Over the past several decades, local citizens have been frustrated in voicing opposition to policies that are making unpopular changes in their communities. Regulations that affect property rights, private transportation, energy, and even food supplied by local farmers have all been targeted. Why don’t local elected representatives listen to those who elected them? That has been a major complaint in nearly every community in the nation.
CFACT is working to teach local activists the root of the problem, that powerful, non-elected, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are working in the background, providing sample legislation, grant money, and training programs, all designed to Implement universal environmental programs as a legitimate role of government. With the support of powerful federal agencies, local elected councils see no way to stand in opposition and simply comply.
Senator Mike Bennett, Adam Frischl, Democrat candidate for Congress, Freedom Pod leader Aimee Tooker, and Congressman Jeff Hurd
However, Tom DeWeese, CFACT National Grassroots Coordinator, sees a new decision by the Supreme Court that just provided a powerful tool to combat this situation. Along with the Chevron decision, the Court also handed down the Ohio Vs EPA decision. In this case, the Court holds that an agency action is unlawful if it “entirely failed to consider an important aspect of the problem.” Not using all available data renders such regulations “arbitrary and capricious.” DeWeese is now developing a plan to teach local activists to use this Supreme Court decision to challenge their city councilmen to demand facts on every aspect of a proposed policy or refuse to impose it. This can lead to a revolutionary grassroots effort to restore local community control.
Meanwhile, CFACT Freedom Pods continue to grow. In North Dakota, DeWeese is working directly with the independent candidate for governor, Michael Coachman, to address the issue of radical environmental policy into his campaign. Several chapters of the state’s Sons of Liberty organization have joined CFACT’s Freedom Pod movement to organize in local communities. In Minnesota, local activists are holding roundtable discussions with county commissioners to demonstrate how private companies, which are building wind and solar farms are not complying with regulations they imposed to protect property owners. In addition, the Freedom Pod activists are providing information concerning the inability of solar farms to provide the promised energy levels. Meanwhile, in Colorado, more Freedom Pods are being established to join the fight to stop the 400,000-acre national monument land grab that will affect private property, cattle grazing, mining, and water rights.
Finally, Americans are starting to learn the truth about radical policies that are destroying the nation’s economic system while actually damaging the environment in the name of environmental protection. CFACT is leading the way to educate and provide the tools and tactics to build an effective opposition.