Letters for October 31, 2013

Give up the scam

Re “He shall not be moved” (Newslines, by Ken Smith, Oct. 24):

What in the world gives you the audacity to think you can just make up your own rules? Fishing without a license scams those of us who do buy licenses, with our share of the cost of keeping fishing going and supporting the care of the rivers and creeks.

And the right to a jury trial? Seriously? You want to run up our court fees and clog our courts just so you get to act out? Find a way to act out that doesn’t cost the rest of us. We don’t want to pay for your temper tantrums. Get a life. Do something positive.

Karen Duncanwood
Paradise

I faithfully read the CN&R every Thursday. I’m constantly amazed by the things people do and say, from bashing tea parties and Republicans at every turn to other crazy, incoherent letters to the editor.

This week, the article about [Don] Bird and his loss of constitutional rights to fish without a license just leaves me scratching my head. If everyone fished without a license, there would be overfishing and populations would dwindle. The attorney who says he has a constitutional case is just seeing dollar signs. It would cost Bird less at his age to buy a license than pay an attorney. His logic is crazy.

Julie Williams
Oroville

The homeless are people

Re “A worthy ministry” (Editorial, Oct. 24):

The issue of the homeless in Chico, particularly at City Plaza, has become a very hot topic. While I agree that there are problems and that something needs to be done, I am appalled at the callousness and the outright hate on this issue.

The first thing that caught my attention recently is the view that “a war is coming to preserve downtown Chico.” Really? A war? The homeless are now relegated to being enemy combatants? Are we going to wage war on the family that lost their job? Are we going to wage war on the poor soul suffering from behavioral-health issues? Are we going to wage war on the poor woman who has chosen the streets rather than to stay in an abusive relationship? Are we going to wage war on children? These are the majority of the homeless. These are human beings, not cattle.

What I am trying to say is you cannot lump all homeless people into one category. A small percentage is causing most of the trouble. I work with the homeless, I help the homeless, and I know the homeless. Homeless is their address, not their name. It might be important to remember that before we make a decision we might regret.

Jim Secola
Chico

A trio on extremism

Re “LaMalfa the extremist” (Editorial, Oct. 24):

Who could possibly be surprised by this tea party hypocrisy. These are the most corrupt and morally bereft people to hold office in this country since before the Civil War.

John Wilkinson
Chico

Obamacare, the NSA, IRS and EPA demonstrate this administration’s intention to “transform” America into a one-party socialist totalitarian dictatorship. That is extremism, and CN&R’s endorsement of it unarguably qualifies as extremist.

How convenient to this purpose it is that you have to hand over all your personal information, on an insecure website, to the IRS before you can shop the options available (which are all ripoffs anyway).

The Obamacare rollout debacle shows Republicans were right after all, to ask for delaying implementation. Look at the Democrats flocking to join them now!

A real leader of a democratic (“small d,” not the Kleptocrats!) government does not run roughshod over political opponents. Only a dictator would refuse to negotiate a bipartisan solution with the branch of government—the House of Representatives—which constitutionally approves and provides payment for it.

Chad Wozniak
Chico

Congressman Doug LaMalfa voted for a farm bill (HR 2642) that provides for $196 billion through 2018, much of it in various forms of farm welfare, and provides nothing for food stamps.

The last time he did vote on food stamps, he voted to cut them by $40 billion. Though LaMalfa voted for a farm bill bereft of food stamps, [that bill] still has to pass the Senate and be signed into law by President Obama, which I hope never happens.

That said, food stamps have not been reauthorized and are therefore expiring just before Thanksgiving and Christmas. For sure, the devil’s in the dollars, and our devil—Doug LaMalfa—is right in the middle.

Of course, with his personal farm welfare of $1.7 million, as reported by Congressman George Miller (D-Calif.), and his $174,000 annual congressional paycheck, his table will probably not be bereft of a turkey. If it is, it won’t be because he can’t afford it—and yes, Californians, you bought it for him with your tax dollars.

Rick Norlund
Durham

Recalling back when

Re “Convicts to clean park” (Downstroke, Oct. 17):

It is always interesting how old ideas and policies reappear as “innovative,” new ones. About 1980, I was an employee of the Chico Parks Department. With a modest grant from the California Solid Waste Management Board, we conducted an aggressive campaign to keep glass out of the park.

