Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/28023
4A – Daily News – Tuesday, March 29, 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 Unions Editor: Unions peaked in the 1960s 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 and have been in decline since. Eighty-eight percent of workers chose nonunion jobs without the need to pay 100% 9f their dues to liberal Democrats who represent only a tiny 12 percent minority of workers. National equal employ- ment and safety laws insure fair and safe employment. The pay and benefits of nonunion US auto builders match the UAW union without the inefficient union work rules, damaging strikes, lesser product quality, and the need to subsidize liberal Democ- rats. Parochial, private, and charter schools have achieved academic excellence without the damaging teacher's union work rules and high education taxes. It is rare for professionals to join a union, as few college graduates accept the necessary loss of professionalism through unions. I agree with letter writer Orval Strong that the U.S. should tax and spend in a more sensible manner. This should include end- ing teacher tenure, mandating annual teacher and principal per- formance reviews based on class- room academic achievement, ending pay for seniority, mandat- ing Social Security and a matched 5% 401(k) plan as the only retirement pension for pub- lic employees, the same as exists in the private sector. Everyone should pay 20 percent of their income for combined Federal, state, and local taxes, to avoid the current situation of half of Amer- icans voting but paying no Feder- al tax due to tax credit givebacks. The Federal Government should stop the subsidies for solar, wind, electric car, and ethanol subsi- dies. If it is a good financial investment, private equity will fund the technology. Mortgage interest, home sale profits, and employer provided health insur- ance should be taxed as income. Early retirees should be required to continue paying the 2.9 per- cent Medicare tax until retire- ment, as private sector employers and employees must do. Social Security benefits should be limit- ed to the employer plus employ- ee 12.4% annual tax of income, but compound interest invested at the long term treasury bond rate. Too many liberal Democrats don't want tax fairness, but demand income redistribution from those who spent 20,000 hours obtaining and self-funding their college degrees and then lifetime continuing education during the 45 year work career. Joseph J. Neff, Corning Re-think banning of plastic bags Editor: A letter to the editor expressed the pros for eliminating plastic bags, but failed to address the cons. There are people who would place their re-usable bags in a clean storage area until their next trip to the market. There are those who would throw them in their car, or trunk, or lay around inside their home until they need them. Or maybe they will throw in a towel and sun screen or some lunch and head to the beach with them. Have you ever seen the inside of some of these cars and homes? Many people live in down right filth. Leaving your windows down may even result in a little cat urine or animal hair. It is these re-usable bag's that will make their way back to the market con- taminating carts and all else around them. When I shop, I spend up to $300 at a time. How many contaminated bag's would one need to bring in for so many gro- ceries? We went to plastic to spare the trees. Every large super market has a plastic bag recycle bin. Bag's are re-cycled to make things like rubber garbage cans and other useful items. Maybe we all need to think more about re-cycling and help reduce litter. Just something to think about. Sherri Stubenrauch, Corning Branding Project Editor: So, we need to raise $70K to "retain the services" of another out-of-town consultant to come here and tell us what we're doing wrong in our own damn town again? Really? That's what "branding" is, you know. "Figure out what makes your area unique and make sure the world equates your area with those things." The Downtown Revitalization Project that we spent a fortune and countless hours in meetings on with the Sacramento consul- tants has not even been imple- mented because of lack of fund- ing. I think this Roger Brooks and his Destination Development International is going to tell us a lot of the same things the original Your Turn consulting team found. "You could use an ice cream shoppe on Main Street, more uniform archi- tecture and signage, more retail and less professional businesses in the storefronts, etc..." Duh. I realize this is about the whole county and not just the downtown, but the same logic applies. We already know what makes Tehama County spe- cial. It was all we could do to afford a billboard on I-5 to advertise Red Bluff. We know our brand. Do we really have to settle on just one? Western heritage, Victorian charm, agriculture, wine-making, outdoor recreation, classic adorable downtown, a freaking river, fergawdsakes. Not to men- tion a National Park. Let's spend that $70K to get the word out, not give it to anoth- er carpet-bagger who will teach us...what, exactly? I urge you all to visit http://www.destinationdevelop- ment.com/?page=wells_nv to see what Roger did for them. The secret is pie. Check out the other "case histories," too. Any of those towns on your Bucket List? I love that Destination Tehama is planning all these wonderful events and I support their brand- ing project. I question the need to spend a fortune on Roger Brooks. I am not impressed with his work. We have top notch local graphic artists, marketing spe- cialists and social networking professionals. I would be willing to bet they could do a much bet- ter job for half the price and keep Roger's fees here in our own area. Liz Merry, 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 3070 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. The no-fly guy Commentary No one said being president was going to be easy. And no one was right. You get yelled at for doing things, and you get yelled at for not doing things. Often both times by the same people. Which is kind of like saying, “Even when you agree with us, you’re wrong.” That’s a tough hill to climb. Take Libya. Please. After it became apparent the native upris- ing against Qaddafi was not going to replicate the successes of Egypt, President Obama got lambasted by Republicans for not immediately leaping tall buildings to help the freedom-loving Libyans, like some guy from Texas would have done. Then from the other end of the same street, the Rip Van Winkle Republican Anti-Interventionists awoke from hibernation and object- ed to any involvement. Ever. Any- where. If these folks had their way, they’d take away his passport. Through a series of delicate negotiations, Barack managed to cobble together an international alliance to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya. Good timing, eh? We finally get most of our boys out of Iraq and boom, up jumps another crisis where we get to carry the democratic load. Superman should have warned us; this superhero thing can get a wee bit tiresome. I guess the deal is, you get used to running two wars, and it’s not easy trying to get by on just one. Going to have to face it, we’re addicted to war. Oops. Don’t call it war. This endeavor, altercation, con- flict, campaign, enmity, friendly fracas, (not a crusade) is shaking out differently. At least we don’t have to worry about being accused of ulterior motives since there obvi- ously isn’t any oil in Libya, oh… uh, scratch that. Wait, I got it. One big difference is we have actual allies this time around instead of imaginary friends. And the coup de gras is the Arab League throwing in with us. An inspired consideration when you insist on invading Arab countries. Of course this skirmish, dispute, clash, carnage, quarrel, grapple in the sand has nothing to do with Islam or oil, it's about, um, promot- ing democracy and getting rid of a bad guy. So if I were Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, I’d watch my back. The man is obviously har- boring weapons of mass seduction. Then again, maybe we’ll wait until they find oil in Tuscany. The oddest thing about this onslaught, strife, contention, assault, incursion, dis- cordant havoc is discov- ering the biggest prob- lem with having allies is having to work with the allies. Who knew? Not a big worry for a cowboy with a penchant for going it alone. Should be okay though, since history has shown the French and the English are both easy-going, low-maintenance types. Wonder whatever happened to those shy, retiring Germans? After all, they know North Africa like the back of their hand. We’re calling it Operation Odyssey Dawn, after the girlfriend of some Marine who hung out too Will Durst Raging Moderate long in bars on the shores of Tripoli, I guess. But even with a name like a ship out of the Carnival Line, getting rid of Qaddafi will be no cruise. The guy is nuttier than a U-Top-It Sundae from Dairy Queen. Gave himself a military rank and chose Colonel. Uses his own people as human shields. Spells his name with a Q, it's not followed by a U — he plays by rules we don’t even understand. If that doesn’t spell crazy, time to get a new dictio- nary. The New York Times says Emmy-nominated comedian and writer Will Durst “is quite possibly the best political satirist working in the country today.” Check out his website: willdurst.com to find out about upcoming performances, or to buy his book, “The All-American Sport of Bipartisan Bashing,” or newest CD, “Raging Moderate.”