Fracking in Sullivan County: Let's call it what it is and examine the right issues

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Fracking in Sullivan County: Let’s call it what it is and examine the right issues

There is plenty of room for compromise enabling capitalism to flourish, yet still protect our environment 

by Ben Math

Last week, Ruby Pixman wrote an article"Fracking In Sullivan County: Governments Can, And Should Tell You It's Not Acceptable" where he argued that both our country's history and de facto status as a "socialist state" justifies the banning of fracking by local town governments. '

He's wrong. Sullivan County landowners have right to be infuriated about new, developing fracking regulations being promulgated at the town level of government. 

America is unique in the world for one simple reason. Our forefathers attempted to create a system where capitalism and democracy could coexist.

In their humility they began our constitution with the words "We the people, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity..."

These courageous men had studied the various forms of government that had existed over the previous millennia and boldly decided America would have a capitalistic economy and a democracy for governance.

They knew it would not be perfect, but it would be more perfect than anything in history. 

Socialism was certainly not what our founders envisioned for their posterity.

The words in the constitution are not put into proper context unless we first read the Declaration of Independence which we should all do at least once a year to remind us from whence we came.

It is the parallels to the conditions identified in our Declaration of Independencethat infuriate Sullivan County land owners regarding Fracking.

Yes, our governments at the town, county, state, and federal levels have many parallels to the King of England in 1776 and Sullivan County residents should be outraged.

That is not to say we should unleash fracking in our farmlands without regard to its potential impact on our neighbors.

But there is plenty of room for compromise enabling capitalism to flourish, yet still protect our environment.

In fact, if we are smart about it we could actually improve the environment and create wealth in Sullivan County at the same time.

That means the rhetoric and misinformation perpetuated by both anti-frackers and pro-frackers must to be totally dismissed and we must turn away from the lobbyists behind those positions.  

For starters perhaps those people out there with No Fracking signs posted all over the county should add a line at the bottom "Support your Foreign Terrorist".

Fracking is a relatively new process and industry is still learning more about it every time they drill another well.

I'm glad there has been as much fracking activity around the US as there has before it turned its eye on Sullivan County. There have been errors in judgment by the fracking industry and the permitting agencies.

History has already shown Fracking if done without proper constraints can seriously impact the environment and individual landowners.

So what will we do within the limits of our democracy to prepare for it so it is mutually beneficial on all fronts?

History has already shown Fracking if done without proper constraints can seriously impact the environment and individual landowners.

However, history has also shown Fracking can be accomplished with only positive impacts on the environment.

Why are some wells a disaster while others a blessing? This is the issue we should be collectively focusing on.

So what will we do within the limits of our democracy to prepare for it so it is promotes the general welfare of the citizens of Sullivan County while preserving or enhancing our environment?

People in Sullivan County are so busy fighting over it they have not spent the time needed to understand what they can gain from it and how they can reasonably regulate it. 

Rest assured, we will not stop it. It’s capitalism in one of its most powerful forms.

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Fracking In Sullivan County: Governments Can, And Should Tell You It's Not Acceptable

writersworkshopofsullivancounty.blogspot.com "Stimulating meaningful thought & debate in Sullivan County without retribution"   Fracking In The Catskills & Our Socialist American State:  The Government Can't Tell Me What I Can Do with My Land, Or Can They? by Ruby Pixman So, if you think that land ownership automatically allows you to lease to gas companies to conduct fracking on the lawn, YOU'RE WRONG! Awhile back a newspaper reported on a public meeting in a Sullivan County town to discuss whether or not to allow natural gas excavating known as fracking.   Fracking is a very controversial issue here, and in other regions of upstate New York and the US. Upset with an upcoming decision to forbid fracking in the township, one pro-fracking woman defiantly arose stating, "The government has no right to tell me what to do with my land!" The applause was deafening. Sorry to inform you ma'am, but you're wrong-the government tells you what you can and can't do on with your property any day in most anyway.  You can't run a prostitution ring on your land.  You can't grow marijuana.  You can't burn garbage.  You can't build a structure without the government's permission in the form of a permit. If your land is zoned for residential use you can't build a factory.  In fact, you can't even keep your land if you don't pay property taxes to the government. And as recent court rulings confirm, they can also tell you not to frack on your land. So, if you think that land ownership automatically allows you to lease to gas companies to conduct fracking on the lawn, YOU'RE WRONG! That indignant lady, as others, may disparagingly consider this government intrusion in a socialistic sense - and in some instances, they may be correct. Contrary to popular belief, since the founding of the United States, our country has been a largely and lawfully a socialistic society.  For further proof, just refer to the U.S. Constitution. That sacred document starts off with the words, "We the People," probably the shortest, most poignant outline of socialistic ideology.  The Preamble goes on to define the duties of the government, most broadly empowering it to "promote the general welfare,"  a term that has led to the creation of public schools, hospitals, interstate highways, libraries, disease control centers, even baseball stadiums. All of these enterprises are achieved via the consent of the governed, who ultimately pay for them with their payment of taxes. Further evidence of our socialistic state: A sacred national oath recited daily by millions, the Pledge of Allegiance was composed by a socialist, Frances Bellamy- which was purely socialistic in form until the words "Under God" were wrongfully inserted by an act of Congress. Socialism is not anti-American. When someone "accuses" me of being a socialist,  I smile, nod my head, and say, "Yup!"  So, the next time you drive to a public school, use a municipal hospital, buy uncontaminated meats, drink clean reservoir waters, and vote for a town board that prohibits fracking, you're a practicing American socialist too.                                                                         ## Join Our Mailing List! Feedback? Click Here  This Writer's Forum was created to be a forum of free discussion of events and politics in Sullivan County. If you are interested writing in this forum, contact us at sullivancountywritersworkshop@gmail.com.   All identities of authorship will be kept confidential. Click To Sign Up for Sullivan County eNews Roundup