I think it's a stretch to suggest that numb steering compromises anyone's safety. I'd want to see numbers that clearly identify a tie between the steering feel and an increase in accidents. The technology that is more likely to be compromising safety is the smart phone/text messaging.
As for the government mandate, I'm referring to fuel economy and stability control mandates, not steering feel.
I happen to enjoy my modern cars with modern features and technology. I drive cars before I buy them to make sure I enjoy the way they drive, handle and feel. So does my wife. You know what, she happens to like her Lincoln with light, numb steering. She doesn't enjoy driving my SHO with firm steering and firm suspension. So, fortunately for her, not all cars are performance-oriented. Her first car was a 1995 Saturn SL with manual transmission, manual clutch, and even manual steering. When she traded it in for her 1999 Passat with manual transmission, one of the first things she commented on what how much easier it was to steer and how much better she liked that. Her next comment was how much more comfortable the seats were.
She never commented on how much flatter it cornered, how much faster she could take corners, etc. Between her Saturn, Passat, Lincoln LS, and now MKZ she's never had an accident, even with the relatively numb steering of her most recent cars and 2 kids in the car.
Ultimately I don't see safety as an argument here, I do see choice as one though. There are still cars that offer the steering feel you like. You probably won't find many modern cars that lose the technology though, but that doesn't need to be a bad thing either.
At one time there were probably people that said the automobile had nothing to offer over a horse and buggy. There certainly were people that thought a gasoline automobile was an explosion waiting to happen, and those who thought there would only ever be a need for maybe 6 computers in the world. I'm glad people didn't roll over and listen to them either.
These are the types of discussions that make being human so enjoyable, everyone is entitled to their opinions and no one can tell someone else their opinion is wrong.
-Rod