Notes from all over by GDA

5-8-08

Sometimes I wonder if these people we elect to run our state have any common sense at all. Some of the stupid bills they introduce are too lamebrain to even think about. I received the following letter from DFL steelworker Greg Moore of Mt. Iron that he sent to Rep. Mike Jaros, a DFLer from the Duluth area. A group called Minnesotans for Responsible Recreation (MRR) is trying to get motorized snowmobiles and ATVs off the trails. Jaros is backing them. Here is the correspondence:
Rep. Mike Jaros,
I'm a steelworker and long-time Democrat so I'm trying to find a nice way to tell you I'm disappointed in your support of the nature faker MRR bunch. We work hard on the trails, volunteer labor and resources and we put pride into them to have ours nicer than the others. I think you have lost your way.
Greg Moore
Mt. Iron
Hi Greg,
Thanks for your message. We are running out of energy, so why waste it on recreational vehicles? If you want to recreate, sit in a boat and power it manually like we used to do it. Also, you can ride in a sled with manually propelled devices and ATVs could be driven with manpower. That is real exercise!
You must see how energy prices are skyrocketing and all prices are rising, because everything we touch, buy or see is dependent on energy. I went to a seminar last January where two world energy experts said that in about 25 years freeways and airports will be historical museums. We will have to go back to horses and buggies, trains and boats, which are most economical transportation.
I was not asked by MRR to introduce my bill, but I guess they are supporting it. I do not care - I do what I think is right. There are some who believe that giving your organizations gas tax money is unconstitutional, I believe it is not, because when the Constitution was written there were no paved roads. Good Roads Association believes your programs are getting too much money. I introduced the bill to look into all of these issues and decide next biennium who is right and who is wrong.
Best wishes and take it easy - relax, recreate and enjoy life, because it is too short! Motorized vehicles and snowmobiles make life too fast and too many people are getting killed on those devils! Best wishes, Mike.
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When you fill up your gas tank and start peeling off those twenties to pay for it, just think that none of the people running for president are doing a thing to help you. They are all U.S. senators and could put bills in the hopper to help with our energy problems. The trouble is, they are all out there campaigning and not helping us out. It appears that only John McCain actually has a plan for making us energy independent and that includes drilling in the Alaskan Wildlife Area.
Why is it that it takes a campaign for presidency to wake these people up to the problems of our country? They have all had years to do something and have done "zip."
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The good news is the 2008 Minnesota Fishing Opener is Saturday. It doesn't look like Lake Vermilion will be completely ice free, but I think you'll have to look hard to find ice. Have a good week and enjoy the fishing.