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Letters
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- Written by: Nelson Strasser
I agree that tax increases to the wealthy is not class warfare, but, obviously there is class warfare: the wealthy and the powerful and their minions are making war against the poor and the middle class.
Look no further for evidence of that war than Sutter Hospital in Lakeport, where the managers are trying to cut the benefits of nurses, while at the same time, raking in record profits. And, as I have written before, those of us on social security have seen our stipends frozen, even as our expenses increase.
Particularly galling is the fact that the financial sector, the most power full sector in the economy, caused the financial crisis in the first place, and did so with impunity.
This is not open for conjecture, as there are now many books available tracing the history of the debacle, including some insider confessions (See the book, for example, F.I.A.S.C.O., by Frank Partnoy).
However, the financial sector received, if you include help from the Federal Reserve Board (not open or answerable to public scrutiny), $13 trillion.
And yet, even as business feeds at the trough of government handouts, when the people ask for universal health care, that is “socialism.”
This leads to the larger question: How are we so blatantly manipulated by the power structure? Here is one example: Leading up to the invasion of Iraq, Dick Cheney said, one afternoon, “We must stop them over there, or we will have to fight them over here.”
That evening, Fox News was repeating the same mantra. And, the next day, my friends were repeating the same mantra. It sounded good, even though now, we now know that all of the reasons for the invasion were fabricated: no weapons of mass destruction, no sanctioned terrorist bases in Iraq, no “yellow cake uranium.”
Interestingly, the mantra, “we must stop them over there or we will have to fight them over here” is precisely the opposite of the truth: because we attacked them over there, they attacked us over here.
The power structure creates a version of reality by using the media to influence our perception of reality. This phenomenon is exacerbated by the fact that it is human nature, even though we can see and know certain facts, to ignore them, for fear that we would have to take action.
For example, most of us accept that the planet faces imminent ecological disaster, and yet, very close to my home, people are attending the auto races near the fairground and launching their motorboats (at the risk of sounding sanctimonious, I launch my kayak and ride my bicycle to work): Nero fiddles while Rome burns.
We need to turn around the ship of state. I hunger for a new paradigm, but perhaps the old one would work if government was not a tool of corporate power.
Perhaps a beginning would be to replace Obama as the Democratic candidate with someone like Elizabeth Warren, who not only would defend our interests, but is better looking than Obama or Parry.
Nelson Strasser lives in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Pat and Jon Meyer
Special thanks to Rob Roy’s Sue McDonald for helping organize and coordinate the event, and to the Rob Roy staff who prepared and served a delicious champagne lunch.
In addition, thanks to John Zimmerman who always provides enjoyable music for attendees to sing or hum along to; to Paul Woycheshin for auctioneering and being the humorous emcee; and to both longtime friends of The Acme Foundation, Jan and Paul Woycheshin of J and P Video Productions for their professional photography of the event; to Ann Aldridge of Berkeley for obtaining most of the almost 100 live auction and raffle items from across the United States; and also to the volunteers from Clearlake Veterinary Clinic – Yvonne Scott, Kristin Wescott and Bridgette Fitzgerald as well as volunteers Christine Lynch, Lilo Hansen and Dorothy Aldridge.
Generous auction and raffle items that were donated by Lake County merchants and individuals included Soper-Reese Theatre, Carlton Time, Clearlake Performing Arts, Eyes of The Wild, Gregory Graham Wines, Harbin Hot Springs, Langtry Estate Winery, Hardester's Markets, Clearlake Veterinary Clinic, Rob Roy Golf Club, Kathee Toy CMT, Star Gardens, David Neft, Andrea Siebert, Rose Decker, Grinders Steep, Robinson Rancheria, Sheila O’Hara and Jacque Spiker.
One hundred percent of the net proceeds will provide funds for the foundation to continue giving out grants to low income seniors and disabled individuals with seriously ill cats and dogs.
The Acme Foundation’s Website is www.acmefoundation.org.
Pat and Jon Meyer are the founders of the Acme Foundation. They lives in Cobb, Calif.
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- Written by: Randy Ridgel
He calculated $1.2 million (and that didn’t include the employer’s contribution). If I just retired on the interest at 4 percent I could have drawn $48,000 each year and left the $1.2 million to my children and grandchildren when I died.
But, instead, when I retired on Social Security I was paid $480 per month, as I recall.
Rick Perry is wrong; Social Security is no Ponzi scheme; it’s far worse. It’s outright robbery. The government took away most of my retirement and gave it to themselves and other people who didn’t earn it.
Randy Ridgel lives in Kelseyville, Calif.
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- Written by: Dave Gebhard
Campaign finance was the only way to free legislators from being slaves to their campaign funds. Now, corporations and the very rich can emulate their peers in third world countries and buy influence.
Lobbyists did it to a certain extent, but now that there is no limit to donations, the money is too good not to indulge.
Once again, we are allowing ourselves to be distracted by rhetoric and labeling.
The Tea Party declared that the national debt is the No. 1 problem, and we allowed them to distract us from the actual number one problem, jobs.
People cannot pay taxes without jobs. There is no stimulus as good as one that gives money to the poor and middle class, as they spend it to live, and then to enjoy while concurrently reseeding the general economy.
Unemployed workers must still feed their families, and most will do almost anything to keep a roof overhead. What kind of environment do we want to raise our families in? One where compassion and inclusion rule, or the Law of the Jungle?
Dave Gebhard lives in Lakeport, Calif.