Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/583044
GregStevens,Publisher Chip Thompson, Editor EDITORIALBOARD How to have your say: 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 no more than two double-spaced pages or 500words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section will be published. Email: editor@ redbluffdailynews.com Fax: 530-527-9251 Mail to: P.O. Box 220, 545 Diamond Ave., Red Bluff, CA 96080 Facebook: Leave comments at FACEBOOK.COM/ RBDAILYNEWS Twitter: Follow and send tweets to @REDBLUFFNEWS Itseemstomethatrunning for elective office these days is more of a shouting match than it ever has been. Compromise now seems to be a bad word. I think the ideological dis- tance between just two of the presidential can- didates, Republi- can Donald Trump and Dem- ocrat Bernie Sanders, is enor- mous. And, to me they may believe what they are say- ing, but I think they are both mostly shouting. Since I think that is the case, maybe American poli- tics needs a big renovation. As I pen this column, our coun- try has near a dozen bona fide human beings still running to be the most powerful man or woman in the world, the Presi- dent of the United States. I got into the business of politics in 1964, because I was helping United States Senator Barry Goldwater, whose polit- ical catch phrase was; "In his heart you know he's right." That year my closest friend, Bakersfield attorney George Martin, had gotten me a po- sition as Chairman of Cali- fornia Young Republicans for Goldwater. I was only 25 years old at the time. For me it was a baptismal of political fire. I think Goldwater was great, but unfortunately he lost. As I continue my almost 50 years of interest and direct in- volvement in politics, I am se- riously starting to think that politics is becoming too much of a blood sport. I remember that I used to joke occasionally when I was in elective office. I would frequently say; "Poli- tics is the only profession where people stab each other in the front." That always did get a laugh. Today I think politicians are attacking each other more and that turns me off. The next thing you know they will be suing each other for defama- tion of character. I saw a re- cent Gallup Poll that said 72% of Americans want an Evan- gelical Christian to be our next President. And, a whooping 60% would not want a Muslim, agreeing with Dr. Ben Carson. When I served in the Cal- ifornia Assembly from 1976 through 1994, I believe it was then a different place. I discuss that a lot when I talk to past and present members of our legislature today. Most of them quickly agree that partisanship has run amuck. When I repre- sented Tehama and eight other counties between Chico and the state of Oregon, I found myself almost always in the middle on most issues. I often thought both sides did actually have something valid to say. That middle ground that more republicans and demo- crats used to take is backed up when California's Secretary of State announced last year that almost 22% of registered vot- ers are now "decline to state" or "independent." The major par- ties are loosing out because more citizens are looking for their representatives to com- promise and find that middle ground that has more solutions to our golden state's challenges. On a national level we may all be getting a new House of Representative's Speaker. It might be republican Kevin McCarthy from Bakersfield. Kevin would be well advised to spend more time getting things done in "compromise tandem" with democrat Pres- ident Barack Obama. I have had the unique privilege of meeting and discussing issues with both of those remarkable individuals. Mytakeonthemovies If you like astronomy and outer space, do yourself a fa- vor and see Matt Damon's lat- est film "The Martian." It is educational, cerebral and even has a bit of good hu- mor. It was just released six days ago. I am sure that NA- SA's latest announcement of water on Mars will surely help it at the box office. It's good entertainment for everyone. StanStathamserved1976-1994 in the California Assembly and was a television news anchor at KHSL-TV in Chico 1965-1975. He is past president of the California Broadcasters Association and can be reached at StanStatham@ gmail.com. My take Politicians ain't what they used to be When I represented Tehama and eight other counties between Chico and the state of Oregon, I found myself almost always in the middle on most issues. I often thought both sides did actually have something valid to say. Response to columnist Editor: Regarding Robert Minch, I'm sure he was drafted during the Korean Conflict because he is a coward. And then he did ev- erything possible to stay in the states. His father felt his family was too good to fight for this country, but his family all ben- efitted from all the boys who died for their country in his place. He says he didn't regret what a cowardly thing he did, well that's because he's not a man in any sense of the word. He would probably have sent his mother in his place. Yes, hundreds of thousands died to protect a rat like him. He's all for Hillary Clin- ton, well too bad. He should not be allowed to vote for anyone. And then he writes a col- umn telling everyone he is proud to be a coward. Thank God there were men to defend us. Oh, he probably doesn't be- lieve in God, he just thinks he's the highest power. My family has fought for five generations and I'm proud as hell of them. If he's proud of himself he's a sick person. He's still going to die someday anyway. I'd like to see him figure a way out of that. — Pat Hall, Gerber Trump replaces fear with a false sense of power Editor: The growth of conserva- tism is based on the fear of an incomprehensible future caused by cultural changes, social changes, political changes, economic changes, technological changes, and finally world and weather changes. 1.) The shock of the first mi- nority president elected by for- merly powerless groups re- sulted in the elite using money and propaganda to try to re- verse the result. In effect, they are willing to harm the coun- try to try to emasculate a black president. 2.) Cultural and social changes like women control- ling fertility, power of minori- ties, especially a huge minority population ready to become a majority and speaking a differ- ent language. 