Government Regulation is a "Pandora's Box"

The following quote from a World Net Daily article reveals the fundamental flaw in the small government conservative philosophy:

"We need somebody to watch over us when we're eating food that comes from thousands and thousands of miles away. We need some help there," he said. "But when food comes from our neighbors or from farmers who we know, we don't need all of those rules. If your neighbor sells you something that is bad and you get sick, you are going to get your hands on that farmer, and that will be the end of it. It regulates itself."

What this individual does not understand is that opening the door to any regulation is a slippery slope.  There is no clear or natural line at which regulation should begin and end.  It is completely at the discretion of legislators under the influence of special interests.  And once people have given the government the power to regulate part of their lives, the only remaining question is "to what degree should government regulate?"  The only two points of equilibrium are 0% and 100%.  And once we have passed 0%, it is a steady march to 100%.