Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/16588
6A – Daily News – Tuesday, September 21, 2010 Opinion 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 Witch hunt Editor: 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. 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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 I am writing this letter in response to City aims to ter- minate the Finance Director. (I have represented employ- ees in union relations with management for 25+ years. I have been in arbitrations a number of times.) What I have read in the paper the City Manager is guilty of retaliation of and employee. "If it smells like it. If it looks like it. It is it." What he is doing is wrong. Because he has made mistakes he wants to kill the messenger. I think that the wrong person is on a administrative leave. The City manager should be on leave and the city council is considering terminating him. The City Council should be looking into this as soon as possible, and reporting it. The longer it takes the worst it will look as it they are hid- ing some thing. Is this a Witch Hunt by Mr. Nichols? Frank McCaughey Red Bluff Republicans Editor: As usual Orval Strong is right on the target. The ques- tion is, why do we allow this plutocracy to continue? I just don't understand it. Many of my friends who seem to share my opinion on many other subjects get practically hys- terical when it comes to their perceiving something as being socialized. Obama's health care program is social- ized medicine and they are practically foaming at the mouth. I know the people in north- ern California are heavily on the Republican side of poli- tics. The question is, why? What have the republicans ever done for them or for this part of the state even. The major construction projects that facilitated the economic growth of our part of the north were all built under democratic administra- tions. (Shasta dam was fin- ished in 1945 under Truman. RBDD finished in 1964 under the Kennedy and Johnson administrations.) The point being the Central Valley Pro- ject was designed and started under Democratic administra- tions. Most of the people living in the north are middle class working people. So why are so many of us fervent Repub- licans? What have the Repub- licans done for northern Cali- fornia? Republicans are against Social Security. Of course they are. The Plutocrats live off their investments, not their labor. Republicans are against socialized medicine. Of course they are. They can buy all the doctors they need. Republicans claim that they cut taxes. Really? They never cut mine. Oh yeah. They cut their taxes. I realize that President Obama hasn't done anything for us lately, except start to get done the things he promised. But what have Aanestad, Nielsen and Herger done for us ever? The Republican Party and the Tea Party Patriots are calling for the ouster of the Democrats in state and feder- al offices this fall. They think the Republicans will do a better job. Well they had eight years under Bush and all they did was squan- der the surplus in the federal budget, get us involved in two wars and lower the taxes on the top ten percent of the wealthiest people in the coun- try. The only thing I've heard so far is the Republicans will lower taxes. On that same ten percent, and cut Social Secu- rity and any other program that has been designed by a Democrat. Are we really that resentful of the working class? Are we really that selfish? Fred Boest, Red Bluff PATH Walk Editor: Thanks again to the Red Bluff community for helping our PATH Walk a great suc- cess. There were many teams and individuals that raised money for us. Our top fundraiser was the Kiwanis of Red Bluff, so we appreciate their support. Cornerstone Community Bank donated polish dogs that were barbe- cued, Starbucks (north) donated coffee and hot chocolate and the Girl Scouts donated cookies. There are so many to thank and I wish I Your Turn could name them all. I know PATH stands for the Poor And The Homeless but I really like to think of PATH as a way we are showing people a new path for their lives. Our shelter will open soon and we will be able to keep people off our streets at night when it is very cold. We can feed them and give them warm surround- ings, but more than that we want the chance to make a difference in their lives. Many people have come from the shelter to our Mens Path- ways transitional living or our new PATH Sale House for women and children. We have been able to find sustainable housing and jobs for many. We could not do that without the help from our community. All of the board members work very hard to make sure we use the money we raise wisely. We look for- ward to the day when we have our permanent shelter so we can do an even better job than we do now. One of my jobs is working with our Sale House for women. I love, and am very attached, to the babies we have there. All are younger than a year old. I love to pick them up and hold them and when I do, I always whisper in their ear, "May God bless you little one, we are going to make a difference in your life." With God's help we will continue to do that. Pam Klein, 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. Man, oh man, I’m mad Commentary Man, oh man, I’m mad. I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore. Take what? I don’t know. And that makes me mad. Angry. Riled up. Cranky. Irate. Livid. Bellicose. Splenetic. Which has some- thing to do with the spleen. Think it involves leakage. Whatever it is, it can’t be good and I got it. I’m mad at everything and everybody, but especially at career politicians. Not to men- tion career pediatricians. From now on, one of my kids gets sick, I’m taking them to see some incensed old coot straight off the street carrying a mis- spelled sign. Experience is way over-rated. Why can’t U.S. Senator be an entry-level posi- tion? I’m mad about paying taxes. Because I don’t like paying taxes. I’m tired of my hard- earned money wasted on silly things like roads and air traffic controllers and paramedics and pipeline inspectors. And floss- ing. I hate that too. Who needs teeth? Members of the lamestream media elite, that’s who. So they can lie through them. Those guys I’m mad at because they keep running sto- ries about me being mad. I’m mad at the government’s nit-picking rules. Let corpora- tions regulate themselves. They know what they’re doing. I’m mad because I have to work two jobs to get by and I’m mad rich people don’t get more tax cuts. I’m mad about all the jobs that went overseas and I’m mad at unions demanding a living wage. I’m mad my life isn’t better than my parents’ and I’m mad I can’t have everything now and force my children to pay for it. And knowing I’m confused just fuels the mad- dening. I’m mad our Muslim Presi- dent was born in Kenya. And don’t bother me with your so- called facts. I know what I know, and it makes me so mad I could just spit. So I do. Often. Right into the wind. And hav- ing the front of my shirt con- stantly moist just gooses the scale of how mad I am. I’m mad at the parties. All parties. Political parties and birthday parties and tailgate parties. I’m mad at Democrats because they’re the polar opposite of mad and I’m mad at Repub- licans because they’re mad at me. And if my maddish spews hurt them, tough. Because they’re not as mad as I am. I’m so mad I’ll bite off both my hands one finger at a time if that’s what it takes. To prove I’m mad. Which I am. never hope to replicate the purity of my precious madi- tude. Will I’m mad at immi- grants for doing jobs that are beneath me. I’m mad at the French. I’m mad at French’s mustard. I’m mad at people who put ketchup on hot dogs. I’m even mad at people who are mad at people who put ketchup on hot dogs. You can Durst Raging Moderate Some folks don’t ever get mad, which makes me maddest of all. The hell is wrong with these people? These uppity, mad- less ones. Oooh, they make me so mad. But they will be mad. Soon enough. Because my madness is going to bloom and grow until everyone is as mad as me. Which is going to be tough. Because I’m really, really mad. Did I mention I was mad? Good. Because I am. Mad, that is. Man, oh man, I’m mad. Will Durst is a San Francisco-based political columnist who also tells jokes sometimes.