Post Scripts

(Above right is Erny Spears, candidate for supervisor in district 3. To the left is long time Chico resident, Pete Webber.)

by Jack Lee

He’s on the campaign trail and he’s going door to door with his grass-roots campaign and he’s in it to win! Erny Spears is a Chico businessman running for Supervisor in the 3rd district against incumbent Maureen Kirk.

If elected, Erny promises to encourage clean industry and businesses to relocate here. He says we need the jobs, and new businesses will boost the local economy and give us a more secure, stable tax base with revenues the county can rely on. However, we need to get him elected first and to that end Erny and his team have been putting in many long hours, making calls, speaking at events, putting up his signs and more. It’s a lot of hard work, but, he and his volunteers like Pete Webber (above) say its well worth it if they can help turn this county around.

Erny knows that without recruiting quality businesses this county is always going to be at the doorstep of poverty and we’ve been there far too long, its time for a change. “We have a lot to offer here and it’s about time we start advertising our natural assets and compete with the other counties. If we don’t, we’re going to be stuck with our high unemployment, frequent cuts in county services and the burden of higher taxation will continue to fall on the homeowners. We can and we must, do better!” Erny says, “Butte County needs a stable baseline of businesses to create decent paying private sector jobs and to protect our bmost asic county services, like police and fire from layoffs and from under funded budgets.”

When asked what he plans to do first, Erny said, “I want to take a look at everything we do in county government and find out where we can improve. I want streamline government to make it more effective and more efficient. That won’t be easy, but I’m ready to go to work!”

Erny Spears created a multi-million dollar business, Communications Impact, from a few hundred dollars many years ago and he says, “My business experience is what we need now – we don’t need politicians blowing smoke, we need action!”

“Aside the from the endorsement of Congressman Wally Herger, the Enterprise Record endorsement is a huge windfall for Doug LaMalfa.” Jack Lee

Chico Enterprise-Record
Posted: 05/20/2010 12:08:53 AM PDT

Our view: Rick Keene is more comfortable in the Capitol, while Doug LaMalfa seems more at home out in his district. Voters need to decide which kind of leader they want.
At first blush, there’s very little separating Doug LaMalfa from Rick Keene politically. Both are conservative Republicans who served six years in the Assembly and brought badly needed rural, pragmatic sensibilities to an out-of-touch state Legislature.

They railed against state spending, repeated the mantra that “it’s a spending problem, not a revenue problem,” complained about government regulation and red tape, fought to preserve jobs, stood up against taxes, tried to argue for more reservoirs and generally behaved like Republicans are supposed to behave.

They served in two different Assembly districts, the farmer from Richvale and the attorney from Chico, and were both termed out at the same time. All along, they both had an eye on their next job, the state Senate seat that would become vacant when Sam Aanestad, R-Grass Valley, is termed out in December.

The Senate district is much larger than their Assembly districts. It encompasses 12 counties, from the Oregon border down to suburban Sacramento. And it’s a real shame only one of them can win.

We like them both. Republican voters can’t go wrong in the June 8 primary.
But you can’t vote for two. Here’s what it comes down to for us.

Keene has more experience and seems to be more of a statesman. He was asked to take a leadership roles in the Republican Assembly, in part because he’s intelligent, in part because he elucidates his ideas well, in part because he can talk to Democrats. He participated in important negotiations for the budget and for workers’ compensation reform. He’s a person who knows how to get things done in Sacramento.

LaMalfa unfortunately lives up to the stereotype of Republicans as the party of no. If Democrats like an idea, you can bet LaMalfa will not. But while Keene is comfortable in the Capitol corridors, LaMalfa is comfortable out in his district.

His Assembly district included Tehama and Shasta counties, and people up there swear there must be two of him. He was everywhere — county fairs, community organization meetings, and so forth. He’s a person who knows how to get things done in the district.
In the end, both would be a reliable vote for conservative interests. Both would be a lonesome voice in the liberal Sacramento wilderness.

Keene wants to take bold ideas to the people in big cities, hoping to sell them on conservative values. He hopes to win them over.

LaMalfa wants to keep going to county fairs and community meetings in his district.
When he has someone in the Legislature he needs to win over, he says he’ll invite them up here, to show them how a farm works, how timber is harvested and what urban water uses do to a place like Lake Oroville.

Keene talks better. LaMalfa listens better. He seems more approachable.

You can’t go wrong with this choice, but we believe LaMalfa will serve his constituents differently, and better.

A 67 year old driver somehow managed to jam his foot between the accelerator and the brake while backing. The car shot across the 7th floor parking lot and rammed a hole through the cement wall. Debris showered down on parked cars, busting out windshields and denting up hoods, but fortunately there were no injuries to anyone.

The parking structure was in Oklahoma City – the car was a new Mercedes C Class. Firemen drove the car back inside.

