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2B – Daily News – Thursday, January 27, 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 Arrest for being with minor 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 What is wrong with the jus- tice system in Red Bluff? The minor that was involved in this article has been allowed to visit with a person in jail. A minor should not be allowed to visit a person in jail. The family has been trying to get help with this minor for the past 3 days and can’t seem to get any from the local police department with which they have had to deal with this minor. Theft, drugs, being with an adult boyfriend, threats to her mother and brothers as well as other family members, runs the streets at all hours of the night. What is a parent to do? CPS says you can’t punish your child, if you do you can get arrested for it. So is that the way life will be for parents who try to bring their children up. Let them do what ever they want and get away with it. The Juvenile System needs to be revamped so that parents have rights to take matters into their hands — without beating — to control these kids. The police come out when called to only slap their hands and all is OK. This minor uses gang threats against her family, does not go to school and there is nothing her mother can do. I thought Juvenile Hall was a place to put these kind of kids, guess not. Unless there is change in the laws children are going to ruin this world. A child should not have the rights that an adult has, but the way they are written now, children get away with everything. Parents need to call there congressman or woman and see what can be done or the children growing up today will ruin life for everyone Cyndie Heal, Red Bluff The day of reckoning Editor: Today, our nation finds her- self on the verge of financial ruin, with no fix in sight. Sure, plenty of political hand-wringing. Lots of finger pointing. More recycled debt commission recommendations. And, of course, the usual dose of broken promises, all intended to assure voters things will be just fine. But, no solutions. No specifics on where and when hard spending cuts will be made. While politicians fiddle around the edges, the city of Rome burns. Now within a hair’s breadth of the $14.294 trillion debt ceil- ing, President Obama’s using presidential muscle to urge another increase in the ceiling, allowing America to continue on her unbridled spending binge. Funny, since then-Senator Obama took a defiant stand in 2006 against raising the nation’s debt ceiling, proclaiming, "… raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership fail- ure. … America has a debt problem and a failure of leader- ship. Americans deserve better." Obama got it right in 2006. It’s a failure of leadership. But, he’s on the wrong track today. Just like those who preceded him were wrong when they raised the ceiling 74 times since 1962 rather than cutting spending. Folks, it’s long past time we cut up the national credit card. Time to go cold turkey. Time to endure the consequences of our actions. It won’t be easy. It won’t be Your Turn the solar panel down and put it in his truck He was asked what he was doing. He said he had "permis- sion" to take the panel. His vehicle tags were noted, the authorities were notified and nothing has happened. The solar panel was also removed from the sign at the other end of town. We citizens are being asked to conserve energy. Go solar. So why would we remove pretty. And, it will likely prove painful. But, like an addict kick- ing a drug habit, the short-term sacrifice is worth the long-term gain. No more hand-wringing. No more fear tactics. No more fin- ger pointing. No more broken promises. No more debt ceiling increases. Let’s take the bitter pill and get on the road to real recovery. Dare I say, the day of reckon- ing has arrived. Pete Stiglich, Cottonwood Theft Editor: This letter concerns a theft I witnessed the other day. They are upgrading 99E in Los Molinos and the other day a truck pulled up to the electronic sign that displays each vehicles speed. It was not one of the con- tractor's trucks or a Caltrans truck. A guy got out and took a solar panel that powered the sign during daylight hours. And even if there is some reasonable excuse for removing the panel, on who's authority was it given away. Don't these things cost money? Didn't we taxpayers already pay for it? Something isn't right here. Fred Boest, Red Bluff Bad moves Editor: The cowardly act of shooting down 19 innocent people was a blow to our democracy. The attempt by Republi- can/Conservative/Libertarian/T ea Party to censor an honest debate is another. Also, as an independent, I am appalled that Mrs. Palin would use an anti- semitic phrase like ‘blood libel’. It was an accusation that was made that accused Jews of using Christian blood to make Matzos for Passover. Is it any wonder that Obama’s lead over Palin in the polls has gone from 12 percent to 26 percent? Jon Blankenship, Red Bluff 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. Government workers are the new illegal aliens Commentary Did you know the government can’t create jobs? Nearly two years ago on CNN, former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele said, "Not in the history of mankind has the govern- ment ever created jobs." And then, "Trust me." When Steele said those words, he was widely panned. It was dis- missed on the right as a gaffe and debunked on the left as grossly inaccurate. It was laughable…when Steele said it. Cut to: Meet the Press last Sun- day. CNBC's Squawk on the Street host Erin Burnett said, "Govern- ment can't create jobs." It was left unchallenged by any of the other panelists and host David Gregory. Karen Hughes, who worked in the Bush administration (her gov- ernment j-o-b) added, "Well…the president seems to have had a rev- elation that it's actually business that creates jobs." Then to top it all off the Demo- cratic Congressman James Clyburn – agreed. "No, we can't create jobs, and we shouldn't. We want them created in the private sector. " Over 16.5% of Americans are employed by the government, about 22 million of the 135 million payroll jobs. And they’re not just pencil-pushing, useless cushy ben- efit collectors – but scientists. There are no private sector astro- nauts. None. Firefighters are gov- ernment employees, as are police. "More cops on the streets" means more government trained and com- pensated people in your communi- ty. The district attorneys, judges and bailiffs draw an Uncle Sam signed paycheck. The govern- ment? Law and order. The second largest employer in the country is the United States Postal Service. Try telling the lady raising her family by delivering your overdue notices that the gov- ernment can’t create jobs. According to the Department of Labor, the private sector has been steadily adding jobs and the public sector has been cutting jobs at the fastest rate in 30 years. Especially local government jobs: teachers, sanitation workers and librarians. So the government does, in fact, create jobs. It also slashes them. Cities and states have been balanc- ing their budgets by cutting back on everything. Most infamously Camden, New Jersey is eliminat- ing half of their police force. To those who work for a living, a job is a job. To those who sloga- neer for a living, cutting jobs means magically creating them. It seems government workers are the new illegal immigrants. They are the new group who are treated like parasites on the system; their jobs are illegitimate and dis- posable. Lawmakers gleefully talk about eliminating government employees’ livelihoods. The rhetoric would have us believe those aren’t even jobs. It’s not the banksters and huck- sters on Wall Street who wrecked our economy. No, now they’re the only ones who can save us! It’s not a general revenue slow down tied to a collapse after the Saturnalia of liar loans and real estate cheats. It’s those com- fortable public servants who are bleeding us dry! We’re told we’re bankrupt because of well-paid government employees with "Cadillac health insurance plans." Yes, we still refer to posh things as an American made car from a company, GM, which the U.S. government saved and made profitable again. So everyone who makes an actual Cadillac can thank the gov- ernment for their job. Tina Dupuy Out of our $3.5 tril- lion annual budget we dole out around $1.5 tril- lions on "defense" spending. It really should be considered "offense" spending these days, but I digress. There are some accounting tricks with mandatory and discre- tionary spending. But added up: it’s $1.5 tril- lion. What is the military? Jobs. Careers too. Plus a retirement plan and socialized medicine. It’s a jobs program the gov- ernment created. It’s also a big wasteful unaccountable sieve for tax dollars. If the GOP-controlled House is really looking to weed out pork (which they arguably are not) they would check out the bacon haven we call the Penta- gon. But, better to stick with the empty and symbolic than tackle the difficult. Tina Dupuy is an award-winning writer and fill-in host at The Young Turks. Tina can be reached at tinadupuy@yahoo.com.