Rex Bell

HAGERSTOWN, IN -- I guess it's one of the signs of being an old man to reminisce about how much things used to cost. I've been in business long enough to remember when some new houses cost what some lawnmowers cost now.

I also remember, not to many years ago, when Americans only had to work 6 months out of the year to pay for the government.

This year, according to the folks over at Americans for Tax Reform, we had to work until August 12th to meet those obligations. That is a new record, and beat the 1982 previous record by 23 days.

Next year, I think I'll just stay in bed until September.

HAGERSTOWN, IN - Stinky Wilmont was one of my best buddies back in the days at Millville Grade School. I probably ended up in more trouble than I should have whenever I followed his lead, but I also had a lot more fun than I would have if Stinky hadn’t been around.

Occasionally though, Stinky would embark on some adventure that I felt pretty sure was destined to end in tears, and either my better judgment, or fear, would get the better of me, and I would decide to leave him to his own devices. As the years and grades passed, and my judgment got better, partly because some of my fears were well-founded, Stinky and I kind of drifted apart. It may have in part also, because Stinky’s judgment never really showed any signs of improvement. I don’t think there was any animosity between us, just my realization that Stinky and I might not have the same goals or values.

HAGERSTOWN, IN -- When I was a kid back at Millville Grade School, my old buddy Stinky Wilmont used to tell stories about his Uncle Pug. It seems he had a fondness for hard liquor, and according to Stinky, Uncle Pug knew his limit when he began to imbibe. The problem was he always passed out before he got to it.

We seem to have a similar problem with the federal debt. Anytime we get close to the limit, somebody moves it. And they move it pretty often anymore, about once a year, or there abouts. The most recent action to raise the limit is buried in last fall's bail-out bill, and puts the ceiling at $11.315 trillion. For now.

HAGERSTOWN, IN -- I suppose that as a non-smoker, I should be happy that the state legislature is considering a statewide smoking ban in all enclosed public places this session. It sounds like a good idea if you say it really fast.

But there are at least a couple of problems with such a plan. For one, the legislature has a hard time distinguishing between publicly owned places that are open to the public, and privately owned places that are open to the public. I don't think the legislature has any plans for limiting the ban to publicly owned places.

Given my wife's culinary abilities, and my aversion to alcohol, I'm pretty sure that we won't be opening a restaurant or bar anytime soon. If we did, I certainly would make it a non-smoking establishment. And I would be none to happy if the government came in and told me that I had to allow smoking in all or part of my restaurant, in order to help bolster the declining tax revenue from tobacco sales.

Written by Rex Bell, candidate for Statehouse District 54.

RICHMOND, IN - We’ve all seen it before. Maybe a friend or family member who really needs to give up tobacco, alcohol, or drugs. Try as they might, their addiction is so strong it overrides their good intentions. It doesn’t necessarily make them bad people, but their dependency hampers their ability to make the right choices.

Reprinted from The Bell Curve

Libertarians enjoy the well deserved reputation as being the fiscally conservative party where taxation and government spending is concerned, and people who pay attention to such things realize we have little competition in that area. But it’s not just about taxes and spending. Libertarians are also working for a smaller, limited government, although not all Libertarians agree on the best way to accomplish that end.