OCR Text |
Show Opinions from Our Readers . . . Dear Sam, One day last week the skies were overcast, the temperature tempera-ture dropped and strange damp objects began to fall to the earth. After considerable inquiry. 1 learned that this unusual phenomenon was called rain. I pondered the meaning of this peculiar occurrence and finally decided that it was the first reminder of the promise of extraordinary climatic happenings. 1 distinctly distinct-ly remember overhearing a local resident remark, just a few days before, that "It will be a cold day in hell when B.L.M. puts its new regulations regula-tions into effect." I had almost recovered from this sobering experience when the electricity went off in the "Federal Building" on Main Street. I then knew that the local zealots were serious when they said, "Let the bastards freeze to death in the dark." I don't know who is responsible for these events but let me assure you that the Feds have received and duly noted the intended message. 1 think I can safely say that Uncle Sam will think carefully before imposing any additional restrictions on the use of federal lands. Wait a minute! Hold the presses!!! We've just received word of the latest edict from the National Park Service which states that, "You can't roller skate in a buffalo herd." Good Heavens! Is there no end to this regimentation? They're taking away all of our freedoms. Richard B. Robertson Dear Editor: It seems the energy prog-gram prog-gram of President Carter has much attention lately, providing provid-ing a profound smokescreen over the real issues at hand: should the Federal Government Govern-ment have the power to control our liberty and property in the name of saving us from a contrived "energy shortage," and if so, where docs it derive its power in the Constitution of the United States? Our founding foun-ding Fathers, in numerous documents, tell us that the purpose of the Constitution is to greatly limit the power and reach of the Federal Government. Govern-ment. In fact the first ten amendments state clearly the areas in which Congress shall make no law, and at the end of these amendments it says that any power not given the-Federal the-Federal Government is reserved reser-ved for the people and the various states. Why would the men who founded this nation purposefully purpose-fully limit our Federal Government? Govern-ment? Essentially their explanation expla-nation was that more and more government equals TOTAL government (i.e. oligarchy, marxism, naziism, gascism, communism, any "ism" that exercises control over the people and their property). Getting back to the energy question: what WOULD happen hap-pen if the Federal Government removed its strangling regulations regula-tions from the energy industry and made that their "energy policy"? Well, obviously prices pric-es would increase, but they would be real increases, not artificial increases as Carter proposes. Then, when the prices have reached their natural free market level, the money would be available to explore and develop our vast fuel reserves (oh, yes, I've read how little the government says is left of fuel, but do you ask a mechanic to pull your children's teeth?). When production pro-duction has increased, creating creat-ing a greater supply than demand, competition would cause prices to spiral downward down-ward until the lowest profitable profit-able level of price is reached. In this case, we, the free market place, decides how much and for what price we will pay, and oil companies would be the losers for overcharging, as their competitors compet-itors will always come in under their price. I recently was advised by the owner of an oil company that the "real" price of a gallon of gasoline was only about 20c, the station operator getting only 5c of that amount. The rest was taxes and tariffs at all levels of government. You should be asking your congressmen how they came to taxing you so much while you knew nothing about it. Actually, Carter's program of taxation is merely the same old tunc with a new set of smiling teeth entitled "Make King George Look Like a Saturday Afternoon Picnic"... of course, the song is sung in whispers. But there IS a solution to this problem of getting the huge, powerful (by bluff) Federal Government out of business and back into is function of protecting our lives, liberties, and property: 1. Let your elected Federal officials know that you flatly reject Carter's self-assumed power grab better known as his "energy policy"... it may seem little more than an intellectual debate about the inconveniences of driving less and turning thermostats lower, low-er, BUT it is really a step further in the encroachment of our liberties. If we want an energy policy try for it with the local government. Government Govern-ment is best when it is closest to the people. If the people honestly and truly want a program they will institute it locally. Remember, it costs the Federal Government many times more money to spend that same tax dollar than would be spent by local government. For instance, the Department of Health, Education Educa-tion and Welfare spends 66c to spend one dollar, while your county governments average 2-3c to spend that same dollar. Federal spending on local affairs is fraudulant and deceptive. 2. Insist your Federal Legislators abolish the Environmental Envi-ronmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA is dictatorial, ineffective in positive preservation preserv-ation of our quality of living, and very costly. The common man has absolutely no protection protec-tion from its regulations and penalties, and it is the single largest factor in creating foreign-dependency on fuel. It is our unelccted and unconstitutional unconsti-tutional Lord and Master, and should not co-exist with a nation of free people. 3. Write and demand that your state and local authorities reject attempts by the Federal Government to bypass local laws, especially in the ominour form of federal funding with reciprocating regulations, and dissolution of local authority. Local authority, in a time not too distant, w ill soon be no more than an agency of agency of a bureau of bureau of the Federal Government. Many men in the Federal Government obviously look down on local governments as being barbarian, unprogres-sivc, unprogres-sivc, and not meeting the needs of the people.. .like a cancer wc are losing our control over local governments while wc sleep in federal programs. The time to wake up is nowl I firmly believe and stand by our sacred Constitution, in the ideals of individual freedom expressed and hammered into it by our wise founders. They believed that any government powerful enough to oiv. J people everything thev ted, also had the power, from the people eveT they have, until every ? vestige of freedom ed under the weigh, of.?; so-called "welfare clause"! the Constitution. If we ' g ue to give the Federal Government everything itas, for, we deserve to I everything it forces from I is really on our shoulders J I one man DOES matt, difference. I Max Chartrand ' I La Sal, Utah |