US AUTOCRACY SOON PART 1

     A Russian opponent to Putin has just died in prison. Most of the world believes that he was killed to remove any opposition to Putin in the upcoming election. We have watched Russia go from a complete dictatorship under Stalin to a more democratic society. The Church was allowed to function, and elections were held but after Putin's election he has managed to use his prior KGB connections to power his way past the rule of law and change the law to benefit him like allowing multiple terms in office. Once again, we are looking at a czarist Russia with little or no way to remove him other than assassination. Navalny's opposition to Putin was met with arrest on charges that were drummed up to remove him from the political arena. Later he was declared ineligible to be on a ballot and later put back in jail. When he was released from jail he left he country only to return and be immediately arrested again. There has never been a trial and conviction but just removed from the political opposition to Putin. His popularity has remained high though which is why he was probably murdered by Putin. The justice system in Russia is owned by the ruling party that will do anything including murder to stay in power.  

NO HAIRCUTS

     The news his week featured two different items that involve government control over our lives. The state  of Washington passed a law that prohibits using a gasoline powered leaf blower with a possible jail penalty. Stellantis automotive company announced that they are laying off three thousand employees because of California's green laws. The government (both federal and state plus many local) have been increasingly removing freedoms from us and seem to have accelerated their efforts lately. All automobiles have to be electric by 2035 and the use of fuel to power trucks is to be terminated. In the last few years a couple of projects at our local airport required environmental studies. After the first one was done to lengthen the safety zone at the end of the runway by 500 feet another study had to be done for another project which would cover the same area as the first one. These studies require a team of professionals to do them which is very costly and takes precious time away from the original project. We are told that we cannot use wet areas on our farm it they are deemed wetlands and we shut down water usage to save a fish or other animal. We are putting wolves in areas where ranchers are raising sheep and cattle but are not allowed to kill the wolves when they become predatory against their animals. We hear about police agencies that are confiscating peoples' property when they are suspected of a crime but refuse to return it after acquittal. The government is way too far into our lives and the freedom that I had as a young man is now gone.

DRUG PRICE REALITY

     President Biden has announced that he is going to reduce some pharmaceutical prices. He should get some history first and that would make his job easier.