Reggie Smithers wrote:

I see very little "beauty" in *any* additional taxes. Matter of fact, I
can remember a day not too distant where boaters found great freedom in
boating. Made no dif whether the local lake or distant shore, boating
had much more "beauty" before politicians stuck their mugs into the
picture.

Before this current PC big government culture developed, *exorbitant*
tributes and "fees" extracted on foreign shores were considered a form
of extortion or piracy. Now, precisely because we remain silent and not
retaliate, we pay $20+++ per head to enter Mexico and $300 to enter
Burmuda.

A usage fee charged to those who use a service provided by the government
is the fairest way to pay for governmental services. Since boaters do
utilize the local infrastructure and services (ie police, coast guard,
roads, water etc) and many bring all of their own food and do not spend
money at the local restaurants, hotels, casinos etc. to me it makes sense
for them to charge boaters a "usage fee".

Ray, people will come, Ray. They'll come to Iowa for reasons they can't
even fathom. They'll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why
they're doing it. They'll arrive at your door as innocent as children,
longing for the past. Of course, we won't mind if you look around,
you'll say. It's only $20 per person. They'll pass over the money
without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they
lack. And they'll walk out to the bleachers; sit in shirtsleeves on a
perfect afternoon. They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along
one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered
their heroes. And they'll watch the game and it'll be as if they dipped
themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they'll have
to brush them away from their faces. People will come Ray. The one
constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has
rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a
blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time.
This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of
all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come
Ray. People will most definitely come.

- Terence Mann to Ray Kinsella

--
Skipper