PAGE 6A U SUWANNEE DEMOCRAT/LIVE OAK WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2010 Viewpoints/Opinions MYRA C. REGAN ROBERT BRIDGES Publisher Editor Members of the Suwannee Democrat editorial board are Myra C. Regan, publisher, and Robert Bridges, editor. Our View, which appears in Friday editions of the Democrat, is formed by that board. THE SUWANNEE SCRIBBLER The Suwannee Scribbler will return next week. So let's go over this once again By Dwain Walden Some time ago I offered a protocol for serving one's self from a buffet. Apparently I wasn't taken seriously. So I'm go- ing to address this issue once again. Now don't get me wrong, I don't think any ordi- nances should be officially adopted in this regard. I think it should be common sense, kind of like not texting on your cell phone while you're driving or not going into a bikers' bar and criticizing tattoos. Here's the protocol: If you're going to the buffet line with small chil- dren, do not wait until you get there to discuss the food groups or what they might like to eat. Do this ahead of time. For the most part, buffet bars in the South have fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, ham, macaroni and cheese, butter beans, etc. As well, they have cornbread, biscuits and rolls. This may vary slightly with dumplings, dress- ing and gravy. They all belong to the fat group. I can prove it. Let's face it, the kids are only going to play with their food anyway. Give them a small sampling of what they are used to and then experiment if they do well with the first helping. Then, don't take up a lot of time poking the food and moving it around in the tray. We know that fried chicken is divided into dark meat and white meat. The dark meat has more calories than the white because it tends to be greasier. But given the fact that both are fried in grease, it's like choosing whether to be beaten to death with a 30-pound chain or a 35-pound chain. Ultimately, it won't re- ally matter. You can still feel your left ventricle closing as you order more ice tea. And don't use your time in the buffet line for a family reunion. If you meet aunt Gracie there, in- vite her to come sit with you to discuss her gall bladder surgery or the new preacher. (That's just an off-the-cuff example. I'm not suggesting that a sermon is that painful though I have seen surgeries take less time.) But don't discuss all of this right there between the cream corn and the cherry cobbler. Remember Ec- clesiastes where it talks about a time for every pur- pose under heaven. I don't really mean to get Bib- lical here, but a lot of the Bible does involve food. If you recall, Jesus held the biggest fish fry in his- tory. And be advised that the food pyramid has been changed several times. It now looks more like a pile of cinder blocks unloaded at 5 p.m on a Friday. If you are a bit obsessive compulsive or just plain slow, then do a review of the buffet bar, but do it one row back. Allow space between you and the bar for what I would call an "active line." This line is for those people who have accepted that we are a nation of overweight people and that it's bet- ter to be jolly than hungry and cranky. Think of it as the left lane on the highway. Time is of the essence. It could be Sunday and the Falcons kick off at 1 p.m. Now I realize that I've often suggested that we need to slow down and smell the roses. However, be very clear. I did not say slow down and smell the roast beef. The situations are completely different. I will not publish a pamphlet on this matter and distribute it to all the buffet-oriented restaurants in the area. However, if you would clip this out and put it on your refrigerator door, it could address or- der in the cosmos. (Dwain Walden is editor/publisher of The Moul- trie Observer, 985-4545. Email: Ill\\ , . 1 , / ,/ _; ..',17 .i , ,.. . ) BIBLE VERSE "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teach- ing, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." - 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Please address letters to: Letters To The Editor, Suwannee Democrat, PO Box 370, Live Oak, FL 32064. Please include your full name, address and daytime phone number. We ask this so we can verify your letter and discuss any questions about it with you. OPINION Our contemptible Congress umwanner Ormotrat [I] 2010 ER Most people whom we elect to Congress are either ignorant of, have contempt for or are just " plain stupid about the United States Constitution. You say: , "Whoa, Williams, you're really out of line! You'd better explain." Let's look at it. Rep. Phil Hare, D-Ill., respond- � ing to a question during a town hall meeting, said he's "not wor- BY WALTI tried about the Constitution." That was in response to a question about the constitutionality of Obamacare. He told his constituents that the Constitution guaranteed each of us "life, liberty and the pursuit of hap- piness." Of course, our Constitution guarantees no such thing. The expression "life, liberty and the pursuit of hap- piness" is found in our Declaration of Independence. During a debate, Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., gave his opinion about the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, concluding that "the Constitution is wrong." Not to be outdone, at his town hall meeting, Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., responded to a con- stituent's question about Obamacare by saying, "There are very few constitutional limits that would prevent the feder- al government from (ii.ikiin.