Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/12019
6A – Daily News – Tuesday, June 15, 2010 Opinion Moved better D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 than laid off Editor: I am writing in response to Kris Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer’s home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 The same way that crème brulée is unlike pork rinds, and a Lincoln Town Car is not a pickup truck, so is Barack Obama not George Bush. As a matter of fact, one of the reasons Barack Obama is cur- rently president is because he’s so not George Bush. He might just be the most UnBushish politician currently in posses- sion of a Y chromosome with the possible exception of Jerry Brown, who doesn’t count because he’s an alien. But the relentlessly dispirit- ing Gulf Coast Leakage has beaten America with Jimmy Carter’s feeble stick and we’re feeling as impotent as a eunuch watching Cinemax at 3 a.m. on a Saturday morning; trembling for Daddy to come to our rescue and punch the bad spill in the face. Hence, the media skies have been clouded with entreaties for the president to get his spurs on and Cowboy Up in front of we wee ones. Calls have come from the left and the right in whispers and in shouts to do something bold and avoid becoming Mister Mission Unaccomplished. Never content Koeberer’s letter of June 11. While it is unfortunate that teachers have to move schools, I am sure that any of the 21 out- standing teachers who received a layoff notice would be elated to trade places with the four teachers who are being asked to move. Instead of blaming Mr. McCoy for the financial problems of edu- cation in the state of California that forced him to make the changes, try focusing your anger toward Sacramento. I look forward to the day when prisons have to hold bake sales to put books in their libraries and schools are fully funded. Joan Allen, Red Bluff Are you a patriot? Editor: Do you weekly or monthly, if not daily due to the immediate demands of self and family, pay the price of freedom? Do you remain eternally vigi- lant? But more importantly, do you attempt to educate yourself so you will know what to be vigilant about? Do you look to books, tele- vision, internet, other persons to gain the information, when soar- ing on freedoms eagle high, need- ed to discern between the threaten- ing and harmless below? Are you a patriot? The search for freedoms truth must be Diogenes like, the driving force the search for truth, not affir- mation of present beliefs. Not the comfort building activity of set- tling on some common popular belief without further scrutiny. The activities of the latter are for entertainment, clowning around. A certain amount of that necessary to enjoyment of com- mon life. Can you distinguish between the two? Do you continue to be a clown, endlessly repeating "truths" whose logic you have failed to compare to new informa- tion or beliefs? Do you continue to spend that freedoms money on entertainment and playing with your friends? Do you use any of it to pay the price of freedom? Is any applied to that price that must be paid? Are you a patriot? As a liberal or a conservative, do you listen to the other, despica- ble as it may seem, as every ugly or unseemly stone must be turned over in the search for any bit of gold truth hidden in the dirt. Or do you listen only to the persistent purveyors of propaganda comfort- able to you, and continue with the self gratifying affirmation of the community dance of unchallenged beliefs? Do you react to the tar baby provocations of the propa- gandist game players? Or ignore them and make the tremulous attempt to light a candle in the darkness and smoke and mirrors of the political rhetoric that serves only to divide, not illuminate us? Do you strain? As some in our community strain to do the hard work involved in this bull and orchard community? Do you believe in hard work? Do you believe the repugnance of anoth- er's opinion and the struggle to fit some seeming undeniable truth into your own understanding is the hard work necessary? Is that the work done to earn the "money" to be spent on freedom? Are you a hard worker? Do you work hard in that corral? In that orchard? On that car lot? At your office? At that restaurant? At your desk? At your job? In your retirement? Are you a patriot? An excellent education on our current and recent economic trou- bles can be found by watching the video(s) available at http://www.aei.org American Enterprise Institute under the heading "Deflating Bubble." Panel discussions by the most knowledgeable. James Bryant, Red Bluff Pensions and common sense Editor: So CALPERS gambled with pension money hoping for greater gains than those found in t-bills or other safe haven investments and now we are being asked to make up over $600 million to meet their obligations? I thought our tax money paid for the pensions to begin with. Is common sense really so unpopu- lar? I've been self employed my whole life and will not be relying on the government or anyone else to pay