Let locals decide how to run things

Kathleen Parker pointed out something very insightful in her Oct. 1 column. This is one of the many reasons that Washington should stick to the basics that the federal government was intended for and not be regulating everything nationwide.

Let the cities, counties and states keep more of the taxes and take care of things on a more local level and if someone doesn't like it in their area they can move somewhere else.

The feds try to gain control over everything with taking our money and handing it out to whoever does things the way they want them to. Too many think that is free money but there are no free lunches; someone is footing the bill and there's usually strings attached. I was very impressed with a school district in Montana some years ago when they turned down federal money because they didn't like all the strings attached and choose to run their schools the way it worked best for them.

There ought to be more of that kind of thinking and less taxes and freer lives.

Walter Diem

Elgin