Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/13588
6A – Daily News – Tuesday, July 20, 2010 Opinion Latest festival 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 A MediaNews Group newspaper 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 Editor: Tehama County does not have a code enforcement officer. The offi- cer’s position was never filled after Curt Dahl retired last August. I spoke with the Planning Department on July 14 and it was confirmed. I was told the depart- ment heads do the investigations on written complaints. Contrary to what I was told today, I did call the Planning Department on June 21 and asked who was the enforcement officer. I was told they did not enforce the ordinances they just wrote them and for me to call County Counsel. I then called William Murphy. He was surprised to find the enforcement did fall under the office of the County Counsel, ordi- nance 13.12.100, not the Planning Department. Why the contradiction between June 21 and July 14 with the Plan- ning Department, and the confu- sion with County Counsel? My take on county code viola- tions being enforced for these festi- vals, is like having the fox guard the hen house. On the Mystic Garden Party’s info page they claim that, "they found an amazing 100 acre wood- ed site where we can spread out, have shady oak trees to camp under, and an ability to have music go all night long." For the residents out there, I wish you the best of luck. Kathy Nelson, Red Bluff Thankful for Prop 8 column Editor: In regards to Richard Maz- zucchi's article, "Positive Point: Bigotry, Hate, & Proposition 8," thank you Mr. Mazzucchi so much for your extremely well worded article and I could not agree more with you. I can only stick to my hope that equality always wins in the end. The Yes on 8 cam- paign is not about keeping the sanctity of marriage and pro- tecting children and churches. It is based on fear-mongor- ing, bigotry, hate, scare-tac- tics and plain homophobia. Californians that were mis- lead but voted yes with good intentions will hopefully real- ize the truth. Thanks again. Namaste. Kristopher Scott, Red Bluff Bigotry personified Editor: When I consider the conclu- sions at the end of Mr. Maz- zucchi’s column on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Proposition 8, I must conclude he is deliberate- ly misleading. ment containing what Mr. Mazzucchi’s movie alleges. I have never been approached either before or after the passage of Proposition 8 to identify the amount of my income or the amount or even the existence of my donations in support of Proposition 8. I do not know of any member of the LDS Church that has. If you know one personally, ask them. The producers of this That being said, when we Your Turn receive money from the govern- ment, didn’t it first have to come out of the economy by tax- ing someone else? Or, more likely, was it bor- rowed against some future taxpayer with added inter- est? It’s just robbing Peter movie, in short, are either deliberately misleading or amazingly credulous and deceived. Lastly, applying words like bigots and hate indiscriminate- ly to all the members of any religious organization made up of many millions of very dif- ferent people in many different countries with widely varying circumstances causes thought- ful individuals to wonder if the terms may more accurately apply to the person using them. Phillip Mackintosh, Gerber He presents unsubstantiated Disagrees with allegations, from a movie pro- duced by persons characterized by hostility to the LDS Church and its beliefs, as uncontested facts. The Wall Street Journal described “The Mormon Proposition” in part as follows, “Its critique of the church's recent political activism, how- ever, is as ham-fisted as many of the mid-19th century allega- tions against the church.” I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Lat- ter-day Saints. I have never seen nor heard of any docu- Nancy Pelosi Editor: Recently Nancy Pelosi stated that unemployment checks are the best stimulus to the econo- my and is the best job creator for Americans. Wow, I don’t follow the logic. Regardless of your ideol- ogy, demand supply economics or supply side economics, how can this be true? Perhaps we all should be unemployed and receiving government checks to turn this economy around. to pay Paul. Any pump in the economy will only be temporary, leading to an even bigger collapse in the future if it is borrowed. If you agree that it is a stimu- lus and it will make Americans go out and spend, what do they spend it on? Other than food — and even some of that — most of the products they buy are made elsewhere in the world. Look on the label of most of your purchases and you’ll find you’ve created jobs in some for- eign country. Sure the shopkeeper acts as middleman and churns some cash, but the real jobs go over- seas and so does the stimulus money. Unless we once again create tangible products which are wanted here and around the world, we will never again be competitive and will not create jobs for Americans. We should all encourage our politicians to remove the gov- ernment imposed barriers to re- establishing a manufacturing base in the United States. I will feel better when my sweater says, “Made in Minnesota,” my shoes say “Made in Alabama,” my tools say “Made in Ohio,” etc. I am not against other coun- tries improving their living stan- dards; I’m just not willing to see our living standards slip away. Paul Moon, 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. Screw you, kiss me Commentary What is wrong with the GOP? Are they blind, reckless or just plain mean? They must see that reinforcing their stereotype as the Party Of The Rich is not a good idea. They have unanimously said “No. Hell, no” to every budget pro- posal floated their way, yet are willing to make an exception to give money to the rich. Rich. Rich. Rich. Rich. Rich. Rich. Rich. Curi- ous mantra. Now. During an elec- tion year. It’s like hitting the upstairs maid with a splintered 2- by-4 while conducting interviews for a new butler. Word gets out. People talk. You hear things. Republican senators are respon- sible for blocking three attempts to extend unemployment insurance and bragging about it. And deter- mined to continue filibustering until Democrats come up with cuts in other programs to make it bud- get neutral. Which makes a certain amount of sense. “You want to eat this week? Then put that video game back on the shelf mister. And don’t give me that face. I’ll give you something to cry about.” The problem is, Republicans triple-lock their wallets only when a Democrat is in the White House. When George W. Bush was presi- dent, they used pneumatic tubes to siphon money from the mint as quickly as possible. A trillion for the Pharmaceuticals here. A couple trillion for some pre-emptive wars there. Another trillion in tax cuts for rich people. In 2002, some- where between his third and fourth myocardial infarctions, Dick Cheney told Treasury Secretary O’Neill, “Ronald Reagan taught us deficits don’t matter.” And appar- ently neither do heart attacks. Does this guy even have a pulse any- more? Because of Congress’ inaction, 375,000 American workers are losing unemployment benefits every week. Its obvious Mitch McConnell’s intent is to deny Obama any political victory while sucking up to the Tea Partiers with his newly unearthed fiscal respon- sibility, but he might want to remember people without jobs can read newspapers too. As a matter of fact, they often have an excess of free time to campaign and stuff envelopes and get out the vote. It’s easy to understand why Republicans hate giving money to the poor. Poor people are icky. And they never know which fork to use… and those shoes! But most important- ly, poor people seldom top any respected list of major political campaign donors. As opposed to the rich, who understand that money gets you access and access provides influence and before you know it, you’re in the back room of the Capitol Grille on your second pitcher of argaritas helping write regulations that allow lethal doses of magnesium in 2 percent milk. So though they talk the Will budget-neutrality talk, they don’t walk the budget-neu- trality walk. At the same time they’re wishing the jobless lots of luck fighting with dogs for food, they’re also lobbying to extend Bush’s expiring tax cuts to the rich, and budget neutrality can take a flying leap off a short pier into a crashing sea of toxic sludge. See, tax cuts are different. Durst Raging Moderate That’s not welfare for the rich; that’s playing the magic note on the economic flute that calls the Trickle- Down Fairy to fly from capitalist heaven and carry us away to a nice, warm free-mar- ket bath. I don’t know about you, but I’m getting a mite suspi- cious of the alkaline nature of this whole trickle-down thing. Good time to invest in a trickle-down umbrella. Available for one day only this November 2. Will Durst is a San Francisco-based political comedian who often writes. This being an example wherein he castigates the rich: a group that stubbornly refuses to include him as a member. His new CD, “Raging Moderate,” is now available from Stand Up! Records on both iTunes and Amazon.