Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/89341
4A Daily News – Tuesday, October 23, 2012 Opinion Comings and Goings of the 2012 election 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. 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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 This column presents a wide spectrum of opinion, from local governance to international policy. I discuss Lisha Goings, the person I feel is best equipped to represent the people of Red Bluff on the city council, and then broaden to an over- arching concern about how our next President will protect and project our freedoms and morals on to the world. Lisha Will Represent The People: During the time that Lisha Goings and her husband Milton have lived in Red Bluff, she has been active in the community and Richard Mazzucchi Positive Point understands the issues and con- cerns facing our residents. Placing a value on community service, she is a member of the Lions Club, the Sunrise Rotary, attends the North Valley Baptist Church and volun- teers for the VFW. Milton heads up the local Toys for Tots annual Christmas drive and assists with the Young Marine program. Lisha also knows the pulse of Red Bluff through the daily interactions with her customers at her business, Pea- cock Emporium/Second Hand Rose. club in Honolulu, Lisha knows the challenges which small businesses face and the support needed from government to make them successful. Now as the owner of her Wal- nut Street business, she understands the issues which our local small businesses are experi- encing. She recognizes that it is the success of the small business which contributes to a solid local economy, employment and tourism. Lisha Will Support Small Busi- nesses: As the previous owner of a jewelry store and restaurant/night- Red Bluff: After attend- ing college, Lisha worked for thirteen years for the Better Business Bureau during which time she received national recognition for her achievement in marketing Hawaii's BBB. Lisha has first- hand marketing experience through the promotion of her United States and European country western and Polynesian musical tours. Locally, she has promoted Red Bluff by being a finalist in Northern California's Senior Idol program and per- forming at various local events. Lisha Will Be a Team Player: As a wife, mother of 3, step- mother of 3, grandmother of 14, small business owner and com- Lisha Will Promote munity volunteer, she knows how to manage her time as a team player. Six years ago, when she and Milton decided to come to Red Bluff, the hometown of her father, they both became actively involved in the community. When Lisha realized that there were only two candidates for two council positions, she decided to become a candidate to give voters a choice and to further her contri- bution to her city. She says "I am not running against anyone or anything, I am campaigning for Red Bluff." If you have questions or comments for Lisha here is her contact information: 527-3738 – Lishashere@hotmail.com. Now at the opposite end of politics we've heard from the candidates on domestic issues like jobs, the economy and immi- gration. But there are a lot of human rights topics left to cover, specifically, "What will President Obama and Governor Romney say about drones?" There are many things we charge or trial, raises grave con- cerns that the U.S. is committing extrajudicial executions in viola- tion of international human rights law. have spoken in favor of drones, which have been depicted as a technologically advanced, preci- sion tool for targeting suspects in remote areas. But as the mounting civilian casualties demonstrate, under U.S. policy, anyone can be targeted as a possible enemy or simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The CIA reportedly operates under the "guilty until proven innocent" assumption that any male of mili- tary age in Pakistan is a potential drone target, unless intelligence has shown otherwise. Drone strikes reflect a "global Both presidential candidates don't know about U.S. drone pol- icy, for example, the govern- ment's rules of engagement for drone attacks. Drone missions and strategy operate under a shroud of secrecy. But what we do know is scary -- the deliberate killing of individuals deemed by the U.S. government to be terror- ism suspects, far from any recog- nized battlefield and without war" mentality that has been passed on from the Bush admin- istration to the Obama White House. But the whole world is not a battlefield, where lethal force can be used without regard for international human rights and humanitarian law. In my opinion this reckless approach to national security policy must end now, and it would appear the President Obama is the man to end it as we withdraw from Afghanistan. Richard Mazzucchi can be reached at living-green@att.net. 