Your story, "Political guns," says: "The park bosses hope to make the Sylvan Pass mission safer by buying three new over-snow vehicles for rescues, ambulance and crew transport. They also want to install more concrete reinforcement for the howitzer position and a hut where rangers can huddle for warmth. But such safety measures could cost as much as $4 million, and it's not clear where the money will come from" (HCN, 2/02/09).

How about the good citizens of Cody, Wyo.? That only comes out to $445 per citizen, a reasonable surcharge for keeping the park open, no?

But that makes too much sense; this is the West, of course, where legions of rugged individualists and proud libertarians petition the government to throw good money after bad to guarantee their economic prosperity.

Chuck Lawson