The two most valuable and precious things to humanity are society and freedom.

Society, however, is very, very expensive. It is paid for by taxpayers.

There is never enough time, money and resources to do everything. So many tough choices will always be argued about.

Freedom, too, is expensive and is paid for and defended by soldiers. Freedom only has two primary rules.

You cannot harm other people or society. You cannot burden other people or society.

People can and should be allowed and encouraged to do and be as they please. They just aren’t allowed to force other people to pay for their ideas.

Like-minded people should gather and fund their own beliefs in a manner that doesn’t harm or burden other people or society.

All of us need to remember that there are four primary rules for politics for all parties.

• Attack and destroy your political enemies — overtly and covertly.

• Assist and defend you political friends — overtly and covertly.

• Build power — overtly and covertly.

• Collect money — overtly and covertly.

Nowhere in any of the rules does it say anything about helping the citizens.

For the most part, with the occasional exception, the only time that a politician ever does anything to help a citizen is when there are strings directly attached to at least one of those four rules.

All people, all businesses and all organizations, including the church and every  “nonprofit,” needs roads, sewers, clean water and power, police protection, fire protection, access to medical care, etc. plus F16s overhead to defend our freedoms to operate, and much, much more.

There are many noble and worthy causes that deserve support and assistance. First and foremost, however, we must support and protect society and freedom, without which none of us could exist.

Anytime a person, group of persons, organization or business doesn’t pay taxes, everyone else is forced to pay more in order to make up the difference. No loopholes, no excuses, no exceptions–everyone, every organization and business should pay taxes in order to maintain society and freedom.

Business, especially big business, needs to understand and respect that business cannot exist without a healthy society with physically and financially healthy customers, who cannot exist without reasonable local wages and benefits plus enough time off to actually be able spend their money.

America is but a tiny lifeboat in a very big world. Billions of people around the world are beyond eager to climb aboard for equal rights, equal respect and equal responsibility for all people, all sexes, all races and all religions.

Society needs and wants good citizens that contribute to society and pay their equal and fair share of taxes. After that, who they sleep with, what they smoke, what they believe in or don’t believe in, is not relevant, as long as it does not harm or burden other people or society.

Thank you very much,

Gary A. Jones

Steamboat Springs