What an amazing spectacle. The full power and attention of bureaucrats from two nation-states setting up, leaping over, and then clearing hurdles (all self-imposed) to “help” one man run a 2” cable 1,800 feet across the Niagara gorge so that he may carry on his family’s tradition of performing feats of derring-do before the world.

Why has this been such a difficult task? The star of the show, George Maziarz Nik Wallenda, has freely chosen to place his own life in his own skilled hands (feet?), yet it’s taken a proverbial act of congress to allow this amazing event to occur in the first place. And yet we have, less than a week away from show time, bureaucrats still moving bits of paper across their desks because heaven forefend they fail to anticipate and prevent every conceivable harm from befalling Mr. Wallenda or us plebes.

With costs reportedly spiraling upwards of $1.2 million to put on this event, Mr. Wallenda was forced to ask local businesses to chip in so that the show could go on. Do our elected officials ever step back and ask if it isn’t all a bit obscene – or at least counterproductive – the passing of endless rules, regulations, and laws without regard to costs or the possibility of such unintended consequences? Here we have, in real time before us, the perfect illustration of our sclerotic government not being able to adapt quickly enough to the logistical necessities of Mr. Wallenda and the associated costs Wallenda is being forced to incur as a result.

Nobody can predict or conceive of every possible harm that may occur. It’s a fool’s errand to try and it only serves to make the cost of doing anything prohibitively expensive – both for the provider and the consumer. In addition to the hidden monetary costs, what price tag do you place on the loss of individual liberties being denied all in the name of public safety? President Ronald Reagan once said: ‘‘Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves.’’

On Friday, June 15, 2012, I will be watching Nik Wallenda walk across the falls from Niagara Falls, New York to Niagara Falls, Ontario. It’s going to be spectacular. It shouldn’t have costed Mr. Wallenda so much in time, money, and paperwork to get this far. I wish him all the best on his monumental journey across the brink.

Johnny Destino, between King George (L) and developer Carl Paladino, opened his campaign headquarters last Wednesday at 601 Main St. , as he begins his primary campaign for the State Senate against incumbent George Maziarz.  Also in the picture are Rus Thompson (toll bucket) and Dr. Kevin Backus.