3.) Some major economic changes are loss of job secu- rity, liveable income, union protection and rights caused by billionaires controlling pol- itics through bribes and pro- paganda while big box stores are import centers eliminating a huge swath of businesses, trades, jobs. Most towns have empty small stores that pro- vided middle class jobs and trades. 4.) World changes from transferring jobs, technology to formerly third world coun- tries such as China, necessi- tate the US, as a formerly iso- lated and provincial nation, know, understand, and deal with different languages, cul- tures with reduced power now critical jobs are gone. 5.) Technology compounds these changes and people's need for skills, even harming the big box import stores. Ro- bots and computers eliminate jobs so companies that em- ployed thousands of workers now employ hundreds, or the jobs are transferred overseas to save labor costs using tax- payers subsidies. Conservatives are over- whelmed by all of these change and are trying to stop them by threatening and scapegoating innocent peo- ple who are vulnerable which is both stupid, destructive, and stops real solutions. — Diana Thompson, Red Bluff Solutions to what threatens our nation Editor: A nice letter of farewell from Ms. Cressy. I'm sure she will find the people in her new neighborhood perhaps more inclined to her political views. I wish her well. The sooner we get this clown Trump moved out of the way, along with Carly the cor- poration buster, the sooner the Republicans can concentrate on finding a viable candidate not named Bush. His family has done enough damage. I really don't understand the news media in all this hoorah either. It's like William Ran- dolph was still running his yel- low rags. Everything is either about the non-entity Trump or Ms. Clinton's e-mail machine. And when that story cools a bit they go back to Beng- hazi like she should have been standing guard at the door. To hell with that story too. Hey people, there are issues to be resolved that are im- portant to the survival of this country and neither of those people are going to be involved in the solutions. Here's the solution to Social Security in one sentence. Don't raise the FICA tax rate; raise the cap. Drugs? Wise up to the fact that prohibition never has and never will work. So legalize all drugs and put the DEA, the mafia and the Mexican cartel out of business. Go to work on removing all the nuclear weapons in the world. We give up 10 for each one that any country disman- tles. We might even get Russia to join the 10 for one side. Now that ought to keep our next president busy for eight years and at the end of that time period this country will be a much better place to live in. — Fred Boest, Red Bluff Your opinions Cartoonist's take By Danny Tyree "It takes a heap of shedding to make a house a home." That sprang to mind when I ran across a story in the "Post and Courier" (Charleston, S.C.) stating that pet owners are spar- ing no expense to renovate exist- ing homes or design new homes to make them more pet friendly. Yes, the childhood plea is now, "But he followed me home, Mom. Can we keep him — and heat the garage floor and install Greenwich Dog Time clocks and convert the bathroom to a cock- tail lounge and ...?" Proud owners now announce to rescue pets, "This is your for- ever home — unless you gnaw through the wiring on your per- sonal disco ball and burn the & %$# place down." Where families used to look for neighborhoods with good schools, they now want subdivi- sions with walking trails, parks, slow-moving mail carriers, fire hydrants with Wi-Fi, etc. Old real estate agents have to learn new tricks, about ceil- ing-reaching staircases for cats, suites with kitchens and dog- gie doors activated by micro- chips on the collar. Political cor- rectness is a real minefield. The "master" bedroom is now the "two-legged doofus who fetches me my meals" bedroom. Homes are no longer "fixer-uppers," given the alarming connotation of "fixing." People already leave mu- sic and videos playing for their pets. Perhaps there will be a streaming service such as Spot- ify, with reconfigured songs by Lynyrd Skynyrd ("Oooo that smell — can't you smell that smell? Let's roll in it!"), the Bea- tles ("The Long And Winding Hairball") and ZZ Top ("She's got legs — and I know how to use them...") Someday soon pets will have their own built-in gun safes. ("You can have my gun when you pry it from my cold, lifeless — no, not the tummy rub! I'm glad Charlton Heston is no lon- ger around to see this!") Future amenities will proba- bly include easily activated 3-D printers, so pooches can have a fresh security blankie when- ever they need it. Of course printers will have to be kept from the cats. ("Who needs to go to Cawker City, Kansas for the world's largest ball of twine when I have it right here on Din- glehoofer Street? I want every- one to come in and see it. No, I want them to go out. No, I want them to come in...") People with rabbits, reptiles, birds, ferrets, and more exotic pets will also have innovative aspirations. I would not be sur- prised if the next issue of "Archi- tectural Digest" contains a cover story about chapels for praying mantises. So, in 2015 people can spend unprecedented quality time with their pets. And with Skype-like setups, they can communicate with their furry companions while on vacation. I'm just wait- ing for someone to construct a seance room so the master can continue to check in even after shuffling off this mortal coil. "Hey, Rover! It's me — Bubba. I thought I would be spending eternity in the Great Beyond. In- stead, I'm spending eternity in the Great Bed Bath & Beyond! Forget about rescuing Timmy from the well! Come rescue me!" People who don't "get" the appeal of pets are shaking their heads at the "senseless" extravagance. Instead of fix- ing up their home to accom- modate four-legged friends, they spend their hard-earned money on concert tickets so Ge- neric Rockstar can fix up HIS mansion. ("Well, he deserves it more because he's a homo sa- piens — I think — and he busts up guitars. And stuff.") Danny Tyree welcomes email responses at tyreetyrades@aol. com and visits to his Facebook fan page Tyree's Tyrades. Danny Tyree It takes a heap of shedding to make a house a home Stan Statham OPINION » redbluffdailynews.com Thursday, October 8, 2015 » MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS A8