Federal Control

When Dominion Virginia Power wanted to run power lines along the W&OD bike trail in Loudoun County Virginia, they ran into a long and bitter battle with locals and environmentalists (strangely mostly locals). The major objections had to do with the idea of ripping down trees and putting up steel structures along one of the most beautiful stretches of the bike trail. After years of back and forth, a compromise was struck that probably didn't satisfy either party completely. Hopefully it will work out okay.

We now hear that with the desire of the Obama administration and Congress to impose on us alternative energy such as wind and solar, that the federal government will force state and localities to accept the building of infrastructure wherever the federal government desires. Harry Reid said this week that what the federal government wants to do the federal government will do. If they want to build a stretch of power lines through your neighborhood, you will have no say in it. The federal government, led by Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid, knows what is best for us. It is for the good of the whole that you will have to just accept what they tell us.

So here we are: the federal government, that symbol of incompetence and waste, is now wanting to take over health care, education, and energy, essentially federalizing all three. Liberals blasted George Bush for what they perceived as him crossing the line in assuming increased presidential powers. With those powers they feared he would force ideals and values on the American public, something that never happened. Now we actually do have a president (and a Congress) who are taking on powers and imposing themselves in our lives in ways that George Bush never would have dreamt of during his years. These same liberals are strangely quiet now. I never could understand how these people, especially the Hollywood types who seem to love questioning authority and government in general, seem to be fine when their brand of government ends up being more intrusive than the one they were criticizing. Someone please explain that.