The Camel's New Quarters

The camel has moved so far into the tent that he is poisoning the air with his flatulent methane. Government encroachment on every aspect of our lives has progressed from a disturbing possibility to an alarming probability. Aside from the pending healthcare debacle, the latest assault on our freedom comes from the E.P.A., the Environmental Protection Agency…or is that the Egregious Policy Adopters? So, their mission is to protect the environment, but they stink it up instead…big time. They’ve threatened the Congress (something that I would like to do from time to time) that if our dearly beloved elected representatives do not implement the hyper-noxious Cap and Trade (i.e. cap and tax), then the unelected bureaucrats at the agency will initiate “command and control” policies and procedures regarding carbon emissions. In other words: “If you legislators don’t do what we want, we will usurp your unique authority for law and policy and do what we want. Stick that up your ***, Congress.” Who’s in charge of this popsicle cart?

It is not unusual for bureaucrats to run amok, but this attempted blackmail is unbelievably brazen.

The next area of government overreach that I want to share with you involves our bodies of water here in the United States. I apologize that I have misplaced my research on this issue (yes, I do research), so I’ll have to wing it with more generalities that I would like. An agency of the federal government that has responsibility for navigable waterways is under consideration for a much broader scope of oversight. I do not recall if it’s the EPA, the Coast Guard, Interior or some other unelected branch of government, and I don’t remember if it’s a legislative proposal or agency rule making, but the end game is a massive increase in government power to regulate and restrict every body of water in the country. If this ominous prospect comes to fruition, then perhaps we could create a new federal agency—PPP&PS, puddles, pools, ponds and pond scum, too. I’m fortunate to have a three-quarter acre pond here on my little patch of paradise. I neither need nor want some robotic, bean-counting, pencil-pushing, civil servant geek telling me I have too many bluegills (they’re like rabbits) or catfish in my personal puddle…or that my single speckled trout is lonely. Stay away, and if you do come here, go away…NOW!

Last night (Wednesday) I had the opportunity to listen to Mark Levin for a while. He was speaking in his usual high-speed, hyperbolic mode about a sacred USDA program. Levin stated that a study had determined that up to forty per cent of the meat and chicken provided to the school lunch program by the federal government was substandard. The meat failed to qualify for Taco Bell, Arby’s or McDonalds. It was determined that a large portion of the chicken came from spent layers…old egg producers whose value had diminished. Campbell’s claimed that they stopped using spent layers more than a decade ago for their soup products. So, the same government that wants to assume control of your healthcare is knowingly providing substandard meat and chicken for daily lunches for up to 60% of U.S. school students. Isn’t that special?

This column was begun with a discussion of the camel’s moving into the tent. Don’t fret. The government (USDA) will probably incorporate the camel into the school lunch program.

As always, your comments or emails are encouraged:  cnpearl@woh.rr.com