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6A Daily News – Thursday, June 14, 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 Streets Editor: for figuring how to budget the billions for transportation. Now figure out how to fix these tire-busting damn streets. It is almost impossi- ble to pass without being thrown in a bar ditch or rip off a mirror. Thank you Jerry (Brown) Do you suppose that defer- ring the hot rail for a few more months, that this little irritating situation can be attended to? you asked our opinion, you politicians are a pain in the ass. Figure that out. Thad Blanchard Sr., Gerber Editor: How can America be strong, when it is so divided? No new ideas, Republican and Democrat will work in a country, so divided. Our strength comes from standing as "One nation under God." "United, we stand...Divided, we fall." Divided we fall problem. Brought upon us through funding our leader's lifestyle, stupid wars and cor- ruption. Obama, nor Mitt can fix the problem by their self- serving leadership, they fuel the flames of division con- suming our nation. It will take a United States taking a big selfless step toward putting America first by standing united in the middle, and do what's best for our country, instead of putting stupid political parties and their fanatical extremes on both sides first. Once someone is elected support him. We elected them for their ideas. Give them a chance to deliver the promised goods of a cam- paign, but give them the sup- port they need to do the job, if we the people don't like the job they do, then we the peo- ple will vote them out. Politi- cians need to fix our prob- lems, not create them on their self-centered quest for power programs. Such simple principles, and so bothersome to our leaders of both political per- suasions and a simple expla- nation for a falling nation. The more we bicker at either end of the political spectrum, the more we reap the punish- ments of that division. The economy is not an Obama problem. It is a world-wide aisle at first, but had his head bashed in every time and eventually, quit trying and instead turned into just anoth- er political pundit for his party. Now, we don't really know if Obama's plans would have worked, because Con- gress was too politically motivated to give his ideas a chance. We can not be a strong country, if the country is cutting our President off at Obama did reach across the the knees and disrespecting him from day one. Obama didn't create the storms of fury destroying our country and bankrupting our nation, but the ongoing politi- cal debate and division is turning America into a land of waste, instead of a land of plenty. Whether you believe in global warming or the wrath of God, it is not looking good for America either way, because Americans apa- thetically sit and fight each other and consume with no ability to stop the selfish binge on the destructive things of life. We need to clean up our act they were in 1992. Much of that loss is from the govern- ment reducing interest rates so that many could buy homes prior to 2006 for almost noth- ing down. Your Turn as many paid twice as much for homes worth half the 2006 and later selling price. Of course the bubble burst individually, put our best foot forward everyday, love and support each other and get this nation, our families, our schools, our bodies and our souls back on the right track for America. Pat Johnston, Red Bluff Family wealth takes huge hit under Obama Editor: that family wealth has taken a huge 38 percent hit in net worth decline under Obama's term as president. The Federal Reserve said lowest interest rates for sav- ings of these past 50 years. As typical retirees, defined pensions ended 30 years ago, and those small pensions are never inflation adjusted. The 8 percent return on Most of the losses are from the high current inflation coupled with the That puts Americans roughly on par with where investment from 401(k) com- pany matched retirement sav- ings, of the mid 1980s to 2000, now only pay 2 percent interest, or half the rate of inflation. This requires retirees to draw down their lifetime savings more quickly for essentials of food, health care, and home maintenance costs. Government deficit spend- ing, for little received value, needs to end before the econ- omy can recover with private sector jobs and higher invest- ment returns on savings. The first place to start is to cut the number of federal, state, and local government employees and cut their pension plus pay packages, now double those of civilian employees. Joseph Neff, Corning 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. Obama Administration over-regulating farms Commentary The Obama administration is no friend of farmers, and the recent stunt involving the Envi- ronmental Protection Agency (EPA) sending spy planes over the state of Nebraska to keep an eye on where cows drop their patties is the latest example of overreach by an administration that is bent on controlling every aspect of our lives, but farming in particular. According to the Lincoln Journal Star, the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality has been overseeing the health of Nebraska's waters for more than 30 years, and its director, Mike Linder, says he's not sure why the flyovers are taking place. Why let the states do for themselves what our all- knowing, all-seeing govern- ment can do for them? in November 2011 keynote speaker and environmental attorney, Harriet Hageman, warned "The EPA is one of the most insidious organizations in the US." and is "a prime exam- ple of regulation without repre- sentation." Farmers and ranchers have similar concerns about Obama's U.S. Department of At an agricultural conference Agriculture (USDA). During a bus tour across rural America last summer, Obama was con- fronted time and again by ranchers and farmers concerned that unsubstantiated regulation was regulating them out of business. According to the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, proposed USDA regulations "would cost 114,000 jobs nationwide and increase retail meat prices more than three percent." A statistic likely lost on a president whose discriminating palate includes $100 steaks. the USDA's attempt to impose a Christmas tree "tax" (fee) to "improve the image and mar- keting of Christmas trees." Bah humbug. Last fall, the Department of Labor (DOL) attempted to reg- ulate the relationship shared between parents and their kids on family farms. According to Politico, the proposed rule would have prohibited those under age 16 from manual labor like stall cleaning using a shov- el and using a battery-operated screwdriver. When I was a kid, this type of manual labor was called Saturday morning Certainly no one can forget chores. The bill also limited exposure to sunlight based upon wind speed and humidity as well as participation in 4-H clubs. And Mrs. Obama wonders why our kids are so fat. Last but not least, the Department of Transportation (DOT) proposed a rule that would reclassify all farm vehicles as com- mercial motor vehi- cles meaning anyone driving a tractor or operating certain farm equipment would require a commercial driver's license. Never mind the fact that many farm workers are migrant workers who do not qualify for drivers' licenses, let alone commercial drivers' licenses. Admittedly, farmers have their hands dirty in this corner they find themselves backed into. Farming subsidies almost invite the government to med- dle in an industry it plays such a big role in propping up. But farms are not just part of the fabric of this country; Ameri- can farms provide much needed food aid to the third world. When you apply bureaucratic pressure to any indus- try, you run the risk of driving those same workers out of the industry, which becomes self-defeat- ing. Susan Brown Government con- trol of the farming industry is illustrative of the Obama Admin- istration which oper- ates more like a dicta- torship than a repre- sentative democracy. Whether it's farming, healthcare, the auto industry or energy production, there is no amount of government intervention and overreach that can replace good, old-fashioned American ingenuity and hard work. ----- Susan Stamper Brown is an opinion page columnist, motivational speaker and military advocate who writes about politics, the military, the economy and culture. Email Susan at writestamper@gmail.com or her website at susanstamperbrown.com.