Free Republic

..........Austin isn't considering any ordinances to regulate drilling for water, said Daryl Slusher, an assistant director at the Austin Water Utility, but "we're definitely watching it. We are definitely concerned about the impact of folks doing this." Slusher's main concern is the effect residential drilling will have on attitudes toward water. Once people have shelled out tens of thousands of dollars for a well, he said, they don't have much incentive to conserve water. In fact, the more water they pump from the aquifer, the faster they can recoup their investment. "When neighbors see people watering any time they want...

It is a common misconception that the free enterprise system is at fault for the current high cost of medical care in the US, a misconception that the current administration has no desire to refute. However, the government's regulatory and control practices are really at fault. Ever increasing and more punitive government and Medicare regulations set the standards for the actions of the private insurance companies. Sometimes, these can best be understood by analogy. Let's look at the airline industry hypothetically as it would operate if the government had as much control over it as it does over health care....

By HILLARY CLINTON February 4, 2008; Page A15 Throughout my campaign, I have been listening to the voices of people across America. I met one man who told me, "I don't know what I did wrong. I got my education and I worked hard. I've been at the same company for 12 years now, but I've just been asked to train my successor because my job is moving to another country." Another woman said to me, "I just can't make ends meet. My health care premiums have doubled, college tuition is up. How am I supposed to make it as...