent is an idiot.”

I don’t want the state to provide for and protect my daughter. Because I know the state can’t. I want to provide for and protect her myself. I put her in an expensive car safety seat because I want to protect her, not because the law mandates it. I’m getting her vaccinated because I want her to be healthy, not because the law mandates it. If she stays away from drugs, it will be because I successfully explain to her how stupid they are, not because they are illegal.

And I’m far more concerned about the tens of trillions of dollars in unfunded Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security liability that is going to come down on her like an anvil.

Let me raise my daughter. I don’t need laws and handouts to do it. All I need is her.