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4A – Daily News – Thursday, April 29, 2010 Opinion Know your 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 candidates Editor: 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 Judge Murray in Department 2 and Judge King in Department 1 are both retiring at the end of this year. This is to clarify which candidates are running for Office 1 and Office 2 for judge of the Tehama County Superior Court. Running for Office 1 is Lisa Muto versus Jonathan Skillman. Running for Office 2 is Todd Bottke versus William Murphy. Red Bluff Candidates Night will be Monday, May 3 at 6:30 p.m. at the Veterans Hall on Jackson and Oak streets. Coming Candidates Night will be May 17 at 7 p.m. at the Coming Veterans Hall in Com- ing. Know your candidates and exercise your Constitutional right to vote for your choice and be heard on June 8. Betty Dale-Martin, Red Bluff Cleaning up government Editor: Recently I attended several meetings of sincere, God-fear- ing folks who gather in prepara- tion to peacefully take on cor- ruption in government at the state and federal level. When I tell them who I am, what I did for a living and how I was able to observe sweet- heart deals for a select few deputies that involved the abuse of their tax dollars by their local hero, a few turned on me and were ready to run me out of town on a rail. It's easy to judge those far away but not close to home. We can cast down those who are at a distance but when it comes to facing the reality that the local politician you shook hands with, broke bread with or feel you personally know betrays your trust it is a hard pill to swallow. The truth hurts espe- cially when you learn you have been duped and taken in. Most American citizen want to clean up government; I say we start at home first. I was Sheriff Parker's operations lieu- tenant for the Tehama County Sheriff’s Department for the last 7 years of my 32-year career. This gave me the best seat in the house to watch and evaluate. From 2005 to 2007 I received information from my detectives, several sergeants and a couple of civilian employees of wrong doing inside our own department, which included using county time and equipment to further personally owned business and illegal accumulation of over- time hours. I first interviewed the wit- nesses, I made my own obser- vations, I gathered the evidence and then offered to the sheriff an honest and factual conclu- sion — this is what seasoned peace officers do. My reporting of these events fell on deaf ears. I know that five other detec- tives and the undersheriff gave the boss the same report; there was no hiding the truth, it was out and known, by us and the public. The sheriff had two paths to follow, admission and putting an end to it, or denial and eva- siveness. He broke my heart when he chose the latter. As voters you will have to decide who is telling the truth and act accordingly. For those who are sincere about cleaning up our government you should come to the realization that you don't have to go to Sacramento or Washington D.C. to start the process. Darrell Plemons, Red Bluff Candidates running for jobs Editor: In the past presidential elec- tion the main theme was change. That is what we the people received, change; from bad to worse. Change does not start at the top. Actually, not too many endeavors in life start at the top. This is our country and our elected officials need to be held accountable. So why not Your Turn start at the county level. It is election time in Tehama County and there are various candidates vying for various political offices. I have noticed many sign boards spread throughout the county. A sign does not give much informa- tion on the agenda or ability of the candidate be it the incumbent or the opposition. I am hopeful that all the candidates will participate in having their inten- tions published in our local paper. The people of Tehama County need information. Most of us are aware that an economic depression has hit this county fairly hard with almost 18 percent unemploy- ment, maybe more? The future is somewhat gloomy for many of us. The candidates are basically asking the voters of this coun- ty for employment. We the people of Tehama County need to know what each candidate intends to do to help the coun- ty. That means all of us in the community. You want the job so what are your plans? The people are the ones who pay the salaries. The positions being sought cannot just be handed to a per- son with little or no agenda. We the people need informa- tion not empty promises. J.W. Ostrowski, Red Bluff 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. Arizona: Your appointed governor is a coward Commentary An hour south of Tucson you’ll find deserted silver mines used to make Confederate bul- lets in the latter days of the Civil War. The settlers of the region tried and failed to gain the fed- eral government’s protection for their business interests. They were at war with the Apache tribe and desperate to have fed- eral troops present so they could excavate in a place named after the Aztec word for “silver-bear- ing.” The feds ignore them. The then-residents, number- ing in the thousands, probably by counting everyone twice, decided to succeed from the Union. So when Arizona cries foul at the federal government’s shortcomings, this time it’s not new territory. In fact, everything about SB 1070, Arizona’s new ruthless immigration law signed last week, seems refried. It’s the same bill Governor Janet Napolitano vetoed twice. It’s a three-peat of a bad idea. And it’s a political cliché: When the economy is struggling, scape- goat “illegals.” In 1994 California’s then- Governor Pete Wilson knew the drill: His notorious re-election commercials showed immi- grants running over the border like invading pathogens and he got to appear responsive to vot- ers’ fears. What happens to illegal immigrants when the economy is thriving? Business owners adore them. They don’t have to pay them the whopping federal- ly mandated minimum wage. Undocumented workers will never unionize. They will never sue. They are the perfect employees from a business owner’s perspective and that is why they continue to be employed in this country. They increase profit. They’re an end- less resource — an exploitable subclass. Their legality is only an issue when attention needs to be drawn away from something else. Then “illegals” are a moral outrage. A sudden threat to national security. Why haven’t we had immigration reform since Ronald Reagan’s 1986 amnesty? Because in the boom times we love all the cheap labor. But now it’s lean for Ari- zona. The recently appointed Governor Jan Brewer needs to (gulp) raise taxes. So in a cow- ardly kowtowing act of despera- tion she gave the rabid of her base what they want — a dra- matic crackdown on the-people- easy-to-point-a-finger-at. So the same people whose sweat and sacrifice assists the booms are going to get busted after the bust? Using vague and coded terms like “reasonable suspicion” the law enables police to pick up people who don’t look a certain way. What way? Governor Brewer told reporters after the signing ceremony she doesn’t know what an illegal immigrant looks like. Of course, she’s federally obligat- ed to say she’s against racial profiling, which she offered like a dis- claimer before realiz- ing the opposite. The next time you need a definition for the word “disingenu- ous” use the example of a governor of a state bordering Mexico cre- ating a law to arrest those without proper identification being coy about what Mexi- cans without papers look like. The kicker was the Governor stating, “We have to trust our law enforcement.” The signing was as spineless as it was witless. It’s like writ- ing a law to ban teenagers but not having the cojones to define who they are. They wear differ- ent shoes. We’ll let the police just sort it out. This isn’t leadership. It’s pandering. It’s vilifying the voiceless while setting up the police to catch blame for imple- menting an ambiguous decree — all the while terrorizing a third of Arizonians who are Latino. Weak. Cheap. Sniveling. Sycophantic. As a state Arizona has Tina Dupuy always been a little kooky. It’s all personality: From Barry Goldwater to John McCain from Wyatt Earp to Sylvestor Mowry. The state is infamous for being the backdrop of the most romantic of American lore — the outlaw, the cowboy. It’s a state of unprecedented beauty with goofy politics and sun-baked pas- sions. It’s all woven through with this defi- ant libertarian-leaning credo of letting people do their own thing. Arizona hasn’t been a police state since the California Column confiscated all the land from the Confeder- ate sympathizers. Way to break that run. Unlike most who are calling for a boycott, I had two trips to Arizona planned this year. Regretfully, I have cancelled them both. I would happily have paid the one percent increase in sales tax but I won’t give my tourist dollars to state sanc- tioned harassment. I hope the voters get better leadership but until that time, I’ll vote with my pocketbook. Tina Dupuy is an award- winning writer and the editor of FishbowlLA.com. Tina can be reached at tina@cagle.com.