Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/59811
6A Daily News – Tuesday, March 27, 2012 Opinion Keep your hands off universal healthcare 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 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 Being out of town for much of the winter means, unfortunately, missing meetings with fellow Tea Party Patriots, who don't hold it against me (I hope) since they know it's for a worthy cause. Well, worthy is in the view of the beholder and hours spent on ski runs every day might not measure up. So here's hoping I can help by reminding the hundreds of folks that have shown up on one or more Tuesdays at the Westside Grange (see Calendar section) that it's staying light out later and, hopeful- ly, the storms will skip those nights, so "come on down." At any rate, consider what's coming up over the next month (assuming no scheduling changes): Tonight you'll have a great oppor- tunity to hear from Sheriff Hen- cratt, Trinity County Sheriff Bruce Haney and Trinity County Patriot Herk Shiner, who also is running for supervisor there. You might want to attend to hear how the Department of Fish and Game and Caltrans are joining forces. I don't think it's for innocuous purposes; it's probably more along the lines of Ronald Reagan's ten terrifying words, "I'm from the government and I'm here to help you." Trying to help save our Tehama District Fairgrounds is a cause those of all political stripes are sup- porting in different ways, through different groups and events. For the Patriots, it involves joining up with the Backcountry Horsemen of California Rendezvous 2012, March 30 through Sunday, April 1. Unlike many rendezvous' that really are off in the woods, this is taking place right here at our fair- grounds. There will probably be other news coverage but you can easily go to their web site by enter- ing "bchcalifornia.org" to find out more about this weekend's event. Weather may be a mix of much- needed rain and some sunshine, all in pleasant temperatures, so make some plans to support a great cause. Also coming up: Appearances by candidates for the open U.S. Congressional seat, Jim Reed and Sam Aanestad (April 10), District 1 Supervisor candidate Steve Chamblin and State Senate candi- date Dan Logue (April 24). The Patriots are planning to have a booth at the Red Bluff Roundup chili cook-off and a float in the Roundup parade, so get in the swing of spring and be part of the action with your local Tea Party. I provided readers, who may wonder why energy costs are "nec- essarily skyrocket(ing)" as candi- date Obama promised, with reveal- ing columns about gouging going on with PG&E rates to fund Cali- fornia's "big, green rat hole." Also, I touched on the corrupt, rotten schemes and boondoggles from California to Washington wasted in pursuit of the enviro-liberals' fantasy of a green energy future. Folks, that was just the appetizer, so to speak, the tip of the massive- ly wasteful iceberg of renewable energy. You could say that the end was foreseeable from the beginning: Bankruptcies and the loss of many billions of taxpayer/ratepayer dol- lars; the loss of private sector, non- green jobs due to the misallocation of obviously limited investment dollars in economically unsustain- able ventures. Resources are wast- ed building massive wind towers and solar arrays; there's waste inherent in using thousands of acres for such sites when a fraction of that acreage could provide far more, and far more reliable, ener- gy. No matter how many megawatts these wind and solar projects are rated to produce, those megawatts drop to near zero when the wind fades, or when this weird thing happens every single day – the sun sets. So they can only provide redundant, superfluous energy that requires other sources to make up the dif- ference when green gener- ation drops off. These foolish and wasteful con- cepts for providing energy to people, families and businesses can only be dreamed up by utopian planners and environmental ideo- logues that care not what practical- ities stand in their way. They have the financial, regulatory and police power of the state to force these schemes down our energy-depen- dent throats. They then browbeat us with guilt trips over our use of our own collective resources, and with tired, failed and eminently disprovable theories and scare tac- tics about global warming and cli- mate disaster. Take the pompous mini-lecture and thinly-veiled warning from our resident enviro-liberalist: "Those that understand atmospheric chem- istry and appreciate the scientific method realize that non-carbon based fuels are essential to main- tain human habitability of planet As I write this column hundreds of protestors on the steps of the Supreme Court are expressing their positions on what has become known as Obamacare or the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as it is officially called. The Sen- ate passed it on December 24, 2009, the House passed it on March 21, 2010, and President Obama signed it into law on March 23, 2010. Ever since that time conserva- tives across America and 26 state governments have gone on the record in the opposition to its nation- wide mandates to purchase government-approved health insurance. The thing I can't wrap my liberal brain around is why conservatives fail to embrace a requirement that every- one take responsibility for their own health care. The Obama plan has a broad