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6A Daily News – Monday, September 12, 2011 Opinion The basic bargain of American prosperity 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 The people of the North State 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 are now suffering more than else- where from extended economic doldrums reminiscent of the Great Depression. Conservatives argue that this is due to excessive taxes, regulation, and governance. Oth- ers believe that the reason is a sup- pressed demand for goods and ser- vices due to declining median incomes and housing values. This latter view is supported by history and economic theory: when histor- ically disproportionate shares of income are concentrated in the accounts of the wealthiest Ameri- cans this leaves the majority of consumers without the means to purchase the products and services that provide jobs for their fellow Americans. Consider a couple facts: the richest one percent of Americans in 2007, the latest year for which data is available, received 23% of all income, matching the previous peak of 1928. It is informative to note that following both of those peak periods the national economy collapsed or nearly collapsed with the Great Depression, and the recent Great Recession. As the nation recovered from the Great Depression, and progressive tax policies reduced the wealthiest 1% share of all income to a low of 8% in 1960, the nation experienced an extended period of Great Prosperi- ty with low unemployment, high demand for household goods, increasing wages and benefits, and robust unions to ensure a fair dis- tribution of wealth. The macro-economic explana- tion for these events provides com- pelling evidence on how national fiscal and regulatory policy can and must keep employment levels high by ensuring income is widely distributed. It is the simple law of supply and demand - consumers demand more products and ser- vices only as their current and expected incomes increase. To have a growing economy it is nec- essary that the majority of incomes rise, not just the incomes of the wealthiest households. The basic bargain of American prosperity, if you will, is to ensure that average salaries and benefits rise in step with the stock market and investor income to keep our economy healthy. When this bargain is bro- ken, as it is now and was leading up to the Great Depression, every- one suffers and those with low or middle incomes suffer severely as they lose their livelihoods, homes, and hope. The basic bargain was further violated as middle income tax bur- dens increased while the taxes paid by the wealthy precipitously dropped as the Bush administra- tion initiated two unbudgeted wars with deficit spending. As this wealth corrupted our Congress- men, oversight and regulation of corporations and financial services were slashed leading to their near collapse, just days into Obama's presidency, due to irresponsible borrowing and investment prac- tices. To hold President Obama accountable for the mess they created is the height of denial and hypocrisy. The lesson we must learn is that our taxation and regulatory systems must maintain an equi- table distribution of wealth and income so that average Americans can purchase goods and services that keep domes- tic employment and wages high. Thus suffi- cient tax revenues are col- lected for governance that ensures retirees are cared for, children are educated, national peace and securi- ty are provided and the demand for goods are services are maintained at healthy but non-inflationary levels. Progressive taxation (where the percent of income taxes paid increases as a household's income does) is essential to keep the wealthiest from becoming a group of oligarchs with over- whelming political and fiscal clout serving only their self inter- ests. To reduce rampant conflicts of interest, voters must insist upon limitations and full disclosure of Richard Mazzucchi Positive Point political contributions. Our laws must be upheld to protect collec- tive bargaining rights that keep wages and employment practices in check and prohibit employers from using shell cor- porations and interna- tional subsidiaries to circumvent taxes and domestic labor protec- tions. Wealthy Ameri- cans must not be allowed to use off- shore accounts, myri- ad tax loopholes and trust provisions, and influence legislation to benefit at the expense of the nation. It is amoral and unsustainable to per- mit continued concen- tration of wealth as average Americans cannot find jobs, care for their families, and participate in the very economic system that creates wealth in the first place. The solu- tion isn't reducing government and business regulation, but using them to bridle capitalism to ensure a fair, equitable, and sus- tainable distribution of wealth that yields maximum employ- ment, domestic productivity, and prosperity for all Americans. Richard Mazzucchi can be reached at living-green@att.net. 