Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/10607
6A – Daily News – Monday, May 17, 2010 Opinion Wally’s World versus Real World 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 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 Wally Herger says: “In keeping with what seems to be an all-too- familiar occurrence in Washington these days, Senators John Kerry and Joe Lieberman defied public opinion by unveiling legislation to impose a damaging ‘cap and trade’ scheme to limit greenhouse gas emissions. The so-called ‘American Power Act’ is yet another 1,000-page piece of legis- lation that would dramatically raise energy prices, kill jobs, and stifle our economic growth with a damaging new tax on the Ameri- can people.” Reality suggests: The time has come for humans of all nationali- ties to realize the consequences of industrialization and extensive combustion of fossil fuels on our environment. The recently intro- duced American Power Act is a detailed bi-partisan piece of legis- lation that embodies an under- standing of the role of renewable energy, efficiency, and environ- mental protection to ensure a sus- tainable future. Placing value upon clean air and charging indus- tries a fee for polluting it provides a free market alternative to arbi- trary regulation and creates com- petitive markets for cleaner and more efficient systems to power our economy and enhance our way of life. Wally Herger says: "While slightly different from the House- passed cap and trade legislation that I opposed last year, this new bill still seeks an 80% reduction in emissions from today’s levels by placing binding limits on the amount of emissions from our power plants, factories, and busi- nesses. To put this in perspective, under this legislation, the Ameri- can population in 2050 (projected to be over 400 million) would be limited to the same amount of emissions as our country had in 1875." Reality suggests: This bill will achieve an 80% reduction in pre- sent levels of greenhouse gas emissions and related pollutants by providing market place incen- tives for efficiency improvements and clean energy systems that power America’s factories, busi- nesses, and homes. To put this in perspective the sustainability of energy use for the projected Amer- ican population of 400 million in 2050 would be restored to levels last seen in our country in 1875. Wally Herger says: "While I believe that we should take practi- cal measures to achieve improve- ments in air quality and the envi- ronment, intentionally limiting ourselves to a 19th century stan- dard of living is not the answer. Frankly, I don’t think it’s practical by any stretch of the imagination. The last thing our economy needs right now is yet another bureau- cratic proposal that will further expand government and cost American families and businesses thousands of dollars per year. I will continue to do all I can to oppose this and any other crip- pling policy that will restrict economic growth and sacrifice our way of life in the name of appeasing fringe groups that rely on high- ly disputed and unsub- stantiated claims to drive their alarmist agenda." Reality suggests: Richard Wally Herger does not believe that human beings are responsible for global warming, cli- mate change, and conse- quential environmental damage. Frankly, he has done little if anything in his many years of service to protect the environment or advance the understanding of mankind’s impacts on the planet. The principal thing our economy needs right now is tangible action creating American jobs for the emerging green economy, now being capitalized upon by China, Germany and other advancing economies. Investments in renew- able energy, efficiency, and envi- ronmental protection will not only improve our health, but also improve our economy, self reliance, industrial efficiency and world competitiveness. Instead Mazzucchi Positive Point Mr. Herger chooses demogagary to fight such advances by questioning the con- sensus of scientific evi- dence and wisdom of worldwide agreements to protect our way of life by limiting waste and unsustainable levels of fossil fuel use. Come next Novem- ber it will be time to retire the likes of Mr. Herger from govern- ment service by elect- ing new representatives to act responsibly and aggressively to address our local and global environmental impera- tives, and seize oppor- tunities to build new industries and ways of doing busi- ness that will ensure American competitiveness and productivity serving the needs of our evolved society. I encourage everyone to examine the platform of the pro- gressive democratic caucus at www.progressivecaucuscdp.org and the skills of candidate James Reed at www.reednow.com before rewarding Mr. Herger for his apparent lack of concern about our planet and inability to help us secure a sustainable future. Richard Mazzucchi can be reached at living-green@att.net. Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 4164 P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento STATE SENATOR — Sam Aanestad (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 2054, Sacramento, 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. Bend postscript; truthful writing Commentary Candidates at Corning Tea Party Patriots: Lisa Muto, Dan Irving, Doug LaMalfa; Thursday, 6 p.m., Senior Center. My postscript on the Bend NRA decision – Time will tell: whether the Bend residential and school areas are spared the delete- rious effects of increased traffic by the creation of a bypass access from Jelly’s Ferry Road; whether BLM will spend sufficient funds to do what they, and we, agree needs doing to maintain and pro- tect the land, facilities and people; whether BLM abides by the plain and clear commitments to allow current recreation, hunting, and grazing, in perpetuity. Some said, erroneously, that opponents were motivated by ani- mus toward Senator Boxer, whom we hold in low esteem. What may be, however, is that the impetus on Boxer’s part to push this project forward at this time, is to provide her with an accomplishment for her campaign. Is that a cynical conjecture? Perhaps, but the next few months will tell if Boxer does, in fact, use it to pad her resume for re-election. There was no real urgency to the Bend NRA at this time, other than her political cal- endar, was there? Any Republican supervisor that voted in favor will have to bear the burden of know- ing they were, effectively, a tool of her political agenda. The Tea Party Patriots’ hosted several candidates who upheld the high caliber of citizens that seek offices in the north state. Doug LaMalfa showed himself to be the sincere, right-thinking, knowl- edgeable leader we’ve known him to be over the years, and answered questions with insight and author- ity. He will, if successful against Rick Keene, continue advocating for our priorities in Sacramento. Mr. Reed, the only Democrat running for Wally Herger’s Con- gressional seat, was not exactly in friendly territory but the Patriots are non-partisan, and Reed’s answers to tough questions high- lighted his position as a conserva- tive sort of Democrat. I would love to see voters in that party select more moderate and sensible folks who share the values and positions of the conservative, cen- trist majority. If Mr. Reed could take the place of hard left repre- sentatives like the Bay Area’s Pete Stark, the country would be well served. "Colonel" Pete Stiglich, as he is known for his Air Force service, is another example of the fine, upstanding, common sense Republicans that aspire to hold office and serve voters. His uphill campaign against Congressman Herger will, if successful, provide Tehama County’s overwhelming- ly conservative political culture with solid representation in Wash- ington, DC. Unfortunately, I stepped out of the room and missed Mr. Irving’s comments. Truthfulness by columnists is to be expected and so it surprised me to see my comments on the inefficiencies of so-called "green energy," and its marginal effect on CO2 levels, described as "patently untrue." Such an accusation is, itself, "patently untrue." The sources upon which I based my conclusions were cited, reputable, credentialed and author- itative: Author, environ- mentalist and former Greenpeace member Bjorn Lomborg, and the Environmental Protec- tion Agency. I have numerous reputable sources with similar conclusions. This debate has only begun – a ballot mea- sure has qualified for November that will overturn AB 32, the global warming- inspired, job-and-econ- omy-killing, carbon- taxing measure signed into law by Gov. Schwarzenegger. I will spare nothing to see that readers are accurately and, yes, truthfully, informed on the subject before you cast your vote. I’ve reread those sections from my May 3 column; they are not, in any sense of the words, "patently untrue." Now, let’s examine truthful- ness in another area: writers that reported or stated the completely debunked falsehoods that Tea Party protesters shouted the n- word and spat at black Congress- men in Washington, DC, on March 20. The original reporter and news service, McClatchy, have now completely stonewalled any requests for confirmation of their highly inflammatory accusa- tions, beyond the congressmen. The seamless recording of every Don step of their march through crowds shows no such incidents. Critics have simply asked for any corroboration or proof and McClatchy representatives won’t provide it, which means it never existed or some- one made up the stories. Being a liberal appar- ently means never apol- ogizing, never admitting error and never retract- ing erroneous state- ments – just moving on as if it never happened. I’ll use myself as an Polson The way I see it example of responsible writing that values integrity and veracity: During the campaign, I accurately wrote that the Middle East terror group Hamas had endorsed Barack Obama’s candi- dacy. When they withdrew that endorsement, I reported that, also. When the controversy over Obama’s birth certificate flared up, I waited for all the facts. I then stated that, while his original birth certificate was not presented for review, the combination of the truncated Hawaii-issued certifi- cate of birth, together with con- temporaneous announcements in local papers, was sufficient proof of his birth in that state and, there- fore, qualification for President. Facts matter, at least in this col- umn. Don Polson can be reached by e-mail at donplsn@yahoo.com. 94249; (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319- 2102