| Letters
to the editor from this week's Chronicle To the Editor Governor Little Should Have “Let The People Go”
Last week while Governor Little was
out of state, Lieutenant Governor Janice McGeachin, acting as Governor
in Little’s absence, signed an executive order that prevented cities,
local school boards, and other local government authorities from
mandating masks. Upon his return, Little immediately rescinded McGeachin’s executive order. Now local governments can once again mandate masks.Little called McGeachin’s actions an “irresponsible, self-serving political stunt” and “an abuse of power,” adding, “This kind of over-the-top executive action amounts to tyranny—something we all oppose.” Little said, “the significant consequences of the Lt. Governor’s flimsy executive order require me to clean up a mess.” I think I’ve read about this kind of thing before. About 3,400 years ago, there was a guy named Moses who was the executive champion of his constituents who really wanted their civil rights restored. But there was another guy named “Pharoah,” who was the chief executive government official, and who was not the least bit interested in hearing Moses’ pleas on behalf of his “deplorables.” Pharoah thought he knew best for Moses’ people although they begged to differ. Moses’ people thought they could best decide for themselves. Moses talked to Pharoah a lot trying to convince him to let Moses’ people live their lives without government oppression. One day, Moses was so frustrated with Pharoah’s obstinance, Moses proclaimed to Pharoah, “let my people go,” but Pharoah was having none of it. Moses was patient, and when the opportunity presented itself, Moses restored his people’s civil rights. When Pharoah figured out that Moses had outmaneuvered him and freed the people, Pharoah threw a fit and did what he could to reverse their freedom. It’s kind of a long story, but eventually, it didn’t work out well for Pharoah. News reports at the time say Pharoah in a fit of rage called Moses’ actions an “irresponsible, self-serving political stunt” and “an abuse of power,” adding, “This kind of over-the-top executive action amounts to tyranny—something we all oppose.” Pharoah also muttered something about having to “clean up a mess” Moses created. Just as I’ve never understood how Pharoah could be mad at Moses for wanting his people to be free, I just cannot understand how Little can claim freeing people from government mask mandates is “over the top tyranny.” Little’s argument makes sense only if McGeachin had issued an executive order forcing people to wear masks. But how does Little equate restraining government with tyranny? Little said something else I just don’t get. Little said McGeachin’s executive order “runs contrary to a basic conservative principle—the government closest to the people governs best.” But no decision maker is closer to the people than the people themselves. And when it comes to personal health decisions like wearing a mask, I ask why government needs to be involved at all. The truth is that each person will make a better choice about his health than any bureaucrat regardless of whether that bureaucrat makes the choice at a local, state, or national level. The fact is that Little offers a false premise that local government can govern personal health choices better than individuals making decisions for themselves. If Little wanted to be true to conservative principles, he would have trusted the people to choose for themselves. He would have “let the people go.” Bryan Smith Idaho Falls Fourth vice chair of the Bonneville County Republican Central Committee. No. 319 - 6/6/2021 Recap time! With the daily news swirling around us, focusing attention on events and "news breaks," there comes a time when a person might sit back and try to summarize the many things which have been thrown at us on almost a daily basis! It is the intent of this review to take a look at several of these items, and attempt a summary of sorts for each! In order, the following will deal with 1) Inflation, 2) Socialism, 3) Capitalism, 4) Culture and Morality. 1) Inflation! It is here folks, and it is going to get worse, much worse! And the guarantee that this will happen is the present day acceptance of MMT, "Modern Monetary Theory," which in the past year or two has completely taken over the thinking of a majority of our officials in government, from the presidency, through much of the Senate and the House, and very definitely has been bought "lock, stock, and barrel" by the FED, our national bank, known as the Federal Reserve System. The source of this modern notion is easily traced back to the universally accepted theory of John Maynard Keynes. In a nutshell, Keynes proposed that the control of national economies was the responsibility of governments and big central banks, like our FED. This is done by regulating the amount of money in an economy, using the FED's MONETARY policy, and government's FISCAL policy. A bit complicated but between the two, raising and lowering interest rates, increasing and decreasing the money in circulation, and increasing or decreasing spending by government can be considered the big three. Bluntly, Keynes' theory IS RESPONSIBLE for the hugh increase in cheap and available money which has fueled our stock market, promoted trillions of dollars of grants or gifts to individuals, cities, businesses, and states. Resulting, as often said in the past, "Too many dollars chasing too few goods!" So coupling the increase in cheap or free money with reduced production caused by Covid lockdowns, inflation was inevitable, and is now here and coming more with a vengeance! Years ago, "Helicopter Money" was coined to emphasize the known response to the practice of simply dumping huge amounts of money into any economy. Discussed at length in earlier RNR's, it takes only a bit of common sense to predict what will happen in small areas or large like a nation, when "out of the sky," comes billions of floating $$$$$$'s! 2) Socialism! Despite the past history of this enticing but bankrupt system, America today has been taken in like all victims in the past, witness current Venezuela, by its promise of equality for all, and FREE this and that for everything desired by gullible citizens. Blaming the wealthy for greed, advocates of this failed system call for high taxes on the rich, to be given out to the less fortunate, promising a sort of utopia on earth, where each "receives according to need!" Pure HOGWASH! Our current national government is pushing this disaster at every level, and we the citizens are slow or not willing to draw a line in the sand, and say "Enough!" There are many signs that Americans are waking up though, and maybe this will delay this race to disaster! 3) Capitalism, or better labeled Free Enterprise! No room for detail here, and no need if a bit of common sense is available! The proof of this logical system is the history of the United States, which for the first time in history gave us an example of how any nation which puts stress on the effort of individuals, will unleash creativity and bring wealth to the creators, and will increase the level of prosperity in the lives of normal citizens. Why is this so easy to see, but so seemingly impossible for governing officials to support! The difference is much like one would find in any two six-cylinder engines! The one in which all six are firing and working, and the second which has one, two or even three cylinders simply coasting and riding along! Is this not obvious? 4) Culture and morality! Equally obvious, but room requires delay until next week for a close look! Jake Wren |
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