The Honorable John H. Hager
Lt. Governor
Office of the Lt. Governor
900 E. Main St., Suite 1400
Richmond, VA 23219

Dear Lt. Governor,

I trust you are well. I regret that I find it necessary to write this letter, but it has become apparent that I must.

The following is a list of topics which are of great concern to me, not necessarily in this order:

Your idea of proposing a law to make it possible for a police officer to pull me over and ticket me for not wearing a seatbelt (as a primary offense) smacks of Big Government Nannyism and is absolutely outrageous. If I had wanted someone in State office to take care of me and micromanage every aspect of my daily life I would have voted for a liberal democrat. It is none of your business or anyone else’s whether I wear a seatbelt or not. I am a mature, educated adult and fully aware of the risks involved if not wearing a seatbelt. If I choose to do without I am responsible for the consequences. Let’s be honest about this idea shall we. It is nothing more than a method for filling the State’s coffers.

The budget surplus should be returned to the taxpayers who created it. It is their money and not the State’s. As for spending it on education, are you seriously going to try to tell me that the solution to our school problems is more money? We already spend thousands of dollars per pupil each year and look what it has gotten us. The problems we face are not of the type that can be fixed by throwing more money at them.

Not only should we not have any more gun control laws, in fact many of the current laws should be IMMEDIATELY REPEALED!!

Each year we see our august General Assembly propose thousands of new laws with anywhere from 500-800 being enacted. Is there really a need for this many new laws each and every year? Are our legislators simply trying to create the illusion of actually doing something, or are these laws needed? The problem with all these laws is simply that they infringe more and more on personal liberty without really accomplishing anything worthwhile. Symbolism over substance!

CUT TAXES, CUT TAXES, CUT TAXES!!! Get the government out of my wallet and out of my life. I voted for what I thought were conservative republicans because of my belief that they stood for less, not more, government intrusion into my personal liberties (see new seatbelt law proposal). I am beginning to regret that vote.

Please know that I not only listen to what my representatives say, I watch what they do, and actions speak louder than words. I will offer my vote to no man or woman who will offer up legislation that further restricts my liberty. I DO NOT NEED A NANNY!!

I trust that my other elected representatives will show a little more Constitutional savvy and do the right thing. I can only hope.

SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS!

Yours for Liberty,

Floyd C. Bayne