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: governor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2595 Ceanothus Ave., Ste. 182, Chico, CA 95973; 893-8363. U.S. SENATORS — Dianne Fein- stein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393- 0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Mont- gomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Here's my stand and I'm stickin' to it Commentary First, readers may want to attend the Tea Party Patriots meet- ing tonight; they will be discussing the ballot propositions. On some, there may be consensus and rec- ommendation; on others, people may disagree. Come see where our local Tea Party stands; plan to attend at the Westside Grange on Walnut Street at 6 PM. Also, please note that next Tuesday, all of the State Senate candidates have agreed to appear at the Tea Party Patriots meeting to make their cases for your vote. Readers should already know where I stand regarding Jim Nielsen's race for State Senate and Doug LaMalfa's for Congress – I fully support, endorse and con- tribute to both of them. Regarding LaMalfa's candidacy, I have for- gotten more instances of his going to bat for his constituents than his opponents have engaged in alto- gether. Whether it's water, agricul- tural, forestry, land use, regulatory, tax or spending issues, he's put in long days on the road to learn first- hand what his people need, how they get shafted by governmental agencies and how to work the levers of power for us, our interests and values. Crop subsidies for rice grow- ers? Really? That's hardly worth lathering up over when you consid- er that it's legal, and constitutes a fraction of the tax dollars wasted on food stamps that have long since ceased to sustain the poor and the destitute among us in favor of simply inducing dependency on the government. If you want to reform the subsidy program, I'm with you since the meddling of government in agriculture has been a mixed blessing over the decades, but I'm not for singling out LaMal- fa's legitimate use of the program. Doug had an opponent in the pri- mary that made his living in den- tistry, if I recall. You don't think a fair portion of his income was made possible via governmental subsidies for Medicaid recipients? Much could also be said about my friend Jim Nielsen's devotion to our north state needs and values; I am proud of the tireless work he has performed defending our water, our safety, our rural and agricultural values and way of life. The endorsementsa he has gar- nered should make the case for him: California Farm Bureau, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Associa- tion, Crime Victims United of Cal- ifornia, California Rifle and Pistol Association (named Nielsen Legis- lator of the Year), National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of California (Did I miss any?). I have to say that I am so tired of the cheap shots and accusations directed at Jim over having a home (not his only one but a home nonetheless) in Gerber. It's not a trailer, or a mobile – it is a manu- factured home on a permanent foundation, making it as much "real property" as my 1965 "stick built" home. During one fundrais- ing event, I had occasion to go inside and use "the facilities" and found that, from the bathroom to the kitchen to the rest of the house, personal effects were in abun- dance. The bathroom was clearly used but clean; the carpets were obviously used but quite clean; the mail occupied some counter space. I raise that because, whether it's local, state, Congressional or national Republican races, we need to quit nit picking our guys and gals over unimportant minutia; I say "lead, follow or get the heck out of the way" of those fighting for us and our conservative principles. If all people can do is throw verbal rocks, wait until they are in positions to actually do something to apply your pressure to keep them accountable. Right now, Jim Nielsen needs your vote to make sure he gets 50 percent plus 1, so that we can avoid a special runoff election costing taxpayers mil- lions of dollars. Don As for the Democrat, Jim Reed, a YouTube recorded his statements to his own, safe and Democratic constituents. The one thing that stood out to me that politically condemns him to defeat is that he really favors a single- payer, MediCare-for-all, essential- ly socialized, health care system. The guy is a hard-core lefty! He will sign onto any tax increase that comes down the legislative pike, and would not lift a finger to pre- vent taxes going up – in the inter- ests of "fairness," of course. He is a "tax attorney," which means he's not in the business of figuring out how his clients can pay more in taxes. Heavens no! He wants to make sure they pay the absolute minimum they are legally obligat- ed to pay, not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just that we have no short- age of rich Democrats bemoaning the so-called "unfairness" of a sys- tem that they take advantage of (i.e. Warren Buffet) by relying on Polson The way I see it investments for income that is taxed at a rate lower than that for "ordinary income." Hence, they pay "less than their sec- retaries" (a phony argu- ment since they will pay massively more dollars than their secretaries). But here's the irony, the hypocrisy if you will, similar to the debate over estate, or "death," taxes: Govern- ment has legitimate claims on a portion of the money anyone earns, as agreed to by our elected representa- tives responsible to we, the people. Once earned income has been sub- jected to "income taxes," what's left should belong to those who earned it, and if they invest it profitably, in bonds, stocks or simply will it to heirs, those shouldn't be so-called tax- able events. Government simply shouldn't have an endless claim on our money. Period! America's rich (and corporations) are taxed at the highest levels of virtually all industrialized coun- tries. Raising rates will, first, result in sending many them (and their money) to other countries and, sec- ond, never raise over a trillion dol- lars a year to balance our bottom- less spending pit. Don't send another tax-and-spend Democrat, Jim Reed, to Congress. People need to understand that Don Polson has called Red Bluff home since 1988. He can be reached by e-mail at donplsn@yahoo.com.