Dear Horse Gazette Editor:

It is my belief that this country is facing the greatest crisis since revolutionary times. We have a President and Vice President that openly have stated "they will do what they want to do regardless of the opinion of the people".

We have a group of Congressmen/women and Senators that go along with most anything, as long as they can keep their jobs. They do everything based on if it will look good or bad for them (only them) and if they can still get their pork barrel projects approved. They promise anything to accomplish their goals, but not in the interest of the average citizen.

We now have departments throughout the government that can function without any oversight, under new rules, the citizens never heard of. Some of which are in direct violation of our constitutional rights. When asked directly about this fact, they either ignore the question, or repeat the same old statements they have been making all along.

Locally at the Texas State level we have the same problem. We have a Governor that does not care what the citizens think or want for their state. He just wants us to trust him to do the best thing for us, regardless of how it will affect us. He has no problem using the eminent domain law to take land away from Texans, nor does he have a problem with enforcing and imposing upon us tracking and surveillance laws, that puts the cost on every animal owner in the state. He has no problem giving over our state infrastructure to foreign powers.

I believe when the leaders of a country begin to dictate to the people, it is known as a dictatorship. Is this not the reason we are fighting a war? Did we not just overthrow a dictator in a country called Iraq? Did not Saddam Hussein tell his people that he would take care of them, and all they had to do was just obey him? When we see our leaders turning away from, including the people in the decisions of our state and country; we should become very afraid. If the people ignore this now, they will have more to fear later.

The Animal Identification Program is only the beginning. Power and control is a contagious disease. Once one group gets un-fettered power others will demand it. I hope your readers will take notice and realize what is happening; and will take time out to call their State Representatives to demand that this stop. It affects each individual, their children, and their grandchildren from this day forward. No amount of money you make, will take the place of the freedoms that are about to be lost. Take the time to get involved. We must stop the selling out of America. - R. Hickerson Pipe Creek, Texas