Letters

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Written by: Lake County News Reports

Published: 05 October 2012

Once again, big corporations and multimillionaire right wing extremists are attempting to corrupt the electoral process by promoting a shamelessly deceptive ballot measure.

Officially designated the “Stop Special Interest Money Now Act” and widely touted as the “Paycheck Protection Act,” Proposition 32 masquerades as campaign finance reform.

The measure bans direct contributions to California candidates by both corporations and labor unions, and prohibits both corporations and unions from using payroll deductions to collect “political funds.”

This apparently even-handed restriction is actually grossly discriminatory, since as the measure’s authors know full well, unions get almost all of their funds through payroll deductions, and businesses almost none.

Proposition 32 also contains enormous loopholes designed for the benefit of large corporations and the wealthy.

Many common organizational structures such as LLCs, partnerships and real estate trusts are exempt. If you’re a venture capitalist, land developer or law firm – exempt. Corporate executives – exempt. And as established by the infamous “Citizens United” decision, corporations and billionaires can still give unlimited political contributions to anonymous, unaccountable “Super PACs.”

This already sounds pretty bad, but it gets worse.

Proposition 32 also defines public employee unions as “government contractors,” and would forbid them from attempting to influence any government agency with which they have dealings.

That restriction would also cover political action committees established by any membership organization, or “any agency or employee representation committee or plan,” seeking stronger civil rights or environmental protections.

It’s no wonder the measure is actively opposed, not only by organized labor, but also by leading good-government groups such as Common Cause and the League of Women Voters.

If Proposition 32 passes it would effectively end organized labor’s ability to influence the political process in California, and cripple the ability of non-profits to protect the environment.

Please vote “no” on Proposition 32.

Victoria Brandon lives in Lower Lake, Calif.

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Written by: Nelson Strasser

Published: 02 October 2012

Have you seen the video of Romney speaking to a room full of rich donors? He said that 47 percent of the voters voted for Obama, and those 47 percent don’t pay taxes, and think the government owes them a living, health care and housing.

According to the Tax Policy Center, “46.4 percent of American households paid no federal income tax. The same data shows, however, that nearly two-thirds of households that paid no income tax did pay payroll taxes. And most people also pay some combination of state, local, sales, gas and property taxes.”

So, many of the households who paid no income tax included wage earners, but, they earned a very low income.

And, “Smaller but significant numbers of the higher-income earners are also exempt: The same data shows that in 2011, 78,000 tax filers with incomes between $211,000 and $533,000 paid no income taxes; 24,000 households with incomes of $533,000 to $2.2 million paid no income taxes, and 3,000 tax filers with incomes above $2.2 million paid no income taxes.”

I am one of the 47 percent that paid no income tax. I paid into Social Security all my working life. The government is not giving me anything. Secondly, Medicare is not free. The government takes almost $100 out of my Social Security check, with which it pays 75 percent of my health care bills. I pay $155 a month to a private insurer to cover the last 25 percent. That is $250 a month more than free.

I think everyone should have health care, just as they do in every other civilized country in the world. It is a right. Capitalism should not mean that you must die if you can’t pay. Or, the next worse thing: go bankrupt.

Also, there is an underlying assumption here: People should work for what they get and not expect help from anyone or any government. Most of us have some sympathy with that point of view.

But, Romney’s five kids will never have to work. They are each getting $20 million without lifting a finger. So, the message is that his kids should not have to work for it, but yours should.

Poor kids, on the other hand, should not have anything, evidently, because their parents are poor, and for that, they should suffer.

But Romney had not achieved the zenith of his hypocrisy. In a second video I saw, Romney said that he would stop jobs from going to China; but, when he led Bain Capital, that is exactly what he did: The companies he consulted sent jobs to China and other places where labor was cheap.

A friend of mine said that his main concern was the enormous federal deficit, and so, he was going to vote for the businessman, meaning Romney.

What a strange notion! Consider that if you look back on the gigantic scandals of the last 30 years, savings and loan, dot.com, Long Term Capital, Enron, the collapse of Wall Street in 2008, all of them were caused by “businessmen.”

Unless you are a right-wing millionaire or richer, you are voting against your own interest if you vote for Romney.

Please, tell me why you would do that?

Nelson Strasser lives in Lakeport, Calif.

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Written by: Lake County News Reports

Published: 01 October 2012

The recent concert event at the Soper-Reese Community Theatre was fun and successful.

The Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association (AMIA) raised approximately $1,500 to go towards vital maintenance projects at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park and to help keep the park open and available to the public.

The event would not have been possible without the help of many people.

Thank you to the musicians who volunteered their time and talent. These include members of Three Deep, Uncorked, and of course Rita Hosking and her husband Sean Feder and their daughter Kora, who also performed.

Thank you also to the Clear Lake Clikkers who performed at the beginning of the show and to Bill Fredriksson who was the MC for the event.

Thank you to AMIA volunteers: Chelsea Michael, Wanda Harris, Belle Eleen, Mike Bielenberg, Sandy Moura, and Adrienne Karuza. Thanks also to Soper Reese volunteers. Thorn Hill Winery poured wine, donating half of the proceeds to AMIA.

Thank you to Mike and Andrea Adams, Wally Fuller, and all of the Soper Reese folks who helped make this event a success. We are also grateful to Andi Skelton for all of her help.

And, of course, thanks to everyone who came. It was a great evening with wonderful music and good fellowship.

We look forward to continuing to keep our beautiful Anderson Marsh State Historic Park open and to continuing maintaining the precious historical resources there.

Roberta Lyons is president of the Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association, based in Lower Lake, Calif.