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4A Daily News – Wednesday, July 3, 2013 Opinion The condition of society is... DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U NTY 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 letters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All letters must be signed and provide the writer's home street address and home phone number. 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 submitted will be considered for publication. Letters will be edited. 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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 twin decisions of the US Supreme Court on marriage are as clear as mud; they resolve none of the issues that drive the marriage debate in California or the nation. But let's talk about what they do – and what they do not do. With respect to DOMA – the federal Defense Of Marriage Act – they strike down only the section of the act forbidding federal benefits to same sex couples even where states recognize their marriages. The Court upheld the primary intent to protect states' rights to recognize only marriages that accord with their laws. The Court reaffirms the right of states to enact their own laws and definitions of marriage. California's Proposition 8 is the action of a state defining marriage, although Prop 8 is not mentioned in the DOMA decision. With respect to Prop 8 the court did not overturn the measure. It did rule that the defenders of the law lacked standing to defend that law in federal court; it overturned the decision of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals declaring Prop 8 unconstitutional, which means the case is sent back to the federal district court which also declared the act contrary to the US Constitution. Here it gets really muddy – the California Constitution states clearly that state laws can only be overturned by appellate courts – state or federal. No such overturn of Prop 8 has taken place now that the Ninth Circuit decision is voided. The Alliance Defending Freedom – which defended Prop 8 in the courts – joins Focus on the Family's Citizenlink, the Family Research Council, and SaveMarriage.org – led Andy Pugno – in claiming the measure remains the law of the land. The media have misreported these decisions across the board. Pacific Justice Institute – with which I am most familiar and connected – calls the odds on maintaining Prop 8 very long. California officials have a long history of flouting the law and the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals – whose jurisdiction was eliminated by the Supreme Court ruling – has ordered the resumption of gay marriages in California in direct violation of the rule of law which provides twenty-five days for petitioners to seek a re-hearing from the Supreme Court. Gay marriages commenced in California on Friday, June 28. Let's be clear. A federal court having neither jurisdiction or authority with no case before it ordered California to violate its own constitution by sanctioning these marriages. Lawless officials – governor, attorney general, and mayor of Los Angeles – acted on supposed strength of this order. Ugandan Evangelist Jackson Senyonga famously said, "The condition of society is the report about his lies and lawlessness in card of the Church." When the conducting the Vietnam war and Church is healthy the society is began the process leading to Johnson's decision not healthy. When the to seek re-election. Church is mired in Courageous pastors, bondage of her own bishops, and business making the society is owners are challenglikewise bound. Where ing the Obama is the Church now? Administration on Where are her pastors forced abortion coverand other leaders? age provided in ObaMany leaders do macare. Will the speak and act from Church rise up to conwithin the liberating front government parameters of God's about its abuses of Word and the laws and power across the constitution of our state James board – and especially and nation. But when now in the issue of nationally recognized forcing a state to adopt leader Jim Garlow calls same-sex marriage for pastors and leaders to assert their freedom to speak when its people have said yes to under the First Amendment less traditional marriage? Will the than half of one percent of the Church set its own house in order pastors answered from their pul- at the same time? But whatever we do as a pits. When a local church was viciously attacked in our local Christian community let us paper I could not find one local actively recall that we do not pastor to publicly assert with me place our trust in the human prothat church's right to its own tectors of constitution and community – how has that worked identity. This is not okay. When King David engineered out on Obamacare and traditional the murder of one of his own offi- marriage – but in the One who cers to cover the affair the king creates them both. had with his wife Nathan the James A. Wilson is the author Prophet publicly confronted the king. It was the same with Elijah of Living As Ambassadors of and other biblical prophets. Relationships and The Holy When President Lyndon Johnson Spirit and the End Times – worshipped at Bruton Parish in available at local bookstores or e-mailing him at Williamsburg, Virginia, in early by 1967 the pastor confronted him praynorthstate@charter.net. Wilson Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Dan Logue, 1550 Humboldt Road, Ste. 4, Chico, CA 95928, 530-895-4217 STATE SENATOR — Jim Nielsen, 2635 Forest Ave., Ste. 110, Chico, CA 95928, (530) 879-7424, senator.nielsen@senate.ca.gov GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 5583160; E-mail: governor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Doug LaMalfa 506 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, 202-2253076. U.S. SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 3930710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Commentary Declare independence from government In the course of human events it is necessary, now and again, to reaffirm some of the thoughts and principles we have lost sight of. And so it is that we need to renew our independence. More than 55 percent of Americans now receive some form of federal government benefit — and many of us need to get off the dole. I cite the findings of Richard Vedder, a professor emeritus of economics at Ohio University and an adjunct scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. In The Wall Street Journal, Vedder argues that more Americans are not only becoming more dependent on government benefits, but that their dependence is adversely affecting the growth of our economy. Consider: From the mid-17th century to the late 20th century, Vedder says, the American economy's growth averaged a robust 3.5 percent a year. Compare that to economic growth for the last quarter, which was revised down to 1.8 percent. A key reason for the stumbling economy: Fewer able-bodied Americans are working because government programs give them incentive not to. Vedder offers four examples: • Food stamps, now known officially as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Approximately 48 million Americans receive food stamps — 30 million more than in the year 2000. • Social Security Disability. This program was established for people with genuine needs, but its numbers are soaring. In 1990, 3 million Americans received such payments; today, there are nearly 11 million — 6 million have been added since 2009 — despite widely reported fraud and abuse. • Pell Grants, which pay people to go to college instead of entering the workforce. The concept sounds reasonable enough — educate people so they get better jobs and pay more taxes — but Vedder says nearly half of college graduates now work in jobs that require no college degree. • Extended unemployment benefits. Vedder says that since the 1930s, unemployment insurance has been about lending a short-term hand to folks losing their jobs. But in the past four years, the traditional 26-week benefit has grown to a year or more — peaking at up to 99 weeks in some states. Vedder's argument makes sense. When government incentivizes people to stay home rather than seek work — when it ing high debt and deficits stands gives them the opportunity to in the way of a robust economy. Heck, our government was avoid jobs where pay and condiformed to secure our tions do not meet their unalienable rights, expectations — they among them life, liberwill avoid work, and ty and the pursuit of that will have a negahappiness — not to tive impact on the inhibit them. economy for all of us. If we have any hope Which is why we of carrying on the need a renewed declaAmerican dream, we ration of independence have to declare our — from our own govindependence from ernment. government all over The American again. We all have to dream has long been get our hands out of about the freedom to Tom the government cookie pursue one's own pasjar and scale back govsion and success — not ernment goodies about being lured into the trap of getting by on a vari- across the board. I hope and pray that we have ety of federal and state prothe will to get our affairs in grams. And make no mistake, many order, so that younger generamore Americans are enjoying tions may freely pursue their expensive government goodies dreams, but I worry plenty these — grants and tax breaks for days. And I wish you a happy crony capitalists, health insurance provided to employees tax- Fourth of July. free, low-interest mortgages and Tom Purcell, a humor deductions for vacation homes backed by Uncle Sam, etc. — columnist for the Pittsburgh than we like to admit, and these Tribune-Review, is nationally syndicated exclusively by costs are killing us. The American dream requires Cagle Cartoons newspaper a robust economy that affords syndicate. Visit Tom on the Web every American an opportunity at www.TomPurcell.com or ehim at to find meaningful work, but an mail undisciplined government carry- Purcell@caglecartoons.com. Purcell