Advocates for more government intrusion in Maryland health care have cause for celebration this year. So it is no surprise that the leading proponent of expanding government's role in our health, Vinnie DeMarco of the Maryland Citizens Health Initiative, wrote an op-ed celebrating this year's "victories." As he notes:

"The General Assembly this year passed four new laws, which will:

"• Require all workplaces and public places to be smoke-free.

"• Increase the state tobacco tax by $1 per pack.

"• Allow young adults to stay on their parents' insurance plans.

"• Provide health care coverage for many lower-income adults."

Of course, Mr. DeMarco fails to consider how these laws infringe on personal liberty, unfairly target smokers to shoulder a disproportionate tax burden, raise the price of health insurance, and move more people onto poor quality government health care. After all, it's the intentions that count, right?