-) rules that can affect your pri- vate life." Adding, "Yes, the federal government can do most anything in this country." The questioner responded, "People like you, sir, are destroying this nation." Her com- ment won shouts of approval from the audience. Last year, a CNS reporter asked, "Madam Speaker, where specifically does the Constitution grant Congress the authority to enact an individual health insurance man- date?" Speaker Pelosi responded: "Are you serious? Are you serious?" She shares the vision of her fellow Californ- ian Stark that Washington can do most anything. Congressional ignorance and contempt for our Consti- tution isn't only on the Democrat side of the aisle. Dur- ing a town hall meeting, Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-N.J., was asked by one of his constituents whether he knew what Article I, Section I of the Constitution mandated. He replied that, "Article I, Section I is the right to free speech." Actually, Article I, Section I reads, "All legislative Pow- ers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the Unit- To the Editor: The Lake Louise situation again points out, the priorities of the County Commissioners are not in line with those of the voters. Lake Louise is, and always has been, owned by the people of Flori- da. Three years ago, the county was given property to build a boat ramp to give access to the lake to the people who own it.... Yet, they continue to resist building a simple boat ramp and minimal parking area, which would take a few days, and very little money. It would provide a wonderful recreational resource, of a type this county is critically short on; safe lake fishing opportunities. Our 4H kids club has a fishing day once a month, but due to lack of available lakes, must fish in a tiny pond, at the fairgrounds. The excuse of the week from the commission is "permits take time." As someone who has worked on permitting for similar type pro- jects, I can say that is political hogwash. Permitting could be com- pleted in a few months at most, as they promised to do, when the land was generously donated. When talking to the recreation de- partment, you get a variety of excuses, none of which hold up un- der scrutiny. Even the kids, who should have access to Lake Louise, know that it is special interests blocking the completion of the ramp, in an attempt to keep the people from using a publicly owned lake. Now, the lady who donated the land is trying to get it back. She may succeed, to the delight of those interests, and the detriment of the people. The commissioners actions (or lack there- of) in this matter are inexcusable. The kids of Suwannee County deserve better. The rest of us deserve who we vote for. I, for one, am not voting for any incumbent. Let's purge the commission of all that entrenched special interest influence, on Tuesday, and start fresh. If the new ones don't put the people first, we can (and should) do it again... Greg Sefton To the Editor: Suwannee County and the State of Florida continue to experience high job loss, stagnant growth and a gloomy economic recovery. That's why it's important to carefully consider the ramifications of Amendment 4. When you are exercising your right and oblig- ation to vote, consider this. Passage of Amend- ment 4 would require citizens to pay for refer- enda for all changes to local government com- prehensive plans, as well as, litigation costs and election costs associated with this Amendment. Even community projects that have the potential to create jobs, such as schools, hospitals and community centers would be affected. Florida Tax Watch, a non-partisan, nonprofit organization, reports that the endless legal bat- tles that would follow the passage of Amend- ment 4 would cost Florida tax payers over $1 billion. Make no mistake, the only people that would benefit by the passage of Amendment 4 are the special interest groups behind it and the lawyers. Amendment 4 is bad for Suwannee County and bad for Florida. Vote no on Amendment 4. Sincerely, John C. Martz Executive V.P/CEO Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative ed States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representa- NORITY tives." LoBiondo was later asked whether he knew the five rights VMIEW guaranteed by the First Amend- ment. Fearing further revelation of his ignorance, he replied, "I can't articulate that." I Creators Syndicate By the way, those five guaran- tees are: free exercise of religion, WILLIAMS freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to peaceable assembly and the right to petition the government for re- dress of grievances. Here, in part, is the oath of office that each congressman takes: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same ...." Here's my question to you: If one takes an oath to uphold and defend, and bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution, at the minimum, shouldn't he know what he's supposed to uphold, defend and be faithful to? If congressmen, judges, the president and other govern- ment officials were merely ignorant of our Constitution, there'd be hope -- ignorance is curable through education. These people in Washington see themselves as our betters and rulers. They have contempt for the limits our Constitu- tion places on the federal government envisioned by James Madison, the father of our Constitution, who explained in the Federalist Paper 45: "The powers delegated by the pro- posed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State govern- ments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be ex- ercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, ne- gotiation, and foreign commerce. ... The powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects which in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives and liber- ties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement and prosperity of the State." Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at G,. ..*. Mason University. To find out more about Walter E. Williams and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. FROM OUR READERS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2010 PAGE 6A * SUWANNEE DEMOCRAT/LIVE OAK