Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/19931
6A – Daily News – Thursday, November 18, 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 Military politics 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 The VFW Political Action Committee was formed to dis- tribute funds to politicians who vote for laws that favor veterans' needs. Senator Boxer's voting record with respect to those needs is exemplary. The VFW's national Com- mander's action against this PAC was against the best interests of the rank and file members. His personal bias got in the way of his duty. Now that seems outrageous to me. Military officers who appear before Congress are invariably decorated and are always addressed by their rank. They should know that a member of Congress should also be addressed by his or her title. Anything else would be condescending or maybe just everyday ignorance. Voting against funding questionable U. S. military involvement does not trans- late into not supporting our troops. In fact the opposite may be true. And unquestion- ing adoration of all things military does not translate into some kind of superior patriotism. That's the way I see it. Dan Gallagher, Los Molinos Tea Party values Editor: I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the majority of Tea Party participants, demon- strating for their causes Although disagreeing with our peace vigil they graciously moved to other corners so we could express our opinion. It was a beautiful demonstration of tolerance, well almost. One participant couldn’t tol- erate an opposing view and attempted to block as much of our banners as he possibly could. This individual even took a gentle tap on the shoulder as an attack . A Tea Party recruitment brochure says they are for Limit- ed Government: Free Markets, Fiscal Responsibility and Adherence to the Constitution. That sounds pretty good but how do they propose to “limit” our government? Do they want to reduce the number of police and firemen? How about safety inspectors that are paid to see that our food and workplaces are safe? And we surely can do without those pesky Federal Aviation Administration inspec- tors. Could someone in the Tea Party please specify more suc- cinctly just what is meant by a limited government? When you say, Free Markets, do you propose doing away with business licensees, sales tax, outlawing unions or what. Seems to me, Free Markets is one thing that got us into this economic down turn in the first place. We allowed our multi-bil- lion dollar corporations to out- source work to third world coun- tries to save on their labor expenses then help them further by not demanding an import tax on their wares. What a deal. Free Mar- ket is a great idea except for the Ameri- can worker. Now about this Fiscal Responsibility and paying off, I’m assuming, our national debt thing. Just how do you propose paying this humongous debt off without raising taxes? As it is now we can barely pay the inter- est on this monster. Before we can do any real restoration to our economy we need to take a seri- ous look at our Federal Reserve fractional banking system. You see if a bank’s reserve require- ment is 10 percent, that means it can lend out $90 for every $100 taken in. Now if the $90 loan applicant then turns around and writes a check to someone else who deposits the $90 into that same bank it can turn around and loan 90 percent of that out. So banks can easily turn a $100 deposit into a $1,000 investment bringing in at least that much in interest. What a deal. Adherence to the Constitu- tion, now who can argue against that? Especially when all elected officials or required to pledge to protect and defend that docu- ment. It is quite apparent that many we have elected in the past took that responsibility all too flippantly. Just a few points Your Turn that I would like to see more clarification on if you don’t mind. Orval Strong, Gerber Rights of non dope users Editor: I have read Mr. Gibeson’s let- ter several times. What rights do we, non-recreational or medical dope smokers have? Marijuana cultivation within a neighborhood should not be allowed, period. Just say no to drugs. I cannot understand how the law enforcement community can stand by. It appears Mr. Gibeson is being subjected to terrorism tactics — taunts by a shovel-carrying person. Isn’t it the job of Child Pro- tective Services to remove chil- dren that are in harms way? I have no idea what I would do in these circumstances. My sympathy is with Mr. Gibeson. Sam Collins, 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. It’s only unethical when it’s called ‘news’ Commentary Imagine an entire 24-hour cable news network devoted to political causes. Many of their employees are future and former candidates for president, giving them a national platform to reach potential voters. Entire "movements" of political dis- course are not only showcased – they’re even started on this news channel. Fundraising, the tough- est part of running for political office, is made easier, stream- lined by the on-air hosts of the news channel telling viewers to donate money to certain candi- dates. World events shaping our culture are put into perspective by the personalities. The pro- duction value is as sharp as the agenda. Poignant scripts are fol- lowed religiously. Everyone at the network — from the top anchor to the fill-in weekend guest — plays ball. It’s a machine: Well-oiled. Well-fund- ed. For-profit. High-rated. Caf- feinated. Influential. Now imagine it’s liberal. Why doesn’t the Left have a Fox News? Why isn’t there a liberal version of political orga- nizing on television? There are currently nine 24-hour news sta- tions, so why isn’t there one that’s outright for progressives? Progressives will say, "Because we’re better than that." It’s against journalistic ethics to be a news organization and endorse and fundraise for candi- dates. They point out how pro- moting talking points in lieu of actual reporting is propaganda. Liberals, they’ll tell you, don’t like propaganda — they prefer nuance. Conservatives will tell you all channels are liberal, and Fox News is "balance." They’ll say it’s not unethical for Fox News to prop up issues and candidates because they’re told on Fox News the Left does the same thing. On Fox News (and only on Fox News) they and their viewers are the underdog. Their narrative is how they’re so out- numbered by all the richie-rich powerful clandestine liberals that journalistic codes of con- duct are beside the point. They’re in war, and in war things like habeas corpus and ethics have to be sacrificed in order to win. Or really, survive — in their version it’s always a life and death struggle. Over at MSNBC, Keith Olbermann was suspended for donating money without man- agement permission to candi- dates he had on his show. Yes, the "liberal media" does stuff like that. A former president of MSNBC is reported to have said that he did not want MSNBC to be a "liberal answer to Fox News." During Olbermann’s brief suspension without pay, his colleague Rachel Maddow went on air and said, "Let this inci- dent lay to rest forever the facile, never-true-anyway, bull-pucky, lazy conflation of Fox News and what the rest of us do for a liv- ing," she said. "They run as a political oper- ation; we're not." Okay, fine. MSNBC isn’t the lib- eral equivalent of Fox News. Why isn’t there one? The only thing unethical about Fox News is the calling themselves "news." Fox News is based on right-wing talk radio and no one ever calls that "news." It’s like if the Christian Broad- casting Network kept their same programming but switched their name from "Net- work" to "News." They would suddenly be very objectionable from a journalistic integrity per- spective. But as it is now, the CBN raises money and endorses causes, and no one bats an eye. Other than the "news" events of the day that is informa- tive and amusing to other pro- gressives? Tina Dupuy The Left is always saying their main problem is with messaging — not the lack of ideas, but the selling of ideas. The framing of the debate eludes the Left. Candidate Barack Obama was able to message and sell his ideas to the American public; therefore, he got elected. Then he started doing the job he ran for instead of still campaigning for the job he ran for. The "perpetual campaign" is the bane of modern moniker, Fox News is fine. They’re for their side, com- pelling to their side and benefit- ting their side. Plus, they give the people what they want: entertainment. So what is wrong with liber- als doing the same thing? What’s wrong with progressives having a channel based on the Tina Dupuy is an award- winning writer and the editor of FishbowlLA.com. Tina can be reached at tinadupuy@yahoo.com. American presidents. You’d think liberals and progressives now with a Democratic presi- dent in office would at least con- sider replicating a communica- tion model that has proven to work. Yes, I’m saying it: Liberals should mimic Fox News…in some ways. Be engaging, have a point of view, and tout progres- sive causes. Just don’t call it "news." -----