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4A – Daily News – Saturday, March 27, 2010 Opinion Interesting 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 cartoon Editor: Interesting political cartoon 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 in Tuesday's edition. Social Security — bankrupt. Medicare and Medicaid — bankrupt. Health Care Reform (Oba- macare) — already bankrupt. The fourth panel should have been a donkey — ass — with a dunce cap. Larry Feser, Red Bluff Enough useless news releases Editor: Please, enough already. Please reconsider the front page placement of political vanity releases, lobbying organiza- tions’ quid pro quos and incon- sequential puff pieces that are submitted by Jim Nielsen and Sam Aanestad — seemingly faster than you can print them. Yet another special interest organization gave Assembly- man Nielsen a perfect report card, and this one landed not only front page, but above the fold. This simply means his voting record pleases their members and constituency. Fair enough. But this is not front-page news, right? Perhaps our honorable offi- cials would consider buying political advertisement from our local paper that relies on adver- tising revenue, and all would be well. Barbara McIver, Red Bluff Inappropriate story rebuttal Editor: I would like a rebuttal to Ann Minch's letter on Tuesday, March 23. She felt we were leaning toward a police state because the local swat team used stu- dents in a training exercise. How many remember the fire drills when we were in grade school? They were used as a worst case scenario to help train the students as to what to do in case of fire. Well guess what? Today's worst case scenario includes things we could not imagine when we were kids. Anyone ever hear of Columbine? I would like to think that could not happen here, however reality says it can happen anywhere and I want our police and our kids prepared for the worst. Your Turn Do I wish it wasn't neces- sary? Of course. However, in the real world, bad things hap- pen and we would be putting our heads in the sand to think we are exempt. Barry LaVette, Red Bluff Concerned about cuts Editor: Only about one-third of high school graduates should attend and graduate from four year col- leges. The majority of students need vocational training and two year associate college degrees to prepare them for vocational jobs. It is of much concern that high schools and associate degree colleges are cutting their vocational pro- grams while retaining expensive sports programs. Too many graduate from high schools with a need for reme- dial courses prior to taking college level courses, and end up requiring 5 and 6 years of taxpayer subsidies and overpowering debt for degrees with little market value. It would be better to cut most sports, limit public service pen- sions to 1 percent of salary for each year of service, and end medical subsidies after retire- ment, other than self-funded Medicare. This would allow needed funding for vocational programs in high school and two year colleges. Our lack of graduates with vocational skills will continue to cause the loss of jobs to more enlightened states and coun- tries. Joseph Neff, Corning Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 4164 P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento 94249; (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319- 2102 STATE SENATOR — Sam Aanestad (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 2054, Sacramen- to, CA 95814. (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), 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), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 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; (415) 403-0100. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Is California going to pot? Commentary If you read the newspapers or listen to the broadcast media, you might think that we in Cali- fornia live in an unusual society obsessed with a single issue: the terms and conditions under which people can consume the chemicals in the smoke derived from a weed that has been out- lawed by the federal govern- ment. The state of California has stated that people with a health condition acknowledged by a licensed doctor may use mari- juana medicinally. In the mean- time some doctors, most likely trying to compensate for reduc- tion in Medicare payments, began to advertize that marijua- na is not just for illness and injury, but also for wellness, a vaguely defined concept, for which the doctor could prescribe marijuana, for a fee, of course. Since it is an illegal sub- stance, obtaining marijuana is a logistical as well as a legal prob- lem, even with a note from your doctor. True to the American entrepreneurial dream, however, many people came forward to try to provide a production and distribution system for those who needed marijuana. This system avoided the gang domi- nated distribution system in place all over the state. These well meaning entrepreneurs ran afoul of local authorities, how- ever. Those local entities learned they had some authority over the placement of marijuana stores and gardens in their communi- ties, and they began developing local ordinances to do just that. Those concerns revolved around the locations of stores and gar- dens and the security measures around the gardens. Local dis- trict attorneys and judges had an opportunity to pontificate about the issues, and city councils and boards of supervisors got to get some press. Coolness and politeness have not always been maintained dur- ing the public hearings on these matters, but decisions were made in many cases. Not all advocates for a more permissive marijuana culture are as mellow as previously stereotyped, and public officials tried to live up to their stereotype by seeming to look like they were maintaining moral strength under pressure. With the state fiscal condition going to pot, a committee of our State Assembly just recently voted to debate a law that would legalize recreational use of mar- ijuana and tax it. Whether that action was a way to eliminate the state fiscal crisis, a cave in to those who claim marijuana is okay, or a crusading attempt to eliminate the prohibition-era- like problems associated with the current uneven policies and laws about marijuana, is subject to debate. To be sure, there are wild estimates of the tax rev- enues that could be raised from legalizing marijuana, and there are those who claim use of mar- ijuana is not a serious problem. According to the Associate Press residents of Humboldt County are worried about the impact of legalized pot on their local economy. "They worry about the ripple effect that a drop in marijuana prices could have on the county as a whole if legalization undermines the black market." One can just imagine the signs at border crossings into California should such a law pass. Instead of inviting cus- tomers to buy Lotto tickets, the signs would proclaim. “Wel- come to California, Buy Golden State Cannabis Here.” Of course border crossings out of Califor- nia would feature check points with drug sniffing dogs examin- ing cars as state border patrol personnel question dri- vers about the contents of their vehicles. Ore- gon, Arizona, and Nevada will likely sue California for the increased costs of “stateland” security. The states’ rights groups who evolved from the old southern concern about main- taining “separate but equal” and literacy qualifications to vote and who tend to be very conservative, found themselves lin- ing up with the pro-marijuana groups in California, proclaim- ing the federal government had no business in California’s poli- tics. of marijuana taxes. They will put an initiative on the ballot, Proposition 99, called the Cannabis for the Classroom Ini- tiative. It will be based on the proposition that the “sin” tax on the State Lottery guar- anteed the schools 50 percent of the pro- ceeds, and therefore the pot tax revenues should be split the same way. Joe Harrop Drug gangs will be forced to find a new way to sustain their legitimacy, and they will work to diversify their product mix, since, as they saw it, the anti-capitalist gov- ernment-run pot busi- ness had undercut their profit margins, and the market mechanism was bypassed. Plastic surgeons will see their business pick up when they advertize ran “remove the gang tat” ads. Meanwhile, Internet suppli- ers will start advertizing dis- cretely they have weed for sale tax free. California most certain- ly will pass a law that disal- lowed shipping of marijuana into the state. Businesses will seek legisla- tion creating a formal distribu- torship for marijuana within the state, carving out areas where they would have a monopoly; they would merely be trying to follow the example of those in the wine and spirits business. A liberal assemblyman will make a push for the state to take over the distribution and produc- tion of the weed, but protests against socialized marijuana will put that legislation on hold. The schools, meanwhile, will lobby to receive the lion’s share In Sacramento, forecasts of income will undoubtedly con- tinue to fall short, perhaps due to the black-market of un-taxed marijuana. The governor will be desperate, and amidst cries of conflict of interest, Governor Meg cancels the contract with E-Bay to market cannabis for the state. Meanwhile rumors will spread that the state legis- lature was considering other, even more profitable means of raising money. State run casi- nos were mentioned as well as state designated red light dis- tricts. Joe Harrop is a retired educator with more than 30 years of service to the North State. He can be reached at DrJoeHarrop@sbcglobal.net.