It's hard to get more idiotic than this | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This article, by Jeff Aydelette of the County Compass, originally appeared in the Beaufort Observer.

    Sometimes, in this "communications" business we just have to shake our head and wonder if the Government can get any more idiotic than it already is. And sure enough, it's not long until along comes another stupid idea that a few bureaucrats, politicians and lobbyists try to sell us that it is a sensible idea. Green energy is one of those idiotic ideas that is nothing in the world but a huge taxpayer rip-off for the benefit of special interests.

    Juxtapose these two stories and tell us if it makes any sense whatsoever what our Federal Government, aided, abetted and pushed by our Beaufort County government and our Governor, is doing.

    The first story is one we published last April. It tells about a joint project of the Department of Defense and Department of Agriculture to spend millions of dollars to acquire conservation easements in much of Eastern North Carolina to protect military aircraft from tall structures (and lights at night). The idea is that the taxpayers will shell out big bucks to farmers if they will just not develop their land, including building structures more than about two stories high.

    The second story we posted a fortnight ago. It is about some "green energy company" trying to build a windfarm right next door, and in the flight path of Marine jets landing and taking off from Cherry Point. Click here to review that story.

    Within the last two weeks we've learn some really troubling news about how our government works. Military commanders have been ordered (yes, ordered) not to comment on any kind of "green energy" project that is proposed, no matter how dangerous such projects might be to our service people and their mission.

    And we have also learned that "the word from Raleigh" is "clear the way for these projects" coming directly from the top.

    Why would our government be so stupid? The answer, we have learned is simple: Money. Local government officials, including as best we can tell every single member of the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners and we understand a preponderance of local and county officials in Craven and Carteret counties want these wind farms at Newport and Pantego....or wherever as long as they get the tax base that comes with it. Beaufort wants the Invenergy project in Pantego for the same reasons. But you don't have to talk to these people very long before you realize they don't know beans about what they're doing in promoting solar and wind electricity generation. They're blinded by dollar signs. They are being scammed and are too greedy or just don't care enough about finding out about what's really going on.

    But if you want to know, we have found an excellent resource that gives you more than you would ever need to know about how stupid (yea, we know we're overusing that word here, but it in fact fits) these projects are.

    Click here to go to website of the Alliance for Wise Energy Decisions to review a concise and informative explanation of the Newport project. Remember, that's the one that will without question jeopardize the pilots (and residents on the ground) who will have to dodge these windmills at Cherry Point.

    Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture continues to try to spend your money to  -  you ready for this: Protect our pilots from windmills.

    Now tell us what've you seen lately, other than ObamaCare, that makes less sense that this boondoggle.

    Bless us and save us.