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Opinion
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- Written by: Linda Diehl-Darms
When did political parties start believing we were sheep?
I recently read a mailer from the Lake County Democrats endorsing Victoria Brandon for District 1 supervisor.
The mailer states, “You may receive a ‘Democratic Voters Choice’ slate mailer that contains the name of District 1 Supervisorial candidate Jim Comstock.”
It states that the mailer is deceitful, false advertising meant to mislead you because Jim Comstock is a registered Republican.
I presume this mailer is talking about another mailer stating that Democratic Congressman Mike Thompson endorses Jim Comstock for Lake County District 1 supervisor. Nowhere on this mailer does it say that Jim Comstock is a Democrat or that the Democratic Party is endorsing him.
I applaud Congressman Mike Thompson for endorsing a person rather than a party. He recognizes all of the good work that Supervisor Jim Comstock has done in South Lake County. He sees the person not the party – what a concept!
What I find crazy about all this is that the supervisorial seat is nonpartisan. A candidate’s party affiliation does not matter.
Even if this character attack in this Democratic Party mailer sent out on behalf of Victoria Brandon is not a result of Congressman Mike Thompson’s endorsement, drawing party lines in a nonpartisan race is absurd. I for one am so sick of parties publicly attacking the personal character of candidates they perceive as the opposition.
I want to know that a candidate will listen to the people he represents, and what the candidate sees as the needs of the communities he serves. I want a candidate who is willing to fight for his constituents.
Jim Comstock has proven in his present term that he does listen. He is not afraid to take a stand when necessary. He has been our voice for south Lake County.
Jim Comstock has also proven that he comes from a place of integrity and is not afraid to give his opinion even if it is not politically correct. I admire his willingness to speak his mind. He and I do not always agree, but we do respect each other.
I am so tired of government representatives telling us what they think we want to hear and then doing the opposite or attacking others to try and make themselves look better.
I am tired of party lines. Just because a candidate is one party or the other does not mean they are the best person for the job. We are all people first. As far as I am concerned, both parties in our country carry too much power.
We are not sheep to be lead by one political party or another. We are the people, and the people decide.
Linda Diehl-Darms lives in Middletown, Calif.
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- Written by: Becky Curry
The Lake County Democratic Party would like to thank everyone who helped make our Meet the Candidates and Get Out the Vote event, held on May 5, a wonderful success.
The Sons of Italy Hall in Nice provided an outstanding venue.
Special acknowledgements go out to Congressman Mike Thompson, State Senator Noreen Evans, Assembly Member Wes Chesbro, Olga Martin-Steele, Mary Heare-Amodio and Victoria Brandon for their generous sponsorship contributions.
We were pleased to host our attending speakers, all Democratic candidates who are running for office in Lake County.
The speakers were Victoria Brandon, Supervisorial District 1; Fred Langston and Anthony Farrington, Supervisorial District 4; Joan Moss, Supervisorial District 5; Judy Conard, Michael Friel, Susan Krones and Michael Lunas, all running for Lake County Superior Court Judge Department 1.
We were especially honored to be addressed by Congressman John Garamendi, candidate for Congressional District 3 in Lake County.
The day could not have happened without the help and hard work of the many members who contributed time and energy to the event: Wanda Harris, event chair; Wanda Quitiquit and Paula Mune organized and mounted the beautiful Silent Auction and Luisa Acosta provided the delicious Cinco de Mayo meal; Mark Wickhamshire, Jack Troyer, Louis Rigod, Clearlake City Councilwoman Jeri Spittler, Carol Bettencourt, Johnnie and Wil Flato, Sorhna Jordan, Diana Ikeler, James Evans, Wendy White and numerous others who pitched in to help make the event a success deserve our gratitude.
Special thanks to Deb Clarke of the Sons of Italy for hosting the beverage service and facilitating the event venue.
Thanks most of all to everyone who attended. Your support of the Lake County Democratic Party is invaluable.
The funds raised enable us to support all of our Democratic candidates and get out the Democratic vote in Lake County.
Becky Curry is chair of the Lake County Democratic Party. She lives in Kelseyville, Calif.
