Don's Tuesday column (a day late)

      THE WAY I SEE IT   by Don Polson    Red Bluff Daily News   10/02/2012

It don’t get more cute or local than this

Please excuse my grammar as I have been channeling “Larry the Cable Guy” a lot at the Tehama District Fair. Upon seeing yet another sub-three-foot-tall, cherubic-faced, pony-tailed or buzz-haircut-adorned fair attendee, I simply say “Don’t matter who you are, that’s just cute.” If I had to hand out a “Cutest munchkin of the fair” award, it’d be tough but the pink-clothed stroller occupant that repeatedly chirped out “hi” until, upon getting further away, uttered fading little “byes,” might get it.

County Supervisor George Russell’s passing surely shocked many; rapid physical demise often does. I was not close to him except that we recognized each other and he always had a smile for me. When word first came to us in the middle of the KBLF morning show, I found myself thinking immediately of a joke; I just as immediately sensed inappropriate disrespect.

It was only after Ron Warner stopped by the studio and shared his thoughts about serving as a county supervisor with Mr. Russell that it made any sense. You see, George would often lighten the mood or tension in a meeting with a (marginal) joke, upon which Ron would point his arm and finger and tell him “Go to your room.” Only then did I realize that it was perfectly understandable for this joke to pop into my head: You’ve surely heard the one about the boy who said that when he died, he wanted to go peacefully in his sleep like his grandfather; not screaming in mortal terror like the people riding in his car (cue rimshot). God bless him and comfort those mourning their loss.

At last week’s special Republican Central Committee meeting, I was proud to participate in the meeting’s stated purpose: endorsing a candidate for California State Senate. Our unanimous vote for Jim Nielsen (Dan Logue? No show!) could not have been more rewarding in that I have no doubt, considering the candidates, that Jim is far and away the best man on the ballot. His devotion to the needs, concerns and values of our conservative (and, by definition, sane) part of the state is unquestioned.

The need for a state senator that, as he reminded us, is more than just a reliable vote for Republicans in Sacramento, could not be more urgent. Jim Nielsen has the ability to reach out and persuade, to the extent humanly possible, others in the state senate to come to his side on budgetary and policy matters. It’s an uphill fight, given the preponderance of liberals from the same urban mega-cities that are responsible for environmental over-regulation, unfunded public employee pension systems, fiscal irresponsibility and antagonism to business.

Speaking of which, does the nonsensical notion that California does not have an “adverse business climate” pass the logic test for you? Of course it doesn’t; yet, we are occasionally treated to some obscure, manipulated analysis to suggest such counterintuitive spin. I simply take the conclusion of the Small Business Roundtable that California has the least friendly business laws, taxes, policies and regulations of any state in America. Witness the departure of Comcast and Campbell’s Soup from Sacramento, only to add to their branches in other, less-union-friendly and more-business-friendly states. If our state were so welcoming to “Entrepreneurial Activity,” would we have among the highest unemployment rates in the U.S.?

I have no problem voting for Dan Logue for the Assembly district that he originally threw his hat into. He stated in several venues, including another local paper during an interview, that he would not engage in the duplicitous and misleading (to tax payers) tactic of running for both the Assembly and State Senate. I’m disappointed that high-level Republicans have given their endorsement to such reprehensible and ethically challenged efforts to manipulate the rules by Mr. Logue.

Colusa County Republicans have similarly chosen to endorse Jim Nielsen; the millions of dollars that Nielsen and Doug LaMalfa are saving taxpayers by not subjecting us to special elections, speaks volumes to their integrity and devotion to fiscal responsibility. The last thing Tehama County needs is representation by a Democrat in Sacramento or Washington.

At the fair, I felt rewarded to see the groundswell of support for Republicans throughout the Tyler-Jelly commercial building as the days progressed. Not unlike the positive effect that the Obama Presidency has had on gun sales all across America, the presence of the likenesses of Barack and Michelle Obama at the Democratic booth brought about the spread of (Mitt) Romney/(Paul) Ryan signs and stickers in numerous other booths and by fair-goers.

I had a feeling, when 50 Romney yard signs were handed out at the Corning Olive Festival, that they would be popular; local Republicans snapped up the campaign items at the fair, quickly exceeding my optimistic expectations. Unbiased polling by Scott Rasmussen continues to peg Obama’s support below 50 percent; we Romney/Ryan fans should ignore the anti-Republican media onslaught and take reassurance that the only poll that counts, on November 6, will vindicate our faith. Romney and Ryan will prevail in the debates and the vote.

I was chagrined to see the Obama cutout that the Democrats chose to display. See if you find it appropriately revealing: There was Barack Obama, behind a lectern, reading from a teleprompter, leaning forward, his mouth open, pointing and yelling … absolutely nothing.