Posted by Tina

“Calderon Criticism of Arizona Law Overlooks Mexico’s Tough Immigration Policy” FOX News

Mexican President Felipe Calderon has been ripping into Arizona’s immigration law as he tours Washington — while appearing to disregard the way his own country cracks down on immigrants along Mexico’s southern border. ** Mexico repeatedly has been cited by human rights groups for abusing or turning a blind eye to the abuse of migrants from Central America. Until recently, Mexican law made illegal immigration a criminal offense — anyone arrested for the violation could be fined, imprisoned for up to two years and deported. Mexican lawmakers changed that in 2008 to make illegal immigration a civil violation like it is in the United States, but their law still reads an awful lot like Arizona’s. ** Arizona’s policy, which Calderon derided on Wednesday as “discriminatory” and assailed again on Thursday, requires law enforcement to try to determine the immigration status of anyone they suspect of being an illegal immigrant — provided they are already in contact with that person. They can’t randomly stop people and demand papers and the law prohibits racial profiling. ** The Mexican law also states that law enforcement officials are “required to demand that foreigners prove their legal presence in the country before attending to any issues.” (bold emphasis mine)

Mexican law mirrors Arizonas law which mirrors American law. President Calderon’s remarks also mirror those of President Obama who hasn’t bothered to read the bill or check the content’s similarities to both Mexican and American law. Both leaders have spoken irresponsibly inciting reactions in the people that could invoke riots. This error shows poor leadership and repflects a lousy diplomatic policy. President Obama’s remarks soon after the law was passed set the stage for this terrible display of ignorance and carelessness.

BREAKING RELATED STORY:

As everyone knows the only people in America who are so heartless as to report illegal immigrants to the immigration cops are evil conservative Republicans like those profiling fascists in Arizona, right? Right? Well not so fast there, Bubba. Left wing wunderkind, Bill Richardson, Democrat and waiting-for-indictment corruptocrat, lame-duck governor of New Mexico, has ordered the state department of children’s and family services to begin reporting illegal immigrant children to ICE. …

HT American Thinker

Posted by Tina

These SEIU protesters are petitioning the wrong people. They should be in front of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in DC where they could start with the President and continue on to Barney Frank and Chris Dodd’s offices. Then they should head over to Bill Clintons house and finally move on to their own SEIU headquarters. The legislation that created the problem was written and fiercely promoted and defended by these politicians and former president.

You might also want to read the article, “SEIU Storms Private Residence, Terrorizes Son of Bank of America Exec” by Liberty Chick on Big Government to discover the duplicity, as well as the extreme intimidation tactics, involved in this movement. How do they defend going to personal residences? How do they explain their own associations:

But what’s even more interesting, to use SEIU’s phrase, is the labor union’s odd relationship with its own business and advocacy partners. They specifically mention above their disdain for Business Roundtable, for their part as what they term as a Republican corporate interest group. But, just like Bank of America – which is a lender to SEIU, mortgage partner to ACORN, and is also the leading lending partner to SEIU advocacy partner, Center for Responsible Lending – one of SEIU’s own partners is also Business Roundtable.

Are these people stupid, willingly liars, fond of intimidating people, patently ignorant…useful idiots…what? Hard to say, but we do know they want houses whether or not they qualify for the loans or can make the payments and they want the government to make sure they get them! This is greed and covetousness!

Ugly…ugly…ugly!

Posted by Tina

It’s been going on for years and it’s gotten plain ridiculous. Children are being punished and denied their religious freedom rights in our schools when they bring religious items to school, read the Bible on their own time, pray quietly to themselves, or use religious quotes or songs in a commencement address. The latest example comes to us from New York:

Marcus Solis-ABC

HAVERSTRAW (WABC) — The parents of a high school student from Rockland County are demanding answers after their ninth grader was suspended for wearing rosary beads to school. ** He was suspended even though the school doesn’t even have a policy banning them. So did the principal go too far? Jason Laguna is a former altar boy and proud Catholic. He got his rosary beads as a gift, thinks they look cool and sometimes wears them under his shirt at school. But last Friday, right before dismissal, he pulled them out on his way out. He was given a one-day suspension from Fieldstone Secondary School. His mother calls the punishment extreme, considering the 14-year-old is a member of student government and, according to his last report card, “is a pleasure to have in class.” Laguna says she was told the school has an unwritten policy regarding beads because they could be used to show gang affiliation. The principal claims it was insubordination, saying Laguna’s actions, “endangered the safety, health, morals or welfare of himself or others.” Jason was supposed to stay home Friday, but late Thursday the district superintendent put that on hold pending further investigation. It may not be divine intervention, but his mother has contacted the American Civil Liberties Union as she continues to fight the suspension.