An important part of that program was the use of troops of mostly youthful offenders fulfilling their “community service” hours by picking up glass bottles and other trash from various areas of the park. Part of my job at that time involved filling an old park pickup with beer bottles that had been thoughtlessly flung around various parking-partying areas in Bidwell Park.

We also handed out garbage bags to swimmers entering Upper Park, encouraging them to gather glass bottles during their visits. Every weekend the dumpsters we provided would fill with glass that otherwise would have remained in the rocks, brush and pools of the park. This was part of a general public-relations campaign emphasizing the importance of keeping glass out of the park.

We so often congratulate ourselves for “new and innovative” ideas that long ago were successful parts of Bidwell Park policy.

Ira Heinrich Ocean Park, Washington

Bagging on Obamacare

On June 2, The New York Times published an enlightening piece titled “Colonoscopies Explain Why U.S. Leads the World in Health Expenditures.” In it, the Times illustrated the corruption and waste of America’s health-care system and why Obamacare’s forcing all Americans to feed its tyranny.

Most enlightening was its demonstration that in the U.S., medical costs are typically five times higher than in other industrialized countries. As with other government spending and insurance, the underlying idea of Obamacare is reasonable. However, in the hands of greedy profiteers, it’s a smokescreen for concealing embezzlement.

This built-in corruption and profiteering is only one element of Obamacare’s harmful effects. It also reinforces America’s perspective that health problems are normal. As such, people are precluded from recognizing (and defeating) the epidemic of injury resulting from cigarettes, alcohol and drugs, overeating and overpopulation.

The U.S. government must reform itself before it can expect Americans to trust it to reform health care. When it demonstrates it can responsibly manage its own spending and policymaking, then it might reasonably expect Americans to trust it to manage theirs. Until then, the government needs to keep its dirty hands out of the people’s pockets.

Nathan Esplanade
Corning

Brainwash hogwash

Re “School work is scripted” (Letters, by Mike Peters, Oct. 17):

Mike Peters wrote a letter recently with some really wild comments about the public school system. He seems to be under the impression that communists and subversives are employed to brainwash our children.

Rather than argue point by point, let me say this: I volunteer at a local Chico school. I see only overworked, underpaid teachers doing their best to give the kids a decent education. Is the system perfect? No. But if the schools received better funding, things would be different.

What I do see are parents donating time and money to help our children. Mike, maybe you should try donating some time or money, and perhaps your provincial attitude would change.

Marc Deveraux
Chico

Hidden agenda

The “Million Mask March” is a dangerous organization. It is growing because people love drama, but its claims to be peaceful and nonviolent are not true. Their official statements are filled with rebellion against all authority, and if followed, will create chaos and violence like that seen in other countries in the midst of revolution.

Hiding behind a mask while protesting anything is an invitation to violent behavior. The organizers know this and that is why they officially say, “Absolutely no violence will be tolerated.” They are creating a potentially violent situation while trying to avoid taking responsibility for creating a violent situation. The other group that gathers under disguise that immediately comes to mind is the Ku Klux Klan.

The Million Mask March is still in its infancy, but if it is fed by our participation, even as bystanders, we will be feeding the fire and fomenting the flames of anarchy. For Americans to think that anything but a peaceful transition of government through legal and political means is needed right now is completely unjustified, as the United States is still one of the most desired and admired countries in the world to live in.

Brian Kraemer
Chico

What’s up with the air?

What’s up with all the toxic, very polluted air we have been seeing over this last week? Is it from fires? Is it coming up from the cities? Is it worth a mention in our news? The smog looks as bad as Los Angeles! It’s been very, very bad! I hope people still like to live here in Butte County, so I can sell my house to them and move to Hawaii next year. God, please give me some fresh air!

Byron Brace
Magalia

No time for presidency

President Obama didn’t know 1) We were spying on foreign leaders, 2) The IRS was targeting conservative groups, 3) The Affordable Care Act’s websites had major problems, and 4) There was trouble in Benghazi.

Assuming it is not a lie, it is understandable. When your full-time job is de facto head of the Democratic Party and your personal agenda, it doesn’t leave a guy much time to be president.

Tim Edwards
Chico