Rural New Yorkers have to obey a new regulation starting Oct. 14 banning "open burning" of garbage and other non-organic household wastes.

However, this new regulation is not a surprise.  New York's Department of Environmental Conservation, a government agency thought by many to be a nanny state agency on steroids, published the proposed regulation in May, 2008 on the internet, in newspapers, and in their publications. The department received over 1800 suggestions for changes and implemented many of them to allow for unexpected uses of fire such as keeping frost off of fruit trees in the early spring, and to allow fires at sugar houses so we could enjoy our delicious maple syrup.

Rural New Yorkers get one and a half years to debate, discuss and offer feedback to a relatively obscure regulation in a state famous for big government,  yet the American public is not allowed to see a law that will affect every single individual in the country for even three days before it is voted into law!

The Democratic leadership keeps voting down any amendment that will allow us to examine whatever camel of a health care law that emerges from Senate or House committees.

This is anti-democratic at best, and criminal at worst.

The irony of it all. As an ordinary citizen, I can tailor a garbage burning regulation to my needs, but I can't even see a trillion dollar health care law that will fundamentally affect my life.