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6A – Daily News – Monday, July 19, 2010 Opinion Enough lashing-out at liberals 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 Far be it for me to complain about my treatment as a liberal columnist since I live in a predom- inately conservative community and have developed a thick skin and perseverance to speak "my peace" in spite of my surround- ings. However, I must speak when our representatives in local, state, and federal government attack lib- erals as a class rather than go about their business in a more respectful way and at least try to represent this significant portion of their electorate. The frequent e-blasts I receive from Rep. Wally Herger and Assemblyman Jim Nielsen reveal how polarized local governance has become, and how much we might all benefit by electing other folks that can build upon what we share in common rather than pan- der to partisan interests Liberals feel misrepresented when Wally Herger insists that we are misguided because we agree with the vast majority of scientists and world leaders that it is neces- sary to better align our lifestyles and choices to reduce global warming and climate change. Un- evolved perspectives like Wally’s are an affront to the millions of Americans that feel a connection with their planet by striving to reduce their carbon footprint, mak- ing responsible decisions to con- sume less, investing in renewable and efficient technologies, and supporting legislation to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. Instead Mr. Herger readily jumps on the "Climategate" band- wagon by embracing hacked emails and specious evidence and claiming that scientists are involved in a vast conspiracy to misinform the populace. In recent months a number of unnoticed reports have confirmed the basic findings of the United Nation’s 3000 page report on climate change in 2007, including a major assessment from the National Academy of Sciences. According to the New York Times this report "not only confirmed the relation- ship between climate change and human activities but [also] warned of growing risks – sea level rise, drought, disease – that must be swiftly addressed by firm action to reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses." Unfortunately, Wally and his ilk have made it their mission to manufacture controversies to avoid inconvenient truths and delay responsible action while asserting that liberals are just play- ing chicken-little. Now on to Assemblyman Jim Nielsen that has launched a full court press to condemn "tax and spend" democrats and liberal co- conspirators for their efforts to restore sanity and responsibility to the state budgeting process. What better evidence do we need that the system is broken than repeatedly missed budget making deadlines and a whop- ping $19 billion budget shortfall this year due to the egregious block- ing tactics by a minori- ty of assemblymen and their governator. Their only defense is to blame the majority and indignantly point their fingers while failing to do their own jobs. The voters of Cali- fornia have had Richard enough of this self- serving intransigence with overwhelming support for a simple majority vote to pass budget measures rather than the 2/3s vote that presently makes it essentially impossible for our partisan politicians to agree upon anything. It would seem that this has much to do with the huge 80 percent disapproval rating for our governor and the 85 percent disapproval rating for our assem- blymen and that the fingers most correctly pointed for them are the solitary index fingers oriented sky- ward by disserved and irritated voters. Mazzucchi Positive Point My diatribe would not be com- plete without noting that with all the debate about the fed- eral deficit purportedly due to tax and spend lib- erals one of its main caus- es is rarely mentioned: military spending. The Pentagon budget for 2010 exceeds $693 billion, more than all other U.S. discretionary spending programs or all of the military spending by for- eign countries combined. While liberals like myself recognize the need for military might to defend our freedoms, we cannot fathom why we continue to post military troops throughout the world that were originally justified only to defend our allies from the evil empire. It seems no one notices that the Soviet and Chinese threats today are ideological and economic ones that our foreign posted soldiers and weapons only keep us from winning. Our allies should pay for their own defenses rather than leech on Uncle Sam so as to provide for retirement and health programs we do not afford ourselves. 