Achievement Grounded by Excessive Regulation

Re “Trying to Get It Wright,” Sept. 29: It is a sad commentary on contemporary America when those trying to reproduce and fly the Wright brothers’ plane must comply with a variety of Federal Aviation Administration regulations. Orville and Wilbur would not have been allowed to succeed if the FAA had been around in 1903. It is also a good thing that the Environmental Protection Agency was not around in 1804 when Lewis and Clark set out from St. Louis. I can only imagine the permits that would have been required. I am told things are different today. That is correct. Unfortunately, what is different is that everyone is trying to tell everyone else what to do and restricting individual initiative and achievement.

Alan Test

Toluca Lake