Protecting the Environment?

Again I have had the pleasure of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) making sure my small business is in compliance with their guidelines. Tell me what you think of this;

After conducting an inspection of my facility, the DEP Hazardous Waste representative decided she needed to test the dispersants from my treatment machine (a machine they suggested I purchase four years ago). Fair enough. On test day, three people from the DEP show up, all in different vehicles. Two of them arrived in separate, very large, diesel pickup trucks with crew cab and "EMERGENCY RESPONSE" plastered all over them. I point this out because these are the people tasked with "protection of the environment." Yet, they are driving anything but fossil-fuel-saving-low-emission-vehicles.

The three DEP representatives proceed to spend the next three hours to obtain a few samples of water vapor. At a time when all levels of government seem to be operating on tight budgets with no room for unnecessary expenses, this just seems wasteful.

To make this situation even more insulting, the DEP representative has informed me that if the test results are out of compliance guidelines, I'll be expected to pay for the test AND she cannot tell me what the cost for that test is. But if the test results are in compliance, the state (taxpayers) pay for the test. Since state and federal governments are hurting for money, do you think there's any incentive for them to make sure the test results are out of compliance? Oh yeah, and I was told they couldn't give me a sample because of custody and control guidelines.

Stay tuned to see how this turns out, but tell me what you think.

The World In Which We Live

I read this morning about a lemonade stand, operated by kids raising money for a water park trip, being shut down by the police. Their offense? Not having a business license and "proper permits." This is the second time in the past six months, I've heard of this happening.

I grew up in a world where we drank from garden hoses. We would play in dirt, barely washed our hands before eating and never even thought of using something called hand sanitizer. Now we live in a world where it seems every bathroom has sinks and soap dispensers that don't require touching the controls and, as if washing your hands wasn't good enough, there's hand sanitizer by the door to use on the way out.

Demanding that kids go get a business license to operate a temporary sidewalk lemonade stand is just plain stupid. And what purpose would permits from the health department serve? The kids are buying lemonade mix, adding water (probably from the city supply), and selling it in disposable cups. Oh yeah, making the kids apply for and obtain licenses and permits ensures the city gets some revenue. This is proof again that government is more about process than purpose. More about making sure everyone follows the rules than the rules making sense.

Just some thoughts.

The Moocher Mentality?

I have come to the conclusion that when it comes to taxation, the issue really boils down to one thing; whether or not one person has the right to take from another and, if so, to what extent.

For me, much of this comes back to a person's historical perspective which, I submit, begins the day that person is born. I.e. people who've lived with an income tax all their lives, assume it is necessary. Many times those same people don't even research enough to realize that this nation existed for well over 100 years without an income tax. In fact the income tax is less than 100 years old as of this writing.

While I understand the government needs to be funded, I question the manner in which we fund it and the logic that our government is empowered to take from anyone it so chooses. I further question the logic that so many people subscribe to; that some people have too much and don't have a right to that which they've earned.

I come from the perspective that I have no more right to take from my neighbor through taxes as I do through theft. But that is what so much of taxation is; voting to take from my neighbor because he has more than me.

Additionally I am disgusted that people jealous of those who EARN a certain amount want to TAKE more from those people. I say; how much is too much? And aren't earnings what we want from a productive society? EARNINGS are not "ill-gotten gains."

Just so commenters of this blog know, I am a business owner paying myself less than $40,000 per year and with everything I own on the line. But I DO NOT begrudge those who earn more than me. I applaud those who've achieved greatness or great financial success.

Again, I have no right to take from others that which I have not earned. It is as simple to me as "thou shalt not steal."