for my needs in retirement, I'll take care of those. I choose to do that. I also am acutely aware that in retirement I will earn less money because I am no longer productive, I will no longer be generating income directly, I get that, it is a simple fact. I'm plan- ning for that reality and I'm good with that, it makes sense to me. Yet I read about all these pen- sioned employees, that in retire- ment they receive the same pay- check as they did when they worked 40 hours per week. I just need to know, are hallucinogenic, psychoactive drugs used daily by all policy making employees of all branches of the state, local and federal government? For there can be no other explanation for this practice. Your Turn So long as you never apply common sense, it is easy to sink into hope- lessness with respect to finance. That is what has occurred here in Red Bluff, in California and in Washington. It’s just simple addition and subtrac- tion, and you can't promise things you can't deliver. Just be honest, and most impor- tantly, just be honest with yourself. I know that's hard, but I also know you can do it if you try. Anything that appears to be fantasy, erase that from the discussion. Getting paid the same in retire- ment as when you actually pro- duced and worked, that is non-sen- sical. Admit it, you'll feel better at the end of the day and stopping such activity will solve many financial quandaries, those occur- ring today and those we will all face in the next 5 to 10 years, and did I mention, this conversation should be reviewed annually — no, make that daily. Just pay these people what they are worth up front and stop pro- crastinating their compensation — or we'll have this same conversa- tion ad infinitum. I understand rob- bing Peter to pay Paul is ballistical- ly popular and pervasive in our cul- ture, but what to do when Paul has gone Chapter 7 and Peter's lying in a bloody pool, that’s the dilemma we’re approaching. John Swaim, Red Bluff Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 4164 P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento 94249; (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319- 2102 STATE SENATOR — Sam Aanestad (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 2054, Sacramen- to, CA 95814. (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 893-8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (415) 403-0100. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Cowboy Down Commentary to let a national crisis stand in the way of politics, the right has questioned the president’s man- hood, suggesting the cold spring Gulf waters may have caused massive shriveling amongst the spillage. Even Spike Lee exhorted him to “one time, go off.” And what Spike Lee says, goes. Just ask the New York Knicks. For good or for ill, Obama responded. First by intimating he was furious. And you could tell he really was upset because his face got all frowny-like. Less emphasis on hope and more on concerned contempla- tion. Then Press Secretary Robert Gibbs spoke of a clenched jaw. Which to be honest, could mean anything. Might have gotten a piece of tofu caught in his bridgework. Or perhaps he was trying to squeeze out the last bit of flavor in his Juicy Fruit. We don’t know. Finally, Obama was heard to say, “We talk to these folks because they potentially have the best answers, so I know whose butt to kick." Only he didn’t say butt. He said the A word that rhymes with big mouth bass. Whoa. Dude. Set- tle. Mister President. Sir. You are many things. But Butt Kick- ing Chief Executive is not why we hired you. Right now we need that calm and collect- ed smartypants whose idea of wild and crazy is working ‘til his deodorant nearly expires. Cooler than the other side of the pillow. Penguin-tail time. Dubyah reminded us of an entitled, cack- ling jock giving geeks and nerds two-handed wedgies in the high school bathroom. You, however, are here to teach those dorks how to retire to a stall and rearrange themselves before reentering the hallway, studying hard and getting that job paying enough to turn the wedgie-giver’s dad’s GM dealership into a solar panel production facility. You don’t need to answer Spike Lee’s outbursts. What, you going to base our foreign policy on an offhand remark by Delroy Lindo? America doesn’t need Harrison Ford or The Incredible Hulk flying out of the cargo door of Air Force One. Not even the Credible Hulk. Look at Con- gress. We got plenty of Hulks. Will Durst Raging Moderate Besides, you don’t wear the right kind of Butt Kicking Shoes. For that, you need cowboy boots. With those beautiful Italian loafers, a person runs the risk of spraining a foot. Or a midterm election. Will Durst is a political comedian who has performed around the world. He is a familiar pundit on television and radio. E-mail Will at durst@caglecartoons.com. Check out willandwillie.com for the latest podcast. Will Durst’s book, “The All American Sport of Bipartisan Bashing,” is available from Amazon and better bookstores all over this great land of ours.