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, Sacra- mento 94249; (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319-2102 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: governor@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 Mont- gomery St., Suite 240, San Francis- co, CA 94111; (415) 403-0100. Fax (202) 224-0454. Freedom, rights in state, county, Corning Commentary It started with an article I came across called "Freedom in the 50 States: An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom." You can access it by typing "mercatus.org" into a search and then type "Free- dom in the 50 States" into their window. Then, a presentation of the 4th Amendment to the U.S. Constitu- tion, to the Tehama County Tea Party Patriots, mentioned the con- sternation we saw from our liberal friends (with some help from con- servatives) over the Patriot Act. The Amendment begins "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated …" and proceeds to refer- ence the required "probable cause, supported by Oath …" and a description of what could be searched or seized. A brief reminder: many of our left-leaning partisans were rather obsessed with the many ways that the anti-terrorism provisions in the Patriot Act threatened everyone’s 4th Amendment rights. Now, with a different President, it’s not so much of a threat, apparently. It turned out that no one was ever actually deprived of reasonable expectations of rights against search or seizure, any more than anyone is now. However, a lesson for conserva- tives would be that any measures deemed necessary for national security should be examined from the standpoint of the enforcement powers changing hands to folks not on our ideological side. We are a nation of laws, after all, but many now see that, when those in power routinely set aside their duty to enforce those laws, there is little but judges and elections to curtail them. Liberals, for their part, would be wise not to cheer those flouting the law on their side, lest the practice be returned upon them. Returning to the "Freedom in the 50 States" article, we bring the focus a little closer to home. It’s the "first-ever comprehensive ranking (based on) public policies affecting individual freedoms in the eco- nomic, social, and personal spheres …" It defined "individual freedom as the ability to dispose of one’s own life, liberty, and justly acquired property however one sees fit …" without infringing on others. Among improvements to prior reports, "it includes measures of social and personal freedoms such as peaceable citizens’ rights to edu- cate their own children, own and carry firearms, and be free from unreasonable search and seizure …" I would suggest that if you don’t find all of the above elements of the study to be important, essen- tial rights to secure our freedom, you really don’t grasp the excep- tional gift of America’s identity. Nor are you capable of discerning the diminishment of our civic life when such freedoms wane. Think about it. So, you live in California, like it or not. How does our state rate? Well, it’s not the least free – that would be New York. Only some- what freer are New Jersey, Rhode Island, California and Maryland. On "fiscal policy," California ranks 44 out of 50; "regulatory policy," we rank 46; and for "economic freedom," California is only ahead of Maine and New York at 48th place. Don’t doubt that liberals will have other, false, defini- tions of what you just read. They would likely want to rationalize why you should feel grateful to be less free, and taxed at higher rates, than our neighboring states. Alas, the only remedy is not available to voters since the Democrat-dominat- ed state apparatus will not yield to any voter wave of discontent. The citizen-frogs have adapt- ed to the rising heat of burdens. The elected state legislators are mostly assured of con- tinued support to pursue big-tax, big-welfare, big- union-employee, big- lawsuit and onerous-regulation government. Tehama County is free to implement its general plan only because a level-headed judge threw out the lawsuit by Sierra Club busybody Bruce Waggoner, his loy-yahs, and a Tehama Coun- ty resident from Cottonwood, Gary Catlin. Just like other obstructionist groups we continue to deal with over projects like the Walmart Superstore, they have a cute-sie name: Citizens Alliance for Rural Environmental Sustainability (or CARES). Now, there’s a column’s worth of material to mine for ridicule and sarcasm. I will speak for many when I say that their stated obsession over "developers (making) a whole ton of money and … giving money to the supervisors who voted for this" ought to earn them a place in a stock to receive some well- deserved rotten tomatoes for trying to shove their left-wing, success-bash- ing, corruption-accusing radical ideology down our legal throats. Don Polson The way I see it Corning, you are unfortunately not free to go about your business. The wise-and-all-power- ful state of California has dillied and dallied over the size of chicken coops in far flung places, as well as ever-more- creative ways to not bal- ance the budget. Local governments like yours must bow and obey the "you vill/you vill not" whims of big-govern- ment-brother. Finally, dear readers, you have no idea what a chess game is being played with your collective money, as revealed by the July 15 article, "Brown sues feds over renewable energy loans." Your "justly acquired property" is threatened with confiscation in multiple ways in this boondoggle to induce you to take on tens of thousands of dollars of debt to install solar panels on your home, with either taxpayers or bondhold- ers exposed to risk of loss if you default on the added debt. That, fellow citizens, is how economic freedom slips away. Don Polson has called Red Bluff home since 1988. He can be reached by e-mail at donplsn@yahoo.com.