There probably are huge numbers of citizens who are fed up and tired of ineffective lawmakers and their lack of ability to do their duties. Many days are not spent in D.C., and nothing of substance is accomplished while they are in chambers.

This brings me to the subject of drones. Attorney General Eric Holder has said he is not entirely ruling out a scenario under which a drone strike would be ordered against Americans on U.S. soil, and he could only see it being considered in an extraordinary circumstance.

That leaves the door open for all manner of judgment calls, and we know how good the judgment calls were when the country was bamboozled into invading Iraq.

Also, the First Street Research Group, which collects lobbying data, says of drone industry lobbyists pushing on the legislation, regulations and appropriations fronts: "This is the trifecta of lobbying." So this will be another runaway spending program for the military and - pay attention - a giant intrusion into the privacy of all U.S. citizens.

While it's popular to complain about government regulations and overreach, try to imagine a decade from now with drones outnumbering birds in the sky.

STEPHEN SIVONDA
COVINGTON

Weather Journal

13 hours ago