In 1995,
the Presidential Secret Service detail solicited the
services of the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Posse;
our mounted, search-and-rescue organization. Being a
flatland county with few citizens ever lost in urban
shopping centers, we were rarely called to duty, so
a chance to provide security for President Clinton’s
Air Force One, sparked infectious enthusiasm in the
posse. Per instructions Al, Tim, Rob and I trailered
our horses to the west gate of Billings Logan
International Airport, while Bob, Bobby, Calvin and
Terry entered from the east. It was three hours
prior to the president’s arrival and Deputy Linder
instructed us to ride back and forth inside the
perimeter fence opposite the terminal and report
anything unusual, at least anything more unusual
than blue-shirted cowboys riding around an airport
on horses.
After thirty minutes of securing the area, Bob’s
horse exploded and planted him in the sagebrush at
the east end of the airfield. In hindsight, this was
not the best time to break in a new horse, but this
was normal for Bob because, like all farmers, he
thrived on high risk and unpredictability. Bob’s
horse stampeded down the main runway and the radio
blasted the news a loose horse was headed our
direction. The airport controller was probably
inexperienced because his voice was high and squeaky
as he screamed about the maverick pony. Rob and I
spurred our mounts towards the action. Bobby and
Calvin were in hot pursuit from the east, while
Terry wandered to the middle of the runway to best
view the action. Terry, a non-mounted,
hearing-impaired, founding posse member was unaware
he was obstructing the landing zone of the busiest
airport in Montana. Although futile, the novice
controller grabbed the microphone and shrieked, “Get
off the runway!”
Still two miles from the loose horse, but closing
fast, Rob thought the controller was screaming at
him, so he keyed his radio and fired back, “I’m not
on the runway!” The controller groaned. The
stampeding horse ran to the base of the control
tower pausing long enough to be tied to a small
spruce tree. Bob spent the remaining four hours foot
patrolling with Terry, while his horse paced in
nervous circles round and round the pine tree. With
these kinks behind us and the airport fully secured,
the president’s actual arrival was uneventful.
For President Clinton’s departure the following
night, the Secret Service requested the posse again
do security, but demanded we patrol outside the
perimeter fence. Obviously, they recognized we were
part of the problem, not part of the solution, so
they took evasive action. June 1st, 1995 was the
last time our mounted Keystone Cops were called to
service and this brings me to my point. A similar
and equally dangerous scenario is developing in the
budget centers of our state and national capitols;
we are on a path to catastrophic economic collapse,
but unlike the decision made by the Secret Service,
we refuse to take evasive action. By “we” I mean
every American; this problem is more widespread than
just those of us in the political arena. I will
explain, but if the truth scares you, please stop
reading now!
America has $17 trillion of rapidly accumulating
debt, but we will set the federal disaster aside for
now. This week, Montana’s House will deliberate the
big spending bill, HB2. Comparing budgeted funds for
the upcoming biennium, it appears spending will
increase 1.2 percent. Included in this increase is
HB322 spending $400,000 annually for owners of
livestock lost to grizzly bears and wolves. Another
spending spree is HB471, the Farm to School Program,
redistributing $300,000 to provide locally grown
produce access into the school lunch program. One
bill which did not make the cut was HB98 spending
$20,000 for the new school breakfast program. All of
the above, plus any combination of dozens of others,
are disguised wealth redistribution techniques of
Marxism. Answer me this: Why should a plumber in Red
Lodge donate an extra hour in labor every day for a
calf eaten by a grizzly bear in Choteau, or to pay
for cauliflower for children in Columbus, or provide
bacon for school kids in Billings? If all the sweat
of your labors only benefit others it is called
slavery. What word describes the predicament when 50
percent of your labors are taken for the benefit of
others? Think about it. It is time for evasive
action, but this change will never begin at the top.
It must come from the bottom; from those refusing
consent to be governed by Marxism.
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