I don’t identify as a liberal or a progressive so I can’t speak for them. But I can assert with some confidence that many of the laws on the books passed by both Republicans and Democrats in this country are designed to address recognized problems that haven’t been adequately taken care of by individuals or companies exercising their free will.
Agriculture and forestry are good examples of how laws were designed to fix problems that arose from unregulated activities. The damage to the ecosystem from a 1000-acre clearcut right down to the stream boundaries and trucks and skidders driving up the middle of the streambed was fairly significant by anyone’s measure. Folks did it because it was in their economic interest to do so and they didn’t stop until they were forced to by laws and regulations. The same is true of pesticide applications in ag fields and can you imagine what our ag supply system would look like if there were no restrictions on any form of GMO development?
From the Humboldt County Drug Task Force:
Waldenburg.
On December 21st, 2020 special agents
with the Humboldt County Drug Task Force (HCDTF) served a search
warrant on a residence in the 20700 block of Highway 36 in the Swains
Flat area of Humboldt County. This search warrant was authored for
illegal weapons possession by the resident
Nathan
Waldenburg (36 years old from Carlotta).
An
agent from the HCDTF made a traffic stop and detained Waldenburg as
he drove away from the residence. Waldenburg was found to have a
concealed loaded gun in an ankle holster and a usable amount of
methamphetamine in his pocket. Under the driver’s seat of the