Constancy of government intrusion unlikely to change
By Bob Barr
For the Journal-Constitution
Read the entire column for yourself at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"Clearly, much has changed since the early spring of 2008. But, as I scan the news, there remains an eerie constancy to goings on in Washington, in Atlanta and elsewhere.
"Our civil liberties continue under assault by the highest courts in the land, by the federal government, by state governments and by local governments here in Georgia…
"…Even as governments — Republican and Democrat alike — are expanding the spheres of government power at the expense of individual freedom, they continue to find new ways in which to prove they are no longer linked to a foundation of common sense. For example:
"The federal Environmental Protection Agency is actually studying the possibility of fining farmers for “bovine emissions”; that is, cow belching and flatulence.
"The feds are considering as part of the “economic stimulus plan” paying people to sell older cars and buy newer, government-preferred vehicles. Apparently, prior government efforts to spend money to influence markets are no longer available to educate these brainiacs. Does anyone remember the “synfuel” boondoggle or the solar panel program of the late 1970s and early 1980s? How about the still-active ethanol subsidy scam?…
Bob Barr, a former U.S. attorney and congressman and Libertarian candidate for president, practices law in Atlanta."
There’s much more, and you can check out the entire column for yourself on the Journal-Constitution site.