What are we coming to in our great country?

[allgreenmaple]

This is really pathetic, talk about knocking down enterpreneuring spirit of these kids .... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43769978/ns/us_news-weird_news/

[Ausable]

This is really pathetic, talk about knocking down enterpreneuring spirit of these kids .... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43769978/ns/us_news-weird_news/

Truly Sad. At one time it was understood that We all should have as much freedom as possible - As long as We do not infringe on the rights of others.
Most nusense laws are enforced only when busybody folks call the Police Department and insist they act and stop those evil child wrongdoers from selling Lemonaide on a hot day. I remember when I was a kid - we might sell one glass - give some to smaller kids and drink the rest ourselves. Had a lot of fun and realized it isn't easy to sell some things. ---- Every Boy and some of the Girls carried pocket knives to school - played mumbley peg and a few other simple games with them and the School didn't go into lock-down and we all learned to be careful with knives and a pocket knife is a handy tool. Sure glad some moron dosen't have a law against the making of Maple Syrup ---- Yet.

[adk1]

That is pathetic. I work for Government (County). I do agree that there is way too much red tape, and most of it is driven by the $.

Interesting question for everyone, would make a good poll question. I think I know the answer to Federal Government, but "Is State and local government too big"?

[Acer]

Thank god the nanny state is looking out for us, those evil germ infested kids are a MAJOR health hazard, could have taken out half of Georgia in just a few days. Probably in cahoots with Al Qaeda too, homeland security missed that one, they better sharpen up.

[allgreenmaple]

That is pathetic. I work for Government (County). I do agree that there is way too much red tape, and most of it is driven by the $.

Interesting question for everyone, would make a good poll question. I think I know the answer to Federal Government, but "Is State and local government too big"? State government for sure, county government somewhat too.

[maple flats]

All governments are too big. Our little city had about 12,000 when I was growing up. City hall was a small old brick building (likely under 1200 SF) with 5 employees. City court was also in the same building. Now we have a huge city hall, About 20,000 SF x
3 floors, The top floor was for mayor's office and city court. We now have over 50 working there (working might be a mis nomer) and we still have about 12,000 residents. Just over a year ago they bought a 45,000 SF building without even notifying the residents ahead of time, and the put a few million $ into renovating so they could have a Taj Mahal for a justice building.Our police station used to be a building about 30' wide and 60' deep, it is now part of the justice building. We still have about 12,000 residents. Anytime a new business wants to move in the city makes it so hard they go elsewhere. Our downtown was filled with stores, we had 3 movie theators, several restaurants, and the city was a great place to grow up. Crime was almost non existant. Now the only thing downtown is banks and insurance venders. We only have 3 small shops there, unless you count the pizza shops and the thrift stores. Taxes were rather low, but now we pay taxes that rival some of the highest in upstate NY. Crime is everywhere. 2 meth labs were raided in the past month.

[adk1]

Yeah, but dont you have a casino?? haha

[maple flats]

Yes, we have a casino, run by indians who pay no taxes. The profits allow them to keep buying up more land that then is also lost from the tax rolls. Out tax base keeps shrinking but the budget goes up. The Casino would be better if it were not there, or at least if they contributed to the coffers. They just cost the various governments more money while the pay nothing towards the cost of them. At least Atlantic city and Vegas collect taxes, NYS does nothing to collect.

[Bruce L]

We talked at length this morning about this incident,high unemployment rate creates more jobs where no jobs were ever needed before.The local feed store down the road from us has inspectors in all the time,to make sure horse feed doesn't touch cattle feed,dog food doesn't touch cat food,etc.He told me the inspectors come in there,find nothing wrong,then will look at another area that they are not qualified to look at or their field of expertise,so perhaps they can find something wrong to justify their jobs.
I am worried this is just the tip of the iceberg,yes syrup could very well be next,and what about fruit and vegetable stands?Who knows how many hands those plums have been through,or how sterile an environment that sweet corn was picked in? Maybe we should shut them all down so the stores can have the full market and charge what they like,I think this is where this all comes from.The big congolmerates have far more money than us,and dictate how the world runs.

[Ausable]

Here in the U.S. we have those in Power deciding they can fix just about anything if they throw money at it - which we no longer have. An example is Making Jobs - It was decided on high that we need roads in all the States Repaved - sounds good right? Only problem is that they are doing so much road repaving that there is now an Asphalt Shortage - These same All Wise Folks put the stoppers to a lot of the Oil Drilling in the U.S. and Asphalt is on the bottom end of Oil Refining. Now - for example - Roofers have very little work as the cost of asphalt shingles has gone sky high and folks are putting off new roofs. We have to have People in office that understand how America works or quit the tinkering --- Mike