I understand the problems this principle has with gangs and gang violence. I also understand the PC pressures principles must work under as they try to be effective authority figures. If a principle doesn’t have the ability to apply reason within his authority he is reduced to being a dictator rather than an educator. A more appropriate punishment for this good student might have been to have him write an essay on religious freedom in America or the purpose of school rules. Instead the principle was reduced to treating this student as if he were a gang member. This sends the wrong message to gang members, e.g., pulling a knife and threatening a teacher is the same as pulling a rosary as you leave the school.

It’s hard to say whether the erroneous “separation of church and state” influenced this principles decision but it is not unreasonable to assume it has played a part in removing reason from the principles authoritative tool box across the nation.

by Jack Lee

President Obama today gave the bully pulpit to Mexico’s President who excoriated AZ new law to control illegal immigration. During their exchange President Obama proudly proclaimed that in this new era of globalization, it’s not borders that will define a country, it will be the bonds between countries. Which is fine, except that in our case America’s border with Mexico has been the scene of rampant drug smuggling by narco-terrorists and their drug cartel sponsors. We’ve witnessed the surge in border town murders. The kidnappings in Phoenix is off the hook and then we have this migration of humanity on scale never before seen; it has been a flood of illegal immigrants coming across that border. It’s an hsitoric, unprecidented shift in population and up to 22 million illegal aliens have invaded. Which is why we have no idea who is coming in or why – the whole immigration thing is out of control thanks to illegal aliens.

In the light of these facts the proclamaitions made by our president seem almost conspritorial, if not wholly indefensible. It appears to me that he’s ignoring the facts for the sake of the Hispanic vote and he’s apparently pushing for open borders with Mexico to exploit cheap labor. He has now joined with President Calderon, who called Arizona’s law discriminatory, and scolded Arizona for trying to curb illegal aliens engaged in criminal activities within that state.

President Obama referred to the AZ law as “misdirected” and that, “his administration is taking a very close look at it.” That is an outright lie. His attorney general, Eric Holder and his Homeland Chief, Janet Napolitano, both admitted as of just yesterday they haven’t even read the AZ bill yet, but that hasn’t stopped them from openly criticizing it. It would take all of about 8-10 minutes for the average reader to go through the bill. How close a look could they be taking if that haven’t even read it yet? This is not about the law, the Constitution, justice or just listening to the American people who support AZ, 2 to 1, this is about pandering for votes from our new Hispanic immigrants and also a cheap source of labor to be exploited!

Continue reading “A day to remember” »

Posted by Tina

Three cheers for the very red white and blue Kevin Costner who rolled up his sleeves, invested his own money, and hunkered down with scientists to address oil spill problems! Read about the big centrifuge fellow patriots…we do still live in the good ol’ USA:

“BP approves use of Kevin Costner’s water cleaning device” – Houston Chronicle

Actor Kevin Costner is now in the oil spill cleaning business. ** According to Louisiana station WWLTV, the actor’s Ocean Therapy device, a machine that separates oil from water at a fast rate, got the nod from BP to help clean up the spill in the Gulf of Mexico. ** BP watched the machine at work this past Thursday, taking it for a test-run before saying yes or no to the group. ** Following the 1989 Exxon-Valdez spill, Kevin Costner funded a team led by his scientist brother to come up with a technology that can be used to clean up massive oil spills. The device is a centrifugal processing device that can handle large volumes of water, WWLTV said. ** According to Costner and Houghtaling’s company, one machine can clean up to 210,000 gallons of water per day. The company also says the oil can be separated and stored into tanks, leaving the water clean. ** Costner and his brother are said to have invested $15 million in the centrifuge.

God bless the Costner brothers, the entrepreneurial approach to problem solving, and God bless the USA!

Good buddy Ray Stevens has a little fun with our immigration policy…enjoy!

by Eric J. Dolin

A note to Post Scripts from Eric: Thanks Jack and Tina. Since you asked about an excerpt, here is the intro to the book. I hope the book gets a good reception. I will be speaking many places throughout the west, New England, St. Louis, NY, an D.C — you can see where here. The book also has 90 images, and an endpaper map of the fur trade beyond the Mississippi. Anyway, here is the intro for FUR, FORTUNE, AND EMPIRE, which also appears on my website:

“The Bible and the beaver were the two mainstays of” the Plymouth Colony in its early years. So wrote historian James Truslow Adams in 1921. Given that the Pilgrims were Puritan Separatists who went to America to escape religious persecution, I understood Adams’s reference to the Bible. It was central to the Pilgrims’ way of life, and its teachings helped them maintain purpose and hope in the face of extremely trying circumstances. But I had no idea why he had thrown beavers into the mix. Intrigued, I read more, and soon the reference to beavers made sense. For more than a decade after their arrival in America, the Pilgrims’ main source of income for purchasing supplies and paying off their debts had come from the sale of beaver pelts shipped to London–
Continue reading ““Fur, Fortune, and Empire”” »