Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/22897
6A – Daily News – Tuesday, January 11, 2011 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 Frugality 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. 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 A frequent Daily News letter writer strongly believes that those who were frugal, saved, invested and self funded their college edu- cation to escape poverty, should redistribute their wealth to those who chose to waste their talents and chose debt over lifelong sav- ings. All citizens should feel respon- sible to pay taxes to match their services received. Those who chose frugality should not feel obligated to provide more taxes than those who chose the route of credit card and personal debt. Those who lifelong saved and invested do feel a strong need to contribute to charity that is not gov- ernment mandated. There are several dozen mil- lionaires that have been our friends over our 75 year life, and without exception, they escaped the pover- ty of the 1930 to 1940 depression years, through self funding their college education, or by develop- ing their vocational skills. They always bought less home than they could afford, were frugal, and saved and invested instead of pay- ing interest on debt. They bought their cars with cash instead of inter- est payments, and paid at least 20 percent downpayment for their homes. They never borrowed against the myth that their home values had increased. Our nation would be stronger if every citizen were taxed the same 20 percent of their income to fund their services received, such as public education, national security, border protection, roads and high- ways, and fire and police services. Joseph J. Neff, Corning God’s country Editor: I was sorry to see that you lost a subscriber. Actually, I'm a little fed up with people like Ms. Lucer who seem to think that they can have any say in how or where I practice my religion. The Supreme Court decision that it was a violation of the constitutions separation of church and state to pray in school or anywhere in public was a legal error when it occurred. The Supremes should either have demurred, or decid- ed that for them to interfere in legitimate religious activities was unconstitutional. The first amendment to the constitution states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof:" Now if the citizenry, when they wrote this constitu- tion, felt it was not in the purview of their elected officials to do this, (congress) why on earth would we expect that they thought twelve nickel-plated knuckleheads, deep into senili- ty, who know nothing beyond law would be allowed to make decisions in that area. Ms. Lucer and her friends should consider that Christian people seeking a place where they could celebrate their reli- gion freely founded this coun- try. We have over the past couple of century's embraced people from many countries of many different faiths and adopted them into our society and have not, because of that phrase in our constitu- tion, written any laws prohibiting them from practicing their reli- gion. We have even allowed atheists and agnostics into our beloved country. Some of this group take exception to our practicing our various religions because they feel offended. They are the offenders. God is everywhere in this great land. God is on our cur- rency. In our official documents, when our president, or any other official takes their oath of office, before we testify in court, we all swear our oath on a Bible; not on a note from Ms. Lucer's third grade teacher. Ms. Lucer says in her letter to us, that she recently moved to Red Bluff. WHY did she move here? She didn't know this is God's country. That's why we live here. Lady go back where you came from; or at least shut your pie hole. You offend me with your un-American propa- ganda. Fred Boest, Red Bluff Close Guantanamo Editor: January 11 marks the ninth anniversary of indefinite detention, torture and unfair Your Turn trials in Guantanamo prison. Two years ago President Obama pledged to close the detention facility within one year but Guantanamo remains open. President Obama's own Guantanamo Review Task Force recommended that 89 detainees should be transferred out of Guan- tanamo to other countries. Many have been classified as not a threat and cleared for release by the Task Force but remain in detention. International law dictates that the US must either charge detainees with crimes and give them fair trials, or release them. The principle of “charge and fair trial, or release” protects all of us from false accusations and ensures justice for crimes. Nine years of these human rights violations is far too long. Rich Doberstein, Los Molinos Letters to editor Editor: I try hard to believe that Red Bluff has some intelli- gent citizens. Yet, you contin- ue to print letters to the editor that demean both the writers and your city. Please try to give some thought to the image you are conveying of both Red Bluff and your newspaper. Robert Wilkinson, Cottonwood Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319-2102 STATE SENATOR — Doug LaMalfa (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 3063 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, 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. Commentary Clubbed It was Groucho Marx who famously stated, "I would never belong to any club that would have me as a member." Smart guy. If he were still around today Groucho would never find himself at the checkout counter fumbling through dozens of club cards. Of course for his obstinacy he'd have to pay exorbi- tant prices, and most other shop- pers would figure he was nuts. Personally, I haven't enjoyed being in a club since Cub Scouts. Yet, I'm in the Sandwich Club (at my local store you buy five and the sixth sandwich is free); I'm in the Yogurt Club (where the 11th is free); I also belong to the Wellness Club at the pharmacy, the Rewards Club at the bookstore, plus the Video Club and the Carwash Club to name just a few. When I travel I try to always stay at the hotel that honors my Gold Club Member- ship. And day in and day out there's the biggest fraternity of all: the Supermarket Club. A company in Cincinnati that keeps track of these things says American consumers now hold 1.8 billion memberships in retail clubs, or "loyalty programs" as the industry terms them. That works out to 14.1 memberships per household. And what are consumers get- ting for all this besides a bulge in the wallet, as more cards squeeze in where the cash used to be? Not many bargains, that's for sure. It's been pretty well documented that virtually all retailers offering dis- counts to club members have jacked up prices so that members wind up paying about the same as they would at a store that didn't have a club. The primary benefit to retailers is that clubs allow them to gather data about customers’ habits and preferences. This information is valuable in designing the next round of promotions and sales, as well as targeting e-mail offerings to club members based on their purchasing history. Then there's the "loyalty" piece, which presumably draws consumers to stores to which they "belong." Trouble is, with nearly 2 billion memberships out there, many consumers now have cards for every shopping occasion. How much loyalty can, say, each of the three pharmacies in a town expect if shoppers carry cards from all three stores? Rite Aid, which launched its Wellness Club just eight months ago, has already enrolled 29 million members. To promote loyalty, Rite Aid offers three levels of member- ship -- Plus, Silver and Gold -- with rewards growing at each plateau. As the Los Angeles Times put it, the goal of all such clubs is “to cater to the deal addiction of cash-strapped cus- tomers.” Like South American countries that balance the books by revaluing their currency, many merchants are upping their club deals by selling admission to high- er levels of membership. At Bor- ders books, for example, the plain old Rewards Card is still free, but now there's the Rewards Plus Card that sells for $20 a year and pro- vides better discounts and other perks. GameStop also has a free club, but now sells membership in its Power Up Pro section for $14.99. These schemes may be intend- Peter Funt ed to make elite members feel spe- cial, but the actual effect seems to be that regular shoppers feel left out and ripped off. Supermarket News magazine quoted a store owner in Bend, Ore., Rudy Dory, who actually said, presum- ably with a straight face, that his program is designed so that employees can identify club members and treat them with “extra friendliness and consid- eration.” That really gets to the heart of why Grou- cho would have hated shopping clubs. Here’s a final thought from the comedian who, it seems, was quite the prescient shopper: "I have a mind to join a club and beat you over the head with it." Peter Funt is a writer and public speaker who may be reached at www.candidcamera.com.