While growing up, the treat that I could depend on after school was home-made jam on home-made bread while listening to the Lone Ranger and Jack Armstrong the All American. Today the story goes that the Lone Ranger and Tonto were camping out west and they put up their tent and retired for the night. Some hours later the Lone Ranger woke his faithful friend. “Tonto, look up and tell what you see.” Tonto replied, “Me see millions of stars.” “What does that tell you? Asked the Lone Ranger. Tonto pondered for a second, “Astronomically speaking, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and probably billions of planets. Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo. Time wise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three. Theologically, it is evident that the Lord is all-powerful and we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What does it tell you, Kimosabe?” The Lone Ranger paused a moment, before he said, “Tonto, you klutz, someone stole our tent.”

Today we citizens are losing a lot more than our tent. We are losing our birthright, our sovereignty, our Constitution and we act like zombies. Maybe it is the fluoride in our public water supply. Our politicians are to blame. During the final days of the 106th Congress, Ron Paul, a Texas Congressman, stood alone in voicing an exception to an event that has yet to be reported by the press. That body politic voted to change domestic laws because an international body—The World Trade Organization—ordered it to do so! This action is totally unconstitutional. The WTO set a deadline for Congress to comply, thus installing a sovereignty clearly forbidden by the Constitution in language and spirit. House Resolution 499986 complied with orders from the WTO and, among other things, gives expanded presidential authority to issue executive orders.

With the WTO dictating U.S. trade policy, this is tantamount to incubating the death sentence to what is left of American farm agriculture.

We just celebrated Memorial Day honoring our war dead. If we had a Hitler type army at our door step today threatening us with what the WTO is doing, would we be so blasé? Also like Will Rogers, we citizens only know what we read in the papers. So if they don’t ask the right questions, we don’t have a free press. Had the Lone Ranger asked Tonto if he was missing anything, I’m sure he’d have gotten a more direct answer. I can only find good questions and good answers in Acres U.S.A. or the New Federalist.

Sincerely,

Dan Schmitt, President
AAM of Iowa
2507 Oaks Ave.
Marshalltown, IA 50158