Soviet Union government control brought 70 of misery to the Russians. Conversely, our capitalist republic has been a generous miracle that for the first time in history avoided wretched poverty and oppression for its people. However, it is balanced on a cusp and can slide too far right or left.

From the Civil War to the turn of the century, rich Republicans ran the country. Their factories fouled our air and water. Since they owned the government, whatever they wanted, even if stupid, became law.

Progressive Republican Teddy Roosevelt began a reversal and by the depression Democrats took over. Rich Democrats now run the government. Whatever they want, even if stupid, becomes law.

In medieval times many believed broken glass dipped in goat’s blood became diamonds. Had he lived then, Al Gore would have become wealthy peddling goat’s blood and broken glass as settled science.

There is precisely the same amount of evidence to prove goat’s blood will convert broken glass into diamonds as there is to prove manmade global warming. However, thanks to Gore, the CO2 that we exhale is now illegal pollution.

We already enforce gun control but many liberals want gun elimination. Will dedicated killers surrender their guns?

James Holmes casually shot 70 people in Aurora, Colo. How many shootings would have been avoided if everyone in that movie house was armed to shoot back? What if all passengers on 9/11 possessed guns with airplane-safe hard rubber bullets to fire at hijackers?

To convert blacks to Democrat, Lyndon Johnson signed laws to support black families and protect blacks from law-breaking and lynching. Before that, between the years 1900 to 1950 the number lynched was 502, mostly young black men.

In 2010 over 15,000 people were murdered, largely young black men killed by young black men. Before federal help, black teenage pregnancy was a tiny 3 percent – now far greater. Is this a new slavery?

To create new Democrats, liberals work furiously to do to Hispanic families what they did to blacks. Are you Hispanics sure you want government help from Democrats?

Most super-rich government folks are now liberals. They destroy businesses and jobs with onerous environmental laws although air and water were long ago cleaned up by conservative engineers.

Liberals know nothing about cleaning up anything; they always aim for the Soviet solution – government control.

Randy Ridgel lives in Kelseyville, Calif.