Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/8460
6A – Daily News – Tuesday, March 30, 2010 Opinion 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 Thank you 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. 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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 Otto von Bismarck said, “Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made.” Sausages? We would have loved to have seen some sausages. We would have killed for sausages. As any Wisconsin boy can tell you, sausages cooked indirectly over mesquite coals until crispy blistered, then slathered with Stadium Sauce and nestled in butter- grilled buns under a layer of fried onions can taste pretty darn yummy. What we got was cut-rate, irate hot dogs. The ugly specta- cle of Congressional wieners pummeling each other over health care was as appetizing as mixing snail guts and lizard tripe and cephalopod eyeballs with sour cream and yellow food dye then serving it on a fungus- covered bark chip. And no, I’m not talking about the spinach dip at The Olive Garden. This isn’t a “pox on both their houses” deal either. Like psy- chic vultures sensing imminent putrefaction, Republicans amplified their pontificating protestations to a high- pitched squeal; piercing enough to annoy canines all across this Congress Editor: I would like to thank the con- gress, the senate and the presi- dency for the passage of the patient protection and afford- able care act. I thank you on behalf of those who, like myself, some of my family friends and friends, suffer from a pre-existing con- dition. Under the previous sta- tus quo I was in fear of loosing my coverage and not being able to qualify for health insurance. Although I am not fond of the coverage I have, I know it is still better than no coverage. As of September, children like my son will have the right to buy health insurance and by 2014 so will I. My private health insurance company will no longer be able to abuse me or others like me unrestrained, as it has done in the past. No more denial of sick patients, no more dropping your policy if you get sick, no more abusive rates. On behalf of small business owners like myself who strug- gle to provide their employees with health insurance, thank you for the tax credits. I thank you on behalf of real fiscal conservatives such as myself. The USA spends per capita more money in health care than any of the industrial- ized nations that cover every one of their citizens. How is it possible to spend less money when you cover more people? That is such an easy math question my fourth- grader can do it. It is much cheaper to cover the doctor appointment and even the pre- scription of a kid with asthma and keep that kid ambulatory than it is to wait until that same kid, now untreated, develops respiratory distress, needs to call an ambulance, is taken to the emergency room and will, now suffering from a life threat- ening condition, spend a few days in the hospital. Can you imagine this bill? Suddenly paying the doctor’s visit and prescription seems the logical, fiscally conservative thing to do and it has the benefit of not risking that kid’s life. You see, for those in fear of socialized medicine I have news for you. We already had it. It was called Medicare and Med- icaid, and people who have it are more satisfied than I am with my high premium, high deductible private insurance. We also have socialized schooling and socialized law enforcement. The difference is that instead of using the charged term socialized, we refer to them as public. I adore my chil- dren’s public school, and have the utmost value for my local law enforcement officers. If you think that along with safety and education, health is also a human right, public health makes sense. That is why public health is the norm in every industrialized country in the world. As with our own Medicare recipients you may find one per- son or another complaining about their public health care but the majority like it and none of those citizens want to loose it. What passed con- gress Sunday was Civil Rights for sick people. Since nobody knows how their own health will fare tomor- row, that may very easily be you. What has GOP done lately? Editor: There’s an old political quote that says, “What have you done for me lately?” That is exactly what we need to ask of the Republican Party. I'm beginning to think the R in Republican actually means road- block and ridicule. They claim to be patriots and dearly love to wrap themselves in the American flag. But, we have to then ask, “What have you done for the common person in American society?” Going all the way back to the Roosevelt Administration, the Republicans have been against every program that actu- ally does help the common per- son. The Republicans have always been solidly against: Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, universal health care, minimum wage, right to join a union, work- er's compensation, unemploy- ment insurance, worker safety — Your Turn Daniela Sartori, Red Bluff OSHA — environmental protec- tions, animal welfare and our entire public school system. Then, what do Republicans strongly support? First of course business profits. Corporation dominance over our political system. Weak government, lax busi- ness regulations, low taxes for the rich. Stop a woman from control- ling her own reproduc- tive system. Disparage all homo- sexuals and naturally religious schools. Oh yes, the love of constant wars. Here a war, there a war, everywhere a war. And compa- nies with huge profits from sell- ing war machinery to all comers — good and bad. Right now, 45,000 people die every year in America because they can't afford medical care. What do you bet, not one of those 45,000 deaths is a rich Republican? Some persons say that is one handy way to get rid of 45,000 potential Democratic voters every single year. What we truly need in Ameri- ca to protect all of us common people is socialism. And before you get yourself worked into a nervous fit, go read up on what socialism really is. You’ll find it works very well in dozens of other countries. And it will work right here in Ameri- ca. We ought to give it a try. Then, we’ll have common people controlling our country and not huge corporations and the super wealthy. Donald Ward, 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. Watching sausages Commentary great Northern Hemisphere of ours. In the throes of a pseudo- religious ecstasy, one Texas Republican chummed the waters by calling a Michigan Democrat “Baby Killer” on the floor of the House, frenzying his posse of nitwit accomplices into hurling the N-word, the F-word, half a dozen bricks, a handful of death threats, several mouths full of red hot spittle, gum wrappers, a jewel encrusted black ceramic bird (the stuff that dreams are made of, two faxed nooses and possibly a bullet. The conservative party-line claimed their Neanderthals were simply playing catch-up to the health care proponents’ lead- mitten handling of the issue, and they suggested Democrats kill the bill to quell the rising tem- pers. That’s right. Fan the flames of stupidity then blame the other side for the scorching climate (different from global warming). If Republican gall were congeal- able, we could dam the Caribbean. And it’s still not over. To say the GOP is not taking this defeat lying down is like saying freeze- dried mustard clumps make for substandard Q-Tips. Within 10 minutes of the president signing the bill, a deluge of 14 state leg- islatures began to challenge the bill’s constitutionality. And you wonder why getting anything done in this country is like trying to shovel sand with a pitchfork. Republicans vowed to go down swinging, and they’re probably not talking about hiking the Appalachian Trail with each other’s wives. Let’s be frank: not a sin- gle member of the minority voted for the health care bill. Not one. That’s not a politi- cal party, that’s the Borg. “RESISTANCE IS FUTILE.” The reani- mated Halloween pumpkin that is Sen. Mitch McConnell remains determined to continue the construction of his cement wall of obstructionism turning “The Party of No” into “The Party of Hell No,” veering dangerously close to “The Party of Screw You!” People may mock Obama for his Messianic glaze, but you got Will to relish this resurrection of health care which makes Lazarus risen look like a third- grade magician’s trick. Focus a telescope and you can make out the scuff marks on the bill’s knees from where it climbed out of the morgue drawer. Maybe now we should try handing the president seven loaves and seven fish- es and see what he does with that. Or better yet, seven loaves and seven sausages. Durst Raging Moderate Will Durst is a San Francisco-based political comic who writes sometimes, this being an example. His new CD, “Raging Moderate,” released this week, is available both on ITunes and Amazon. And don’t forget, he’s hosting Showtime’s “The Green Collar Comedy Show” on Thursday, April 22 at 9 p.m. E- mail Will at durst@caglecartoons.com.