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- Written by: Philip Murphy
Judging from the comments I have read and heard about Measure D there is a great deal of misunderstanding about it among the public, who in many cases believe that voting "no" on it means people won't be growing pot in their neighborhood, which isn't the case.
The Board of Supervisors has recently put together a committee to draft a pot cultivation ordinance that will be adopted if Measure D is voted down, and that not-yet-drafted document will undoubtedly be centered somewhere between the county's first ordinance and Measure D, meaning that small, personal use grows will have to be allowed in residential areas.
The presence of Measure D is responsible for the county now pledging to take a more pragmatic approach that includes the stakeholders in the process, something that was sadly lacking in the county's first attempt at regulating medical pot cultivation.
In the past three years the pot business here has changed radically with the number of plants seized plummeting, from an all-time high in 2009 of 506,506 to 374,958 in 2010, and 123,645 in 2011.
It is not a coincidence that during the same time period large scale commercial grows have popped up all over ag-zoned neighborhoods, the ideal setting for this sort of business as clearly when given the choice growers prefer to raise this crop as any other farmer would produce an ag product rather than to hide out in the forests risking arrest or theft.
Unfortunately, due to a complete lack of county regulations commercial grows have also appeared in increasing numbers in places they clearly don't belong, with the predictable and justifiable negative reaction from many of their neighbors.
What the Board of Supervisors and public now needs to understand is that since the passage of Measure D is unlikely and the BOS will be back in the driver's seat on pot cultivation again, it's important to remember that the pot business holds the trump card here, if the county drafts another unrealistic ordinance the growers can head right back into the forests and all the regulations will be rendered moot – again.
It is also worth mentioning that neither Measure D nor the county's future ordinance will have any effect on this year's crop, so even if the measure did pass it could be retooled and voted on again before the next growing season, meaning the world will not end if it did pass as some have suggested.
Measure D has served an important dual role here already, it has shown that democratic action can force our government to change its course, and it will make for a better Board of Supervisors ordinance that more fairly balances the needs and rights of medical pot patients with those of their neighbors while making a clearer distinction between legal and illegal commercial grows.
So even if Measure D fails at the ballot box the people who took the time and trouble to put it on the ballot have moved this process forward, and they have reminded us that in the end the people are really in charge of our government if they care about it enough to get involved.
The main question that remains now is can the detractors of Measure D offer us a better alternative or will they repeat the past mistake of excessive regulation that encourages growers to go back to the forests.
Phil Murphy lives in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Barbara LeVasseur
If you love the beautiful views of Lake County, want your property not to lose more value, or want to enjoy nature through hiking, painting or photography, there is a threat to all those interests called Measure D.
Measure D is NOT about medical marijuana; it is about changing the zoning restrictions.
Allowing Measure D could be our worst mistake since handing over water rights and control of the geyser fields.
Land and the lake are our best remaining resources here. Let's think like guardians and not lose this, too.
If you bought a property you probably looked at the neighborhood before you purchased. If Measure D passes all you have invested in will change, out of our control.
Articles have been published in media all the way down the coast inviting people to join a land grab here and plant marijuana in large quantities. These people do not care about Lake County; it is all about large profit.
You can already see examples of this mushrooming all over the hillsides and it is very ugly. It will spread like wildfire if the measure is not defeated.
Growers are building and grading without permits and scraping the areas free of natural vegetation without regard to runoff nutrients, pesticides and fertilizers.
Lots on hills and on the lake that were previously unbuildable will now be sold by disgruntled owners to growers.
What will happen when the mud all rolls down and chokes the lake? How will our hills look, scarred by the ugly grow plots? Will we scare away vacationers who still come here? We may as well kiss this paradise goodbye if we allow Measure D to pass.
I was shocked to hear how many people are afraid to walk in their own neighborhoods and even their own yards. Much more of this loss of freedom will be on its way unless we take our stand.
This measure needs to be rewritten to protect property owners and residents who live here.
Read the measure; it is short and the flaws are very glaring – you will be shocked.
Please do your share of protecting our unique and fragile lake area by voting NO on Measure D.
Barbara LeVasseur lives in Nice, Calif.