Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/65184
6A Daily News – Thursday, May 10, 2012 Opinion DAILYNEWS 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. 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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 Since Gov. Romney has sewn up the nomination tighter than one of Chris Christie's old suits, the only remaining Republican elec- tion drama is which name the Bairn of Bain Capital intends to place on the bottom of his bumper sticker. Yes, friends, it's once again time to play that quadrenni- al game sensation sweeping the nation: Let's Guess Mitt's Vice Presidential Pick. sumptive nominee's prom date doesn't play out until June or July, but this year, the mushrooming punditocracy has chewed on the fat, tasty, rancorous primary for so long they bloated up like a poi- soned toad. And are hungry. Which is why "running mate" is currently chalked atop the media blackboard menu. "Feed Me!" The vice presidency is an odd job interview. Best way to apply is to deny desiring the position. Say- ing exemplary things about the candidate never hurts. Neither does fund-raising. Disguising any interest in 2016 -- all good. But the choice ultimately depends on whether Willard decides to excite his base, gravitate towards the middle, or make a game change. Here's a couple contenders. Texas Congressman Dr. Ron Usually the question of the pre- Paul: 1,000 to 1. Less chance than a snail hauling a piano has of qual- ifying for the 100-meter dash at the London Summer Olympics. Texas Gov. Rick Perry: 10,000 2012 Veepstakes to1. Same thing, only the snail is dead. Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, pizza CEO Her- man Cain, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and Minnesota Con- gresswoman Michele Bachmann: 100,000 to 1. The snail is dead and the piano is made of uranium, heaviest element on Earth. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie: 100 to 1. Spends much time bringing many things to the table but, alas, New Jersey is not among them. Former Minnesota Governor That's a Broadway musical, not a presidential ticket. South Carolina Gov. Nikki Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal: 25 to 1. President Barack. Vice President Piyush. Totally possible. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush: 50 to 1. Too soon. People need more time to recover from Bush Fatigue. Another two decades should do it. New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Tim Pawlenty: 10 to 1. Only prob- lem is, two guys so white, might become known as the Albino Ticket. Ayotte: 50 to 1. Would help nail down that crucial Northeast vote. Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels: 25 to 1. Bland and boring. A vic- tory party guaranteed to cure insomniacs. Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan: 30 to 1. More polarizing than a linear accelerator. Makes Romney look liberal. Former Utah Gov. Jon Hunts- man: 200 to 1. Two Mormons? Haley: 80 to 1. Hybrid of Sarah Palin and Bobby Jindal with asso- ciative perks and pot- holes. Former Pennsylva- nia Sen. Rick Santo- rum: 10 to 1. Good Christian mudder. Especially helpful should Mitt need Old Testament righteous- ness to counter squishy- conservative charges. Ohio Sen. Rob Port- man: 100 to 1. Dubyah's old budget director could make Romney's economic argument fuzzier than peach sea- son in Georgia. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice:. 1,000 to 1. More dead snails and immensely heavy pianos. Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell: Cheney: 300 to 1. Relieved to leave D.C., but could be con- vinced to work on behalf of coun- try again. After all, he's already had one recent change of heart. The New York Will Durst Raging Moderate Times says Emmy- nominated comedian and writer Will Durst "is quite possibly the best political satirist working in the country today." Check out the website: willdurst.com to buy his book or find out about upcoming stand- up perfor- mances. Every Tuesday. Elect to Laugh! The Marsh. San Francisco. the- marsh.org. Special $10 tix. Use code "vote." Will Durst is a political 60 to 1. Fading fast. Broke unwrit- ten "don't speak of wanting it" rule. Blatantly airing image ads even though he's not running for office. Florida Sen. Mario Rubio. 3 to 1. Catholic Hispanic AND state of Florida. Fits together like seashores, lemonade and halter tops. Former Vice President Dick comedian who has performed around the world. He is a familiar pundit on television and radio. E- mail Will at durst@caglecartoons.com. Check out willandwillie.com for the latest podcast. Will Durst's book, "The All American Sport of Bipartisan Bashing," is available from Amazon and better bookstores all over this great land of ours. Don't forget to check out his rooftop comedy minutes at: http://www.rooftopcomedy.com/s hows/BurstOfDurst. 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. Obamacare's Medicare scam Commentary deserve to enjoy their golden years in security rather than be faced with the uncertainty of having their beloved Medicare benefits yanked away thanks to provisions within the Democratic Party's darling, Obamacare. America's senior citizens Mathematicians Congres- sional Democrats are not. Democrats failed to inform seniors nearly half of Oba- macare's cost would be funded initially by taking more than $500 billion from Medicare. When this information was made public, Democrats promised the cost-shifting would not in any way lead to benefit cuts. In addition, they were told Obamacare would reduce the deficit and were told everyone could keep their doctors. If Democrats gen- uinely believed what they were saying, they obviously failed to factor into their quirky calculations that pesky little fact that Medicare reim- bursement cuts to doctors would send them packing in droves, making it a bit tricky to use the same doctor if he or she no longer treats Medicare patients. Moreover, another side effect from this pernicious leg- islation is what seems to be the ultimate destruction of the Medicare Advantage (MA) program as seniors know it today. It is to no surprise that this program elected by mil- lions of seniors has been in Obama's crosshairs for quite some time. After all, MA allows beneficiaries the ability to receive Medicare benefits via private health insurance plans. In Obama's world, MA is a waste of money but spend- ing countless tax dollars on green energy pipedreams is considered smart investing. Obviously, Democrats failed to consider the timing of these cuts when Obamacare was enacted. Many seniors are in the process of losing their MA plans or will discover they are about to lose them — just before the 2012 election. Most sadly, according to the Her- itage Foundation, low-income seniors and minorities will be the hardest hit by these cuts. Once again, Democrats claim to be the party for minorities and the poor, but contradict their claims with stunts like this. More than 25 percent of Medicare recipients are MA participants. Of those, a large percentage lives in key swing states like Pennsylvania, Flori- da and Ohio. The Obama administration knew they had to do something to protect the senior citizen vote so they pulled another trick out of their trusty Chicago politics top hat when they con- jured up $8.3 billion taxpayer dollars to supplement MA bene- fits until after the 2012 elections. After the election, all bets are off and seniors will be left to figure it out. thereafter, "for a total of $2.2 trillion" in cuts. The Weekly Stan- dard suggests this ploy is illegal in that "a president isn't gen- erally thought to pos- sess the power to real- locate American's resources to shore up his polit- ical vulnerabilities." The Gov- ernment Accountability Office (GAO) apparently concurred, recently telling the administra- tion to stop this charade the administration fronts as a "demonstration project." This Medicare funds siphoning will continue, according to a January 3, 2011 Wall Street Journal article, "Obamacare's Medicare Cuts in the New Year." The article discloses that Obamacare will extract from "Medicare and related federal programs," $638 billion over the next ten years, and an additional $1.6 trillion in the seven years Susan Brown Democrats will use their best "Mediscare" tactics to deflect the blame to Republicans for the mess they've cre- ated. You can read an informative article about this "mess" at the Galen Institute online at: galen.org/topics/oba- macare-a-dozen- more-damaging-dis- closures/. tions that will leave Medicare benefits intact for today's seniors and those nearing retire- ment. The plan also gives younger Americans the oppor- tunity for a far superior program to work toward, while allowing today's seniors the ability to rest in the promises America made to them long ago. In stark contrast, Republicans have common sense solu- Susan Stamper Brown is an op-ed columnist, motivational speaker, military family advocate and grief counselor who writes about politics, the military, the economy and culture. she can be reached at susan@susanstamperbrown.co m.