resemblance to Mitt Romney's Massachusetts plan as it builds on ideas developed at the Heritage Foundation in the early 1990s that formed the basis for Republican counter-proposals to Clintoncare in 1993-1994. The more liberal desires in the form of single-payer, or a National Health- style system, were dealt off the table at the starting block as the White House wanted all parties to Richard Mazzucchi Positive Point play a part in shaping the policy. But the Republicans weren't willing to do much in the way of deal-making and negotiating. What they were willing to do, was develop any number of wonderful, ornate lies about a health care reform plan that was cooked up in their own labora- tories and celebrated as a Republican accomplishment only a short time ago, dur- ing the 2008 primary season. At least, in this effort, they truly excelled. The logic of a uni- versal provision for health insurance pur- chase is beyond reproach from anyone that understands how insurance works. Only by having individuals pay premiums while they are healthy is money available when needed to cover costs when they or others are not. Without uni- versal participation the costs of health insurance skyrocket, if it is even available, for persons with less than excellent health or those that suffer from pre-existing condi- tions. On its face the opposition to such a provision is economic insanity as demonstrated by ram- pant health care cost increases and burgeoning state and county expenses for the medical care of uninsured Americans. To bring matters closer to home I must comment on the claims of bullying pinned on the Obama administration for mandating uni- versal access to family planning services to include contraception, and in some limited cases abortion services. It seems that the holier than thou citizens of our country and county as evidenced in the recent "God Talk" column by James Wilson who asserts that the Church is simply refusing to pay for such services inasmuch as to do so violates its understanding of the Christian Faith. What about the golden rule I must ask, where over 90 percent of Catholic women use contraceptives while supporting a Church that would deny them to those that cannot afford them. Since both procedures are legal under law it only follows that insured employees, including those that work for Catholic and evangel- ically run public organizations, would have access to such benefits that keep insurance costs low and ensure equal access to all Ameri- cans irrespective of their personal faith journeys. In my opinion such assertions of government bullying are over the top. By ensuring that all employers, including religious institutions, avail their workers the "opportunity" for family planning, contraception, and yes even abor- tion services in some cases does not force anyone to actually use them while providing more afford- able medical services for all Amer- icans. Like it or not, the fact is that contraception and abortion ser- vices are less costly to insurers, and by extension the taxpayers and the insured, than the alternate costs of childbirth, the rearing of unplanned children dependent upon welfare, and the burdens such unplanned children place upon our already overpopulated planet. By failing to mandate universal access to these family planning ser- vices the president would be com- plicit in the bullying of the Catholic Church and evangelical Christians who would dictate the choices of others that may not share their per- spectives on these deeply personal medical service decisions. The hypocrisy of those that deny access to such services to those of limited means or facing tragic circum- stances, while themselves using them despite the dictates of their religious leaders, constitute a form of economic bullying that is far more egregious than the Oba- macare provisions for cost-effec- tive and constitutionally protected family planning services. Richard Mazzucchi is a retired research engineer specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy. He 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), 2595 Cean- othus Ave., Ste. 182, Chico, CA 95973; 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. Tea Party Patriots events; Epic Green-fail earth. Meanwhile those that could care less about the environment and future wish to wantonly raid every economically viable source – were (sic) not gonna let you do it!" Don Polson The way I see it See if you find this description of renew- able energy more real- ity-based: In evaluat- ing the central argu- ments in favor of poli- cies that would expand the use of renewables, (Zycher) concluded that all are deeply problematic. "Renew- able energy sources are far costlier than conventional fuels; and they create their own set of serious problems. The popu- lar argument that increased use of renewables will create 'green jobs' is likewise a fallacy. Such employ- ment would be an economic drag, and because wind and solar power are costly and inefficient, the net economic impact is a negative one. Resource uses emerging from mar- ket competition are the best guides to effective, sustainable energy policies." (from "Renewable Elec- tricity Generation; Economic Analysis and Outlook" by AEI vis- iting scholar Benjamin Zycher; see http://www.aei.org/scholar/ben- jamin-zycher/ for his impressive resume). Don Polson has called Red Bluff home since 1988.He can be reached by e-mail at donplsn@yahoo.com.