Many who CLAIM to be a Conservative fail to promote and support the concept of a government with limits on power, reach, and interference in the lives of it's citizens.

Senator Rick Jones (R) from- but not exactly representing the best interests of his constituents in Grand Ledge, recently sponsored SB 605, which mandates a criminal background check- to adopt a pet.

Sadly, it doesn't stop there.

He also wants his law to require all prosecuting attorneys to contact the State Police and notify them of all charges of alleged animal abuse, regardless of whether or not a person is found guilty, and this "charge" would then be deposited in the state's criminal records data base- even if found baseless in a court of law.

Not to be outdone, Democrat Senator Steve Bieda's SB 603 authorizes animal shelters access to Michigan's Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT), and his SB 604 mandates all animal shelters check an individual's criminal history before being allowed to adopt a pet, as well as being able to do so without paying the usual fee.

Hey, I wonder if this mayoral candidate that wants to rescue a pet from our shelter has any "issues" in his past? Nope, no animal abuse concerns, but looky here, he IS on the Sex Offenders Registry for public indecency when he got caught peeing behind a building when he was an 18 yr old kid.

Or how about the parent, while rushing and readying for work in the morning, has a child let the dog out and you can't find it on a terribly cold morning in the winter, and a neighbor with a vendetta calls the Humane Society and reports you for being so abusive to your half-frozen pet shivering and shuddering on the front porch?

Ever been to an animal shelter? Ever wondered what kind of mindset, political leanings, or perspective on life and individual rights many of these people possess or profess?

Ever hear of a group called PETA? Gee, I wonder where they may prefer to work, volunteer, and reside in the political spectrum? Who is more important in their world- man or beast?

The thought of any of these people, well-intentioned or not, having access to someone's private and potentially embarrassing or damaging information from days or decades gone by- IS CHILLING.

My definition of Liberty: The natural right, and blessing- to be left alone, without intimidation, coercion, oversight, supervision or regulation.

In government, one thing always leads to another, and I have a fistful of $65 seat belt violations to prove it.

But as usual, the government is doing it for "our own good"- and I'm sick from it, and feel much like the caged tiger pacing back and forth at the zoo.