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4A Daily News – Thursday, January 2, 2014 Opinion Dish dispute 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. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong community 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 vehicles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its communities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the residents 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: All of us who have Dish Network have listened to its propaganda. Then Dish took out a full page advertisement stating that ABC and Fox 20 want us to pay three times more for the same shows, then, gave us a phone number so we could voice our concerns. This number led me to believe I was calling Dish Network. It was channel 7's front desk number. I spoke with the lady and told her I thought I was calling Dish she informed me that that was the purpose. Dish gave out 7's number so it would get all the calls from dissatisfied Dish customers. So I asked her what their side of the story was. She said that ABC 7 wanted to raise its profit to 3 cents per month per customer so they would profit $36 per year per Dish customer. I asked, how can Dish claim you're wanting 300 percent? She told me Dish is adding 3 cents per day per customer, which comes to $1,080 per year per customer. I then called Dish. I informed them I had spoken to ABC 7 and was told its side of the story and, to me, Dish's plan backfired. As the man started back peddling and contradicting himself I felt I knew who was being untruthful. Dish is charging its customers for channels they are not providing. That's illegal. The moral of the story, if you've been a Dish customer for a few years and have paid your bill on time, they are willing to adjust your bill $50 for the next 10 months. Just let them know you are going to charge a reimbursement of 3 cents per day for being charged for something they are not providing and for your inconvenience. Kathy Nelson, Red Bluff War on Christianity Editor: Wake up America, no doubt there is a war on Christianity, Christmas and traditional family values. The far left; LGBT, GLAAD — Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation — and the main-stream liberal media have been using guerrilla tactics in attacking traditional family values and rewriting the Bible, history and the Constitution for decades. The latest salvo fired at Christians and traditional family values is aimed at, of all people, Phil Robertson, patriarch of the "Duck Dynasty" reality series. I have never watched the show but have seen some of the trailers and previews of coming attractions; they didn't interest me until I read the GQ magazine interview. After reading the GQ interview it's easy to see why the far left; tent with biblical teaching. The LGBT, GLAAD and the main- late Butch Callaway — a former stream liberal media are going Methodist Minister often — ballistic. Here is the most popular said "you don't break the Ten Commandments, you reality TV series with a break yourself upon clan that looks like a Your them," bunch of simple-mindLes Wolfe, Red ed, hillbilly red necks Bluff but is in reality smart, rich and proud of their heritage. They promote their traditional family values and their faith in Christ. Why wouldn't the left-wing nuts want to destroy Editor: the Duck Dynasty? Duck Dynasty Automation, outsorcing and represents everything they resent, Obamacare. traditional Christian family values. When there isn't anyone to pay This elite union of left-wing the bill, what do you suppose our nuts is accusing and attacking Phil Robertson of a mean- spirited wonder workers expect to do with rant, that is both vile and extreme, us? Apparently they figure we'll in an interview with GQ. just fade away. GLAAD in an interview with the The aged from lack of care and Hollywood Reporter condemned financial disaster. his remarks as "some of the vilest The young, shipped off to Mars and most extreme statements or some other planet just to get uttered against LGBT people in a mainstream publication" and said them out of the way. Do you suppose they consid"his quote was littered with outered the ramifications of who and dated stereotypes and blatant misinformation." GLAAD, maybe where their lavish lifestyles are it's just me, but the defamatory headed? The economy is climbing, but I remarks and rants seem to be see nothing but longer lines for coming from GLAAD and the rest of the union of left-wing nuts, help. Maybe a reality check is in order. rather than Robertson. What are they going to do with What Robertson said was not us? a rant nor was it inconsistent Not a pretty picture, but unless with Scripture. The homosexual there is a big change where do we act is morally, physically and spiritually wrong and inconsis- go from here? Thad Blanchard, Sr., Gerber Turn Where are the people? Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Dan Logue, 150 Amber Grove Drive, Ste. 154, 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) 558-3160; 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) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 2868537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Commentary What political ignorance delivers WASHINGTON -- It was naughty of Winston Churchill to say, if he really did, that "the best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." Nevertheless, many voters' paucity of information about politics and government, although arguably rational, raises awkward questions about concepts central to democratic theory, including consent, representation, public opinion, electoral mandates and officials' accountability. In "Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government is Smarter" (Stanford University Press), Ilya Somin of George Mason University Law School argues that an individual's ignorance of public affairs is rational because the likelihood of his or her vote being decisive in an election is vanishingly small. The small incentives to become informed include reducing one's susceptibility to deceptions, misinformation and propaganda. And if remaining ignorant is rational individual behavior, it has likely destructive collective outcomes. Somin says that in Cold War 1964, two years after the Cuban missile crisis, only 38 percent of Americans knew the Soviet Union was not a member of NATO. In 2003, about 70 percent were unaware of enactment of the prescription drug entitlement, then the largest welfare state expansion since Medicare (1965). In a 2006 Zogby poll, only 42 percent could name the three branches of the federal government. Voters cannot hold officials responsible if they do not know what government is doing, or which parts of government are doing what. Given that 20 percent think the sun revolves around the Earth, it is unsurprising that a majority are unable to locate major states such as New York on a map. Usually only 30 percent can name their two senators. The average American expends more time becoming informed about choosing a car than choosing a candidate. But, then, the consequences of the former choice are immediate and discernible. Many people, says Somin, acquire political knowledge for the reason people acquire sports knowledge -- because it interests them, not because it will alter the outcome of any contest. And with "confirmation bias," many people use political information to reinforce their pre-existing views. Committed partisans are generally the most knowledgeable voters, independents the least. And the more political knowledge people have, the more apt they are to discuss politics with people who agree with, and reinforce, them. The problem of ignorance is unlikely to be ameliorated by increasing voter knowledge because demand for information, not the supply of it, is the major constraint on political knowledge. Despite dramatic expansions of education and information sources, abundant evidence shows the scope of political ignorance is remarkably persistent over time. New information technologies have served primarily to increase the knowledge of the already virtually no difference, but affirms well-informed, which increases a process that does. And although many people deplore the ability of some to the fact that U.S. parties engage in "rent-seekhave become more ideing" from the regulatory ologically homogestate, manipulating its nous, they now confer power in order to transmore informative fer wealth to them"brands" on their candiselves. And if political dates. knowledge is measured Political ignorance, relative to government's Somin argues, strengthexpanding scope, ignoens the case for judicial rance is increasing review by weakening rapidly: There is so the supposed "countermuch more to be uninGeorge F. majoritarian difficulty" formed about. with it. If much of the A better ameliorative electorate is unaware of measure would be to the substance or even reduce the risks of ignorance by reducing government's existence of policies adopted by consequences -- its complexity, the sprawling regulatory state, the centralization and intrusiveness. policies' democratic pedigrees are In the 19th century, voters' infor- weak. Hence Somin's suggestion mation burdens were much lighter that the extension of government's because important federal issues - reach "undercuts democracy more - expansion of slavery, disposition than it furthers it." An engaged judiciary that of public lands, tariffs, banking, infrastructure spending -- were enforced the Framers' idea of government's "few and defined" much fewer. Political ignorance helps enumerated powers (Madison, explain Americans' perpetual dis- Federalist 45), leaving decisions appointment with politicians gen- to markets and civil society, erally, and presidents especially, would, Somin thinks, make the to whom voters unrealistically "will of the people" more meanattribute abilities to control events. ingful by reducing voters' knowlBut the elections of 1932 and edge burdens. Somin's evidence 1980 dramatically illustrated how and arguments usefully dilute voters primarily control politi- the unwholesome democratic cians -- by "retrospective voting," sentimentality and romanticism that encourage government's refusing to re-elect them. Some people vote because it pretensions, ambitions and failgives them pleasure -- the satisfac- ures. tion of expressive behavior -- and George Will's email address is because they feel duty-bound to cast a ballot that, by itself, makes georgewill@washpost.com. Will