Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 8

Letters A8 Opinion Editor Kerry Drake can be reached st (307) 266-0619, 1-800-559-0583 or kerry.draketrib.cbm Thursday. March 24, 2CU twice and some members of the local news media were present at those meetings. The question we wfll find an answer to is whether or not these avenues of notification meet the requirements of state law. Please stay tuned for the ft t'jr i details! IOOK Hjm ux. TADAKII jeaPl So please, I implore you, stop trying to save us! Your wealth redistribution schemes like cap and trade and carbon taxes will destroy the American economy.

And if you dont believe that, you are in a league with Napoleon's little friend. New law helps seniors Edtton With the upcoming one-year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, it is important to reflect ontheimportanceofthis health care law to seniors. As a professional in the aging field, I have first-hand experience witnessing how the ACA has directly affected seniors here in Wyoming. Aparticular problem I often see in the Casper community is the overwhelming cost of prescription drugs, in part due to the so-called Medicare Part "donut hole." This year, under the Affordable Care Act, seniors who fall into the donut hole will receive a one-time $250 rebate check to assist with medication costs. Additionally, the Affordable Care Act grants seniors who fall into the "donut hole" a 50 percent discount on brand-name prescription drugs, Closing the donut hole by 2020 is just one way the newhealthreformlawis tangiblyhelpingAmerica's seniors.

For more information please visit www. healthcare.gov. LEAH Casper Our nation is a republic Edtton Tb answer Travis Glasgow, we pledge allegiance to "tie Republic," which constitutionally "controls the majority enough to protect the minority." America was formed not as a democracy, but as a constitutional republic. Our Founding Fathers intended we be governed by the Constitution, notbymewhrmsofthe majority. In a republic, "the supreme power rests in the citizens entitled to vote and Free enterprise made America the wealthiest country, not socialism whose government controls economy and lives.

James Madison, author of the Constitution, warned: "A pure democracy can admit no cure for the mischiefs of faction there is nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice the weaker party democracies have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths." Article IV Section 4 of the Constitution says: "The United States shall guarantee to every state in this union a Republican form of government, and shall protect each of them against invasion; and on application of the legislature, or of the executive (when the legislature cannot be convened) against domestic violence." The constitutional republic limits tyranny of the majority. Alexis de 1 Tocqueville wrote: "If, on the other hand, alegislative power could be so constituted as to represent the majority without necessarily being the slave of its passions, an executive so as to retain a proper share of authority, and a judiciary so as to remain independent of the other two powers, a government would be formed which would still be democratic while incurring scarcely any risk of tyranny." The U.S. Constitution has protections against the "tyranny of the majority," protecting the people from an overreaching govern ment. Congress cannot establish a religion, or prohibit free exercise thereof, nor prohibit free speech or infringe on the right to bear arms. Presidents must be elected by the Electoral College, not directly by the population.

No direct tax shall be placed on the people without apportionment. utsperrjfrjCajncana It really is all about oil Edtton Americans are right; it's an about ofl! Libya supplies Europe with 75 percent of their ofl and gas and the Western world is very dependent on those suppKes. When the price of ofl rises high enough, we wfll develop alternative energy sources. It's cafled, "supply and demand." ThatiswhyH.W.Bush fought Desert Storm, fed the staving in Somalia, Bifl Clinton made enemies of the Serbs in Bosnia and Kosovo, partially why we fought Vietnam, WW The powerful, educated, oligarchs, knowthis but are reluctant to educate people because many "must find out for themselves." If you want to see people protest, wait until oil is hundreds of dollars abarrel, it's too expensive to heat their homes and they lose their jobs because business must cut costs. BILL PADILLA, Cheyenne River draping isn't art Edtton Paul Krza's mention of Christo's cloth draping as art, I guess, is in the eye of the beholder can wrap anything, but why bother?" ForumMarch 20).

I'fl admit Christo's display in Central Park of New York City was somewhat attractive. However, his draping of cloth along and across rivers is a travesty on nature. His Arkansas River proposal is pure junk. The Arkansas is one of the few rivers I never got to fish while growing up in Colorado. Who would want to fish this 42-mile segment of the Arkansas he wants to deface? This is atypical Chamber of Commerce operation, many of whose members and employees have little aesthetic awareness of nature.

