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- Written by: Dave Gebhard
An out-of-the box solution is to give a super stimulus, a set amount to seniors who are willing to retire. Two hundred thousand dollars would do. This would accomplish vacating thousands of jobs for young people, give an infusion of fresh capital into the economy, allow huge income and luxury taxes to flow into the treasury, and provide an avenue for homeowners to pay their boated home loans.
Perhaps we could also give most adult tax-paying citizens the opportunity, to get their share of this bounty in a revolving manner, so people would keep their jobs.
Can you imagine poor people spending money on clothes, vacations, homes and Detroit cars? It would not last long, but nobody could say that there is no future in this country. And the money would circulate back into the economy.
Rugged individualism is a fine axiom, but no man is an island, we need to live with everyone. I do not know about you, but I do not want to live behind walled-in compounds, I saw enough of them in Vietnam.
Instead of riots, we might see excesses by paupers, suddenly rich, but the money would not be going to Cayman Island accounts. It would be fueling our economy and tax base, paying for itself, in perpetuity so to speak.
Spending, credit and job creation need a good ol' kick-start. What if we gave all those on welfare $200,000 if they gave up welfare for at least a year? I know, some might be back on welfare the following year, but they would put this “super stimulus” right back into the economy. We need spenders, but they have to possess money to spend.
Outrageous, yes, but we need looser credit, a way out of the housing disaster and a fresh infusion of money into the economy.
Borrowing from China is not the answer. We pay interest on debts, and sooner or later it will climb so high we cannot afford to pay it.
It cannot climb indefinitely without reaching critical mass. Whereas, investing into our own economy and people would make an investment in our own citizens, with no interest demands.
It would also involve all our citizens in our economy, allowing people to share in our bounty who never dreamed of being part of it.
Dave Gebhard lives in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Bill and Carol Kenner
On May 23 our son, Brian, suffered a traumatic brain injury and was flown by REACH to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.
After brain surgery and being in an induced coma for eight days he is now home.
On June 18 a fundraiser was held at Terrace Middle School.
We would like to give a big thanks to the ladies who came up with this idea – Jodie Maize, Jennifer Taylor, Crystal Martin and Jodi Howe.
They recruited many other friends, family, businesses, and law enforcement to make this happen. The results were beyond our dreams.
Countless hours were spent organizing. Everything was donated by the community, live and silent auction items, food by McDonald's, Lakeview Market, Lakeport Grocery Outlet and Lakeport Unified along with the facility, plus a surprise landing of REACH with the crew that flew our son out the day of the accident.
What a wonderful place we live! e will forever be grateful.
Bill and Carol Kenner live in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Dave Gebhard
Also, for the same reason our kindergarten to 12th grade school systems, are cutting important programs, while we are concurrently asking them to up the level of accomplishment, to keep up with the rest of the industrial world.
Yes, our health care and educational systems are not keeping up with our peers around the world. I realize they are having problems also, but they are still supplying more benefits to their citizens.
Thus, our infrastructure is falling into decay, and we are not embracing new technology because of conflicts with the almighty oil industry.
We should be attacking the problems with alternative energy with the same fervor we approach high tech. We are decaying from within, an old story in the history of nations.
Five percent of our citizens own 90 percent of our country’s wealth. A minority of Congress allows the same 5 percent and our most successful corporations from paying their fair share of taxes.
A large amount of our citizens cannot afford eye, dental, even health care. That same minority is attempting to subvert what little advances in health care we are still awaiting.
Like a third world country, the wealthy and corporate interests control an inordinate amount of legislators through their election donations. Are we becoming a third world country?
We need a dialogue regarding our national identity. Do we want to be a third world country, with all the elitism and inequality? Or do we want to stand for the ideals of democracy, equality, and the pursuit of happiness for all?
A wise man once said that democracy required an informed electorate; of course, we could revert to colonial times, and only allow landowners to vote. That would ensure that we were not taken for a true republic.
The United States is following in the footsteps of the Roman Empire, allowing the elite to run the country, while the people increasingly became homeless, hungry and ignorant. Showing their power, they managed to change the dialogue from unemployment to deficit reduction, which should be secondary.
We need new blood in Congress, people who care about their constituents, and understand the unemployed cannot pay taxes.
Both parties need to consider running candidates who believe in their party’s platforms, not just the gifts of lobbyists and their promises of jobs after government service.
Dave Gebhard lives in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Eva Johnson
My family has been a part of the county since 1953 and it is time the powers that be do the right thing by the lake.
We rimlanders have been paying into Lakebed Management since 1978. Homeowners as well as businesses who own property on the lake pay based on how much space (docks, ramps etc.) they own. Our understanding was, that these taxes were to be used for the “management” of the lake.
About 15 years ago we started having annual problems of weeds. Nothing was done by the county. Actually we were warned not to remove them from the lake. When the dreaded hydrilla arrived a few eyes opened, but only those infected areas were treated.
The big problem is the lake is filling in from the streams feeding into the lake with all their chemicals, etc.
We need to do a more positive solution and dredge the lake. Yes, this a proven solution for lakes like ours.
Luckily, we have had a group here in Lake County who have done extensive research and are ready to provide leadership in this area. It would cost the county zero money.
Have the supervisors listened to them? No.
It is time to speak out for our county. The one thing that always brought tourist here was the lake. We need them back to keep our county financially sound. Tourists also bring money to all the businesses in our beautiful county. How many more businesses will close before we act?
The organization is called “Friends of the Lake.” It is nonprofit and all monies would be used to benefit the lake.
If you care call Jim Swatts at 707-998-9253 or Pete Hock at 707-279-8464.
Eva Johnson lives in Kelseyville, Calif.