This 2008 on Kansas Day, I listened as the governor of Kansas had a party on about the landmarks in Kansas. Specifically, I listened as the Tallgrass Prairies were named as one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas. Is this a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing?

In the Kansas Country Living, February 2008, Gov. Sebelius is said to have a personal goal set to "achieve 10 percent wind power by 2010." Someone outside the forever-tax-exempt, corporate-wind-farm, big-business-gifting-the-officials-with-scraps office do the math. How in the world can a governor party about the Flint Hills Tallgrass Prairie Landscape (the last known one of its kind on earth) and party on the other hand with big business that is mutilating and hacking to pieces the very tallgrass we call a Wonder? One ridiculous wind farm destroyed 10,000 acres of significant ecological and scenic area of these precious grasses in Lincoln and Ellsworth counties. Strongarm mafia types are trying to do the same in Osborne County -- another pathway of significant ecological and scenic area tallgrass in the Flint Hills and home of the North American continent's geodetic center, which is on the National Register of Historical Places.

Why on God's green earth is Kansas paying to destroy herself? The research clearly shows that wind farms produce a scant of the energy we consume. They need a complete backup system which means the consumer will pay double. Hunting which is a real industry in these counties of Kansas will be displaced forever no more. Land values will decrease and property taxes will increase. All this is on the back of farmers and ranchers while only a tiny number of landowners will sign contracts that even the lawyers call questionable.

We don't need the corporate wind energy. That is the main lie. Oklahoma natural gas companies are crying for our business in energy. These are companies already in operation. All I can figure is someone is getting a "gift." In the ancient mafia days, we called these payoffs. Nowadays, I don't know what government officials call them. I still call them payoffs.

If wind energy is so important to the government of Kansas, why in the world don't they install a buy-back program where small family farms and business local to the region can put up wind generators and sell the power back direct to the electric company. This big business/government sellout sells out more than the Tallgrass Prairie. It sells out the very farmer and rancher that feeds you.

Support the farm and ranch instead of corporate big business. Take back the power from the government and big business. Dwight Eisenhower (another of the 8 Wonders of Kansas) said this very thing. He told us that until the people take back their power from the government co-mingling with big business we would fail as a democratic nation. I agree with him. I am proud of a man that was in the government and for the people. All the people, not just a select few. I wish there was more of those types today.

Evie Wray

Luray