My Letter To Americans:
America's Needless Suffering

My Fellow Americans:

 I am writing this letter out of frustration and remorse because our country could have a thriving economy right now, but our own government is preventing it by depriving us of the benefits from our own natural resources.  Imagine if the price of gasoline was once again $2.00 per gallon, or even less.  Think how much more money would be in your pocket and what you’d do with it.  Now, think how much more money you’d have if the price for basic food items like bread, cereal, meats, and vegetables were cut by one-third to one-half.  Within a few months this could be possible and we'd all have more money to spend. When people spend money, more people are employed, and the economy thrives.

America is composed of a generous society and within a short time we could again prosper to the extent that those citizens that are legitimately unable to provide for their own basic necessities can still be adequately provided for under a free-market capitalist society.  Indeed, big government and excess entitlement programs will only lead to the collapse of our society along with the entitlements that it promotes.  If the shackles imposed by our government are removed America will prosper to the point that most, if not all, of our entitlement programs can survive.  It makes no sense whatsoever for our government to deprive us of the benefits from our own natural resources at the same time it is adding entitlement programs, regulations and taxes.   It is a sure formula for economic disaster.

Americans are suffering needlessly because there are no shortages of natural resources in our county and no shortage of technology or manpower to reap these vast resources.  The land in which America sits contains vast quantities of oil, natural gas, agricultural land, minerals, water, and timber.  However, through regulations and moratoriums the federal government will not allow these resources to be gleaned.

Contrary to what we are told, there is currently a glut of oil in the world. The United States contains immense oil reserves containing some of the finest sweet crude oil that could supply not only America, but the entire world, for Millenniums.  Some reservoirs exist in and near Alaska and off our coasts. But the largest and finest reserves are under the Rocky Mountains and the Bakken fields that cover parts of Montana and the Dakotas.   These reserves are ready to be pumped and can be produced into gasoline at a fraction of the price we are currently paying, but our government will not allow it.  America also has vast reserves of clean burning natural gas that the government will not allow to be tapped.  The fuel crisis is a complete fabrication that is unnecessarily causing severe financial hardship upon all of us.

We need to eliminate the ethanol requirements in fuel and stop subsidies to farmers that grow corn for ethanol.   The government mandate for ethanol additives along with subsidies to farmers make corn more valuable when sold for fuel than for food.  This causes shortages and raises the price of corn for both human consumption and as feed for livestock.  This directly increases the price of food items made from corn, as well as the price of meats and other food in general.  Moreover, ethanol added to gasoline actually lowers a vehicle’s fuel economy, which means drivers have to buy more gasoline.  Corn should be grown for food, not fuel!

Government regulations have not only stymied oil production, but are also causing government-initiated agricultural disasters.  One example is the Central Valley in the state of California, which was once one of the world’s greatest crop producing regions.  As a result of federal regulations the flow of water to that area has been decreased to the point that it is turning into a wasteland.  A District Court Judge ordered that pumps providing water to the aqueduct system be turn off to protect an otherwise worthless Guppy known as the Delta Smelt.  In some areas this has reduced water to about 10% of previous levels. Both Congress and the executive branch have the power to change regulations to avoid the order and get the water flowing again, but will not do so. 

The depletion of the agricultural industry in California has caused excessive unemployment that in some areas exceeds 40%.  It has also caused severe food shortages, and a region that could once feed a huge portion of the world cannot feed itself.   This is causing a huge loss of revenue and an increased dependent class in a state that is in dire need of money.  The simple act of allowing water to once again flow in the Central Valley will ease food prices throughout the nation and will renew prosperity to a region that will have a positive affect upon not only the economy of the state of California, but upon the entire nation. 

I have outlined just three subjects having a tremendous impact on our economy that have been repressed not by free market activities, but by government action.  There is a fourth area causing needless financial hardship upon our country, and for the sake of brevity, I will define it as government excess.  Government excess in regulation, spending, and taxation is causing oppression of another great American resource, its citizens. American exceptional-ism is the spirit that inspires innovation and individuality under a society with limited government.  However, government excess is stifling individuals and business.  Businesses are moving out of the country not because of high payroll costs, but because of burdensome and costly regulations.  Small businesses are simply being regulated and taxed out of business.

The cause of America’s problems is not the Democrat or Republican parties because the two are practically indistinguishable.  Instead, powerful factions and interest groups with minority viewpoints have an enormous influence on elections and on our elected officials.  It is clear from the acts of our elected officials that they are controlled by special interests and factions.  These organizations may not have identical agendas, but do have certain objectives in common – Those being to centralize and accumulate wealth and power in our nation and to strip America of its sovereignty by placing it under international rule.   Unfortunately, most of our elected officials are either members of one of these organizations or otherwise agree with those kinds of views. 

Many will call the foregoing proposition an absurd conspiracy theory, but facts and circumstances are telling.  Environmental groups, like the one that filed suit to have water shut off in the Central Valley, seek to change our society.  These groups want to expand the power of our federal government in order to impose oppressive laws upon the nation.  Under the ruse of climate control nearly all human activity is regulated, and like healthcare, requires wealth to be taken from the citizens to be distributed as the government sees fit.  Under these environmental policies consumers are charged excessive rates for energy in order to reduce demand, and wealth is redistributed to an otherwise economically anemic alternative energy industry.

The blame for our nation’s problems is to be placed upon the citizens of America, not on elected politicians.  The citizenry keeps electing the same type of corrupt, incompetent, special interest-minded officials.  Elected officials are not held accountable for their actions come election time and do not receive enough feedback from their constituents in between.  The American people are uninformed and uninterested in elections and they ignorantly believe an extremely biased media.  It is clear from the way our elected officials act and speak that they do not respect the American people.  It will continue to be business as usual in Washington D.C. so long as it is business as usual across America.

America was founded upon the principals of unalienable natural rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit if happiness.  These are not just mere words contained in our nation's Declaration of Independence, but are the basis of our social contract and are the spirit of American exceptional-ism that has made our country great.   However, politicians continue to be elected that clearly are not committed to upholding these principals along with our Constitution.  These people can no longer be elected and reelected.

It will take hard work and diligence for the American people to rein in government in this country.   Americans must become more involved with the political process not only at election time, but during the periods in between.   Americans need to contact their representatives on a regular basis and not only criticize, but should also convey consent to acceptable actions.  Politicians should know their constituents are watching.  America will not survive if we continue to elect officials that do not act in the best interests of the people and instead serve special interests.  America would not need term limits if there is an informed voter base that holds elective officials accountable at the ballot box.

Americans need to hold the media accountable by contacting radio stations, networks, and other media outlets that do not report information accurately and objectively or support politicians that do not act in accordance to our founding principles.  Consumers need to let the media and their paid sponsors of programming know that they will not support either the media or their advertiser’s products unless they improve content. 

Most importantly, people need to become involved, right now.  If America does not dramatically change course quickly it will become a third world nation.  It is time for all of America to shape up by becoming informed and engaged in the political process.  People need to start doing their own research on issues.  People should not believe the media or our elected officials until they have done independent research and fact checking from multiple sources.  We all need to act like journalists should act.  Above all, contact your representatives in Congress and demand that our natural resources be made available immediately to the consuming American public.  Oppressive regulations must be repealed and moratoriums lifted.   The wealth of America belongs to the citizenry in a free market society and not to our government to be controlled and distributed as it sees fit.

Respectfully,

Patriot Sage