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Opinion
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- Written by: James BlueWolf
Social Security, once decried as evidence of socialism in the U.S. by conservatives, is now being pointed to as an institution under threat from the new president before he’s spent even one day in office. Reality has been pushing many of us to the realization that no one in this country will be able to live solely on their retirement Social Security, especially now that deregulators have allowed the corruption of laissez-faire capitalism to loot the retirement accounts that could have provided the balance of income necessary to retire.
Disenchanted Republicans are once again decrying tax-and-spend liberals just as their own two-term president outspent every Democrat in history in the last eight years and ballooned the deficit past the point of possible repayment. Since virtually all of our taxes go to repayment of the interest on what the Fed “loans” us to fund the U.S. government every year, discussions about tax raises are ludicrous. The government funds virtually all of its programs, from defense spending to social services by writing worthless checks, backed by an even more worthless promise to pay.
The world’s economy is now fueled more by a willingness to go further into debt than by any real hope of ending debt. The horizon is darkening not due to the election, but by the direction we have taken over the last century.
Even as Americans sense the possibility of greater unity and purpose, we’re headed back to a time, like it or not, when families and communities will have to fend for themselves. Any effort to bring us closer to tolerance and a willingness to take responsibility for the security and stability of our extended families and community cannot be viewed disparagingly, except by those who have lost their generosity of spirit and live only in selfish fear of losing their personal wealth.
If a tiny country in the midst of the Himalayas can utilize a principle of decision-making measured not only by gross national product but also by gross national happiness ‒ and make it work ‒ surely such an advanced and morally superior nation as the U.S. can find our way forward.
James BlueWolf is an artist and writer. He lives in Nice.
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- Written by: Jan Cook
The county Friends have provided money for a variety of things that the library budget doesn’t cover. A lamp and some new shelves for Upper Lake Library came courtesy of the Friends. For children’s programs, the Friends donated a special rug for story times at Lakeport Library and books for the county-wide Summer Reading Program. They have donated a video camera, a CD/DVD buffer machine and an extra computer monitor for Lakeport Library. The Friends have also purchased other books, CDs and DVDs for the library collection. The Friends’ generosity also extended to paying for memberships in the Association for Rural and Small Libraries for two library employees.
The Middletown Friends donated money to purchase juvenile and adult books on CD and documentaries on DVD for Middletown’s collection. They are investing money in an account to donate if and when a new Middletown Library is built. Their semi-annual Book Faires have become popular events that generate a good deal of money.
Jan Cook, library technician, writes on behalf of all the employees at Lakeport Library, Redbud Library (Clearlake), Middletown Library and Upper Lake Library.
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- Written by: Gloria Hovde
Now, by a slim majority, they’ve taken it away. We are no longer entitled to equal rights under the law. For awhile anyway.
Throughout the centuries marriage has come in many forms and with many restrictions. Marriage was a way to unite kingdoms and lands. Arranged marriages that forbid a person to choose their spouse are common in the world even today. Some places require a dowry.
For hundreds of years, women had few to no legal rights once they married. Married women could not make contracts, maintain their own names, file lawsuits, have full ownership and control of property, and in some cases could not maintain custody of their children after their husband’s death.
In 1948 the California Supreme Court became the first state high court to declare a ban on interracial marriage unconstitutional. Nineteen years later Loving v. Virginia ended all race-based legal restrictions on marriage in the United States.
And in May, 2008, the California Supreme Court struck down the 2000 law banning gay marriage:
“In contrast to earlier times, our state now recognizes that an individual's capacity to establish a loving and long-term committed relationship with another person and responsibly to care for and raise children does not depend upon the individual's sexual orientation, and, more generally, that an individual's sexual orientation – like a person's race or gender – does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny or withhold legal rights.”
This is a time to mourn a return to a past of injustice, self-righteousness and discrimination. A time when one group of people say they are entitled to more rights than another group of people. But history shows that prejudices gradually fall away and the society grows more tolerant and stronger. Take heart – we will marry again.
Gloria Hovde lives in Lower Lake.
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- Written by: Bob Cecile
Boat U.S., a major boat owners association, recently ran a story on how the man at the tiller of a sail boat that was rammed by a power boat doing anywhere from 30 to 50 miles per hour is now standing trial for manslaughter.
Bismark Dinius has been charged because he was not able to navigate out of the way of the 24-foot Baja Outlaw captained by Perdock. Lynn Thornton died a few days after the collision in which the powered boat rammed and completely catapulted over the sailboat.
The story I read also reported details of how local law enforcement may have participated in covering up for Chief Deputy Sheriff Perdock. Local residents reported that their efforts to render eyewitness accounts were rebuffed by investigating officials if their story sounded detrimental to Perdock’s case.
Lake County citizens need no further recitation of these incidents that have been covered in their local media. I wanted to advise them that a legal defense fund for Bismark Dinius has been established at the Sierra Central Credit Union in Roseville.
Bob Cecile lives in Ferndale, Wash.
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