Laws must prioritize respect for private property rights
Iread with a skeptical eye the column by Joe Cook, “Georgia Woefully Unprepared for Natural Gas Exploration,” on Monday. Let’s not throw the proverbial baby out with the bath water when we analogize natural gas extraction with electrical outlet covers and child safety locks.
We should all place private property rights and the rule of law above all else. I can’t think of anyone who wants polluted air and water. But what if you were sitting atop millions of dollars of natural gas on your property and a group of the typical uniformed eco-environmentalist tried to stop you from benefiting? I would want to investigate all of the possibilities and the pros and cons.
This column reminds me of those who want to completely eliminate coal-fired power plants by stirring up discontent, misleading references, and unwarranted alarm. No one wants dirty air, but we also know that we are sitting on centuries of a supply of coal and much more energy in untapped natural gas. Imagine if we used common sense and made our country energy-independent from the Middle East.
If we need new regulations, then let’s vet them through our elected officials and not Washington’s.
Energy has become a political issue whereas it should be a strictly scientific one. Like everything else, I only ask that we always properly educate ourselves on the subjects at hand. Clint Wilder Rome