HERB WATERMAN, Casper Anything not exphcitly permitted to Congress by the Constitution is reserved for the states or the people. DORIS S0ULE, Wheatland Dancers are athletes, too Editor: It was my privilege and pleasure to watch the Spotlight Dance Cup competition this past weekend at Natrona County High School. Participants came from all over the state as well as some from out of state. As I read the local newspaper and watched the local news channels I couldn't help but wonder why this event was not covered. We spend at least four pages of sports coverage in each daily paper yet we cannot give even a column to this activity.

Make no mistake; these dancers are athletes in every sense of the word. I would defy any football or bas -ketball player to endure one weekend with these dancers. Not only do they have to have enormous determination and stamina, but their endurance in unequaled. In addition, they must make quick costume, hair, and shoe changes in a matter of minutes. Some of these youth compete in as many as eight or nine dances in a weekend.

This is no small feat. In order to make it to this level (to compete) each dancer must devote hours of practice each week, and some weekends, to their sport, and they can only practice in the evenings. Not only are the competitors to be commended, so also should the coaches, instructors, choreographers, and especially the parents and grandparents. The dedication in all of these participants is palpable. Some of the local dancers will again compete next weekend at Kefly Walsh High School.

In these time of international unrest and youth killing sprees, it is refreshing to see these young people work so hard at something they so obviously love. And if they are at a dance studio each evening, parents know where they are, who they are with, and what they are doing. This activity keeps the youth involved and it's obvious they love to dance. CAROLYN M.NIFF, Casper We need a Wayne or Reagan Editor: One of the most insightful and trutliful letters I have read in a long time was printed on Friday, March titled "The lures of liberals," written by Chuck Domingue of Gillette. In it, he mentions a great deal about the problems of ''liberal and entitlement thinking" that has been the root cause of many of our present economic woes.

We have transferred the resulting burdens to our children and grandchildren, who will be forced to pay for these mistakes for years to come. In case youhave forgotten several related quotes from a coupleof guys we all know about, let me remind you that President Barack Obama, during his political campaign, said, "America is the greatest country the world has evei1 known. I urge you to join us as we change it." And, change it he has, but certainly not for the better! We honestly cannot by Gary Trudeau afford many more liberal changes like these. The second statement related to America, and how we need to think about things, was given to us from a guy named John Wayne. He said quite simply, "Life is tough, Pilgrim especially if you're stupid!" Makes perfect sense to me.

It also makes me wonder if there's someone out there like Duke, or of the same caliber as Ronald Reagan, who could run on the Republican ticket for the White House in the next go-round? We sure could use them about now! GARY WELLS, Caspar Stop trying tO save the world Edttor: An openletter to environmentalists: Please stop trying to save the world from the figment of your global warming imagination. We (the people) do not believe your global warming dogma. We know that much of the data was faked and that the scientists involved admitted as much in emails to each other. We (the people) are not scientists, however, Napoleon's idiot could figure out that garbage in produces garbage out. If you're not familiar hope you look it up.

If he were alive today he would tell you, to date, your saving the worldhas accomplished these things: Starving the third world by burning corn for fuel. Turning households and garbage dumps into mercury poisoned future superfund sites with cute little light bulbs. And finally, destroying thousands (soon to be millions) of bats and birds by causing their lungs to explode when they fly near wind turbines. PRICKLY CITY fsBIT NOTHIN0 ALIKE. WE NOTHING.

i 4 1 Council will check law Edtton As a longtime supporter of open, honest and accountable government, I would like to respond to the recent news articles concerning the alleged violation of the Wyoming Open Meetings law by the Casper City Council. The allegation is that the City Council did not publicize a recent council retreat legally as required by state law. In response to that allegation I can say that I have requested a review of our procedures, and if we are not meeting the letter of the law, I will do my best to see that we do in the future. It should be noted that the council retreat was published in a variety of ways prior to the event. It was listed on our monthly calendar that is available to one and all, it was discussed in open meetings at least DOONESBURY by Scott Stantis aUST HIIU.