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; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Attendance changes but emotion, meaning don't Commentary Two years ago, the 9/11 obser- vances were on a day that I wrote for publication on Monday and I "joined with a dwindling but heart- felt gathering at the courthouse for a few moments of remembrance of the attacks on America, and honor for those who died." Some years, the civilian attendees were almost outnumbered by the contingent of Young Marines there to perform the honors. Not so on Sunday, when it was heart-bursting to see hundreds of citizens turn out for a fairly brief memorial service, but a somber and proud moment. Reporter Julie Zeeb's story will be complete, but I wanted to focus on what to me were particularly moving ele- ments. Mr. Chad Bushnell's singing and guitar playing talent have been well known to many, including Republican dinner attendees. He started out with the Merle Haggard classic, "Walking on the Fightin' Side of Me," which was particular- ly appropriate for a service in memory of the dead and wounded, civilians and public responders, not from a natural disaster, but a cold- blooded, diabolical attack in the cause of a larger plan to destroy or subjugate our great nation and its people. No, not a "tragedy" any more than the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor was some kind of meteoro- logical misfortune. His other inspiring songs were all superbly and professionally performed. A young fiddler, with talent rivaling bluegrass performers, gave several polished tunes. I was most especially moved by his rendition of "Amazing Grace"; you just had to be there for the full impact in the 9/11 ceremony. It was full-sized talent from a pint-sized performer. The Young Marines are always a source of pride as they go through their practiced rituals of flag presentation with, well, mili- tary precision. That they range in size from no taller than my waist to almost six feet is impressive. Their leader, Mr. John Minton, was sim- ply splendid in his Marine Corps dress uniform. We can't thank John enough for his work with the very devoted and disciplined local Young Marines. At least two other moments made me swell with pride to be an American citizen that took the time to show up. When Mrs. LaTourelle led us in singing "God Bless America," I felt like the members of Congress of both parties that gathered on the Capitol steps to sing together after 9/11. That's not going to repeat itself any time soon, but we can still stand shoul- der to shoulder at moments like that service. I'm sure there were people that don't share my posi- tions and beliefs but it could not have been more irrelevant yester- day. The only Americans that I despise are the ones that have pro- moted the horrendous belief that our government at some level was behind, or complicit in, the 9/11 attacks. 'Nuff said on that. Another was seeing the sizable contingent of the Patriot Guard with their flag-bedecked rumbling Harley motorcycles finely parked and, ultimately, leaving amidst a patriotic roar. Keep ridin' for your country and for the veterans. Oh, I almost forgot to note my gratitude for all of the city and county law enforcement and fire fighters that took time from their Sundays to pay their respects. And, huge kudos to Greg LaTourelle for pulling the whole event together. I will never forget the images seared into my memory from that morn- ing as I turned on the tube for some early news, only to stagger off my feet in open-mouthed horror at the live video of the second plane's impact, and the spirit- crushing images of first one, then the other, tower's collapse. May we as a nation never take our security for granted in a world that still has such religiously inspired enemies. With the demise of the author of the 9/11 attacks, Osama bin Laden, at the able hands of America's spe- cial forces, some observances on the successful pursuit and killing of that evil mastermind are warranted (via Jim Geraghty): Nations or informing the host gov- ernment; the military action was unilateral, and we did not consult with our allies; Con- gress was not informed of the military action; and it increasingly appears that no serious effort was made to treat Osama bin Laden as a criminal (reading him his rights, etc.). "The monitoring of Don Polson The way I see it Abu Ahmed al- Kuwaiti's phone call was a result of an exten- sive global wiretapping system. Furthermore, as Charles Krauthammer notes, the helicopters used in the raid came from Bagram and Jalal- abad; if we had with- drawn from Afghanistan on the anti- war Left's timetable, we would have had no bases from which to launch this operation." The above are indisputable "The interrogations of KSM (which included waterboarding) and the interrogation of Hassan Ghul (held in 'black site' prisons) were key to identifying the courier; the president then authorized mili- tary action in a foreign country without going to the United facts; anyone is free to approve or disapprove each essential step in killing bin Laden, and free to base that stand on whether they like the president's party affiliation. The way I see it, President Obama deserves thanks for approving the operation and continuing estab- lished intelligence procedures. President Bush, thank you for implementing those procedures – you are vindicated. Don Polson can be reached by e-mail at donplsn@yahoo.com.