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6A Daily News– Wednesday, June 27, 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. 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 Sober thanks Editor: Club would like to thank the communities of Red Bluff and Corning for their generosity towards the 2012 CUHS Sober Grad Night. Without your support the event would not have been as successful. Scam warning Editor: Shondon Gregg, Corning received a call, "Hi Grandmom — this is your oldest grandson." We proceeded to discuss our health, etc. when he said, "I'm calling you from Lima, Peru. My friend Steven won a lottery for a trip for two and he took me with him." Another scam warning. I The Corning High Parents He hung up. I'm sure it was leading up to asking for money. Doris Trendler, Red Bluff Give him the bird Editor: Bird's escapades valuable space in the newspaper. Please, please quit giving Don I can only assume he is looking for notoriety and you give it to him. newspaper and gets nowhere, evi- dence the Nielsen brouhaha. The more attention he gets, the longer he will continue, and I per- sonally am glad I don't know him or live in his neighborhood. Please don't give him the atten- tion he seeks. He clogs the court system and He described the lovely weather and hotel, etc. then he said he hadn't been able to con- tact anyone — thus a call to me. He said, "Grandmom — I'm in trouble — I'm in jail!" He said they had rented a car and the previous renter had left some drugs in it and they were being blamed for it. Like Phyllis Johnson — who sent you a similar letter, I start- ed to suspect a scam. I said, "David, how many children do you have?" He hesitated a moment and said, "two" (which is correct). "What are their names," I asked. you're asking me that when I'm in trouble!" I said, "I don't believe you are my David and I think this is a scam!" He answered, "I can't believe Trouble in Rancho Tehama Editor: Yes, things are definitely hot in Rancho Tehama (RTA). RTA Board that Westin or his can- didate supporters are stealing our campaign materials from the pub- lic bulletin boards at the Associa- tion Headquarters. Westin and his Gang of Three have made it difficult for candidates to state their positions by refusing to send out Candidate Statement materials along with the ballots. Westin's candidates, it is should have saved her/his money and could afford it. Your Turn Beth Cardwell, Gerber believed, are supported by The Fair Play Committee, and possibly by RTA paid staff members who are afraid of losing jobs should a new administration come into power. Their posters remain on the boards, while the mine and Haskell's posters are ripped off. So much for fair play at the ranch. Sheri Schultz, Corning Politics It is not just the bridge, the loan and the restated governing docu- ments. To add to the mix, this week, ballots will be mailed to the association members to vote for 3 out of 5 directors. The two directors remaining for another year are Juan De Michoacan Caravez and William (Bill) H. Westin. In an attempt to gain the edge of power, Caravez — along with loveranchote- hama.com and Hispanics United of Rancho Tehama — is support- ing candidates Ruth Haskell and me. I and Haskell have been cam- paigning for a couple of weeks now, and are complaining to the ney as our next president, for you see lassies and lads, there is noth- ing we need more than another unfunded illegal occupation of another sovereign nation. Oh golly gee, you say, how do we pay for it? Well to be honest, get your heads out of your back side, and do some thing un-ameri- can and think. All we have to do is get rid of The Healthcare Afford- ability Act. You know the racist term is Obamacare, even those lemmings of the left call it just that. Editor: Yes we must elect Mitt Rom- Who cares if that person, whether in East Los Angeles or in the Appalachian Mountains, dies for lack of affordable health care, not my problem. That person The same goes for the residents of Los Molinos as the more wealthy uptown Palo Cedro, now ask yourself in which area will the school dis- trict offer the best educa- tion. fighters and policemen, that way our educational system will allow more ignorance, our firefighters will not be there to quench the blaze as our homes or business burn to the ground. Do not forget the ladies and gentlemen of law enforcement will not be there when a thief is stealing what is left in your burning home or busi- ness. thieving and corrupt unions after all they were selected by the peo- ple of that employer. These unions of whom the leadership has been voted in by the democratic action of the ballot box. You go America, the land of lemming, vote your freedom away, we all will lose, and go back to a time when there were no child labor laws, and 70 hours per work week with 12-hour work day were common. It could be that we take everything we have gained in the last century can not be taken away? Then we have those crooked We must invade another country, and lay- off more teachers, fire- Must we step back in time to see again the struggles tied in with the death and blood-shed that took place, only to have them taken away at the stroke of a pen? Do you as Americans have the forti- tude to shed your blood, and put your life on the line to gain these freedoms back? Robert Hogan, Red Bluff 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. Failing the U.S. citizenship test Commentary "It's not my fault I failed the test. It's a lot harder than it looks." "Ah, yes, you speak of the U.S. citizenship test, which Newsweek recently asked 1,000 U.S. citizens to complete. Near- ly 40 percent failed!" ica's system of government. How many branches are there in our government?" "Four: executive, judicial, "That's because the test is rid- dled with trick questions, if you ask me." legislative and the Federal Reserve run by that Bernanke guy who prints trillions in new money to pay the government's bills." "The test is actually very straightforward. It is composed of 100 questions about govern- ment, rights, history and civics. Test-takers are presented with a random selection of 10 ques- tions and must correctly answer six to pass." "Yeah. Well, why don't we go through some of the questions? You'll understand why I failed it." "OK, here goes. What is the most important right granted to U.S. citizens?" "The right to vote for the guy who promises to give you the most free stuff from the govern- ment that is paid for by your neighbors." "Technically, that is not cor- rect, but your answer is regret- tably accurate these days. Let's try some questions about Amer- "Though you are technically wrong again, your answer makes sense to me. Let's try another: What is the U.S. Con- stitution and can it be changed?" "The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land! It can be changed by creating an amendment, which is really hard to do. But President Obama has shown there is no need to change it. You can just ignore it and nobody will mind too much." "Regrettably, the spirit of your answer is correct. What is your answer to this one: What is the U.S. Congress and what are its duties?" "There are some principled people in the U.S. Congress, but your point is well-taken. How would you answer this: For how long do we elect each of our 100 U.S. senators?" "Until the law final- ly catches up with them." Now name one purpose of the United Nations." "To create lots of cushy lifetime jobs for foreign people who mostly hate the United States." "That's pretty funny. include in their government- directed health care policies, religion was practiced freely in America." Tom "Not bad. Let's try some history questions. Who said, 'Give me liberty or give me death'?" Purcell "The purpose of the Congress is to allow 435 people who mostly can't hold real jobs in the private sector to get cushy gov- ernment salaries and retirement benefits and just enough fame and power to date staffers." "I just said that last week to the wife after I had one too many at the pub. But it was also said by Patrick Henry, whose words helped spark America's desire to seek independence from England." "That is correct. Why did the Pilgrims come to America?" "They sought religious free- dom and, until the Obama administration recently started telling churches what they must cent of the test-takers couldn't name the vice president." "I'll bet Joe Biden gets that question wrong 30 percent of the time, too." ——— "I must admit, sir, that your answers make a lot of sense. Still, the nearly 40 percent of Americans who failed the citizen- ship test did so because of basic igno- rance about America's history and govern- ment. That's worri- some for a govern- ment that derives its just powers from the consent of the gov- erned. Nearly 30 per- Tom Purcell, a humor columnist for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, is nationally syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate. Visit Tom on the Web at www.TomPurcell.com or e-mail him at Purcell@caglecartoons.com.