PUT A PULL Mussoxofceumry races luro row gps. JAMES MM. (XT YOU TO 6RAHIMA'S. I I it toeicAuy, wASLOfiic 1 may not set eveRDUR YOURUJ0IC FRieNP? BUT I VKS gTTm iuaoihb 6fi-1 I l2f i TURH-Bf- I I Ju 1 ruPMPmeo I KJ'iJr wnsppou I pULuccmeyX i sTAswms is 1 "sssn snuemu. talk you none: COMMENTARY Energy solution li is right under our feet CZZ 1 the mountains (Appalachia) to the jrairies (North Dakota) to the oceahs white with foam (Louisiana'! Gulf Coast), abigpart of the solutionlies right under our feet.

It's begin with oil shale. Oil shale is an affordable and reliable source of oil. It is also tremendously abundant in the United States. The Green River Formation found in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming, holds an estimated 800 jiillion barrels of untapped recoverable oil from ofl shale- that is three times greater than the proven oil reserves of Saudi Arabia and enough to power America for the rtort 100 years. In total, the U.S.

holds an astounding two trillion irrels-plus of ofl shale. Re sponsible, viable and prov 1 technologies to produce ofl sh ile have been employed in Cynthia Lunis Perspective research, technology development and commercial sale. In fact, in Brazil, oil shale has had commercial success for 30 years and in Estonia for 80 years. Proven technologies from around the globe have shown that even unrecoverable coal can be used to create clean-burning fuel The process involves minimal environmental impacts, extracts and puts no miners underground. Even me byproducts are used to enhance ofl recovery.

Like oil shale, stranded coal reserves are abundant in America; we simply need to unleash the power of innovation. Existing oil fields long thought to be depleted are producing again. Advanced technologies are opening new fields afl over the country, and are increasing oil and gas production with decreasing eirvironmental impacts. Current ofl production in the U.S. has hebedbrlng imports of ofl toai3-year low.

North American energy mderpendence is possible, but only if we unleash our own potential for success. We must do more and there is so much more we can do. But as energy prices rise, the White House seems intent on ignoring the laws of supply and demand. I urge the administration to adopt as a template for its own energy policy the Roadmap for America's Energy Future by U.S. Rep.

Devin Nunes, R-Calif. It is folly to assume we can kick the can down the road on domestic energy production while wringing our hands about the price of fuel and its affect on the economy. America's energy crisis exacerbates America's economic crisis and our continuing reliance on foreign oil escalates both. So, let's wake up -andput our God-given resources to use so we can focus on American-made jobs, American innovation, and the American independence that makes our country the best in the world, Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis is Wyoming's at-large representative in the U.S. House of Representatives, and communications chairman of the 1 Congressional Western Caucus.

bundant, affordable energy il is inextricably linked to the economic health of Uour country on that most of us can agree. Energy fuels American businesses and jobs, and access to it is essential to our national security. As people aU over America witness the unrest in North Africa and the Middle East, we also feel its effects at the gaspump -prices are inching toward $4 a gaUon an unsettling reminder of our deep dependency on countries that teeter on the brink of instability. Which begs the question: when wifl Washington wake up to the consequences of its irresponsible approach to domestic energy production? The delays of the past two years have set us back in our efforts to achieve energy independence. While Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's announcement Tuesday to move ahead with four coal leases that have been pending for years is certainly good news, similar delays in energy produc have been a consistent theme since President Barack Obama has taken office.

We cant lose another minute. Fortunately, advanced production techniques have dramatically improved our ability to harness America's renewable resources and to harvest America's abundant non-renewable resources; but Washington's reckless political agenda picks winners and losers by subsidizing technologies that are not ready to replace current energy sources while concurrently locking up America's vast and reliable energy supplies. From is around the world for decades. Although most U.S. oil shale production efforts have rjeentiarginalized due to vitriolic policy! discourse dominated by the lop absolutely nothing any- wherjj" crowd, Canada, Australia and diina have progressed in.