Don's Tuesday column

     THE WAY I SEE IT   by Don Polson    Red Bluff Daily News   10/23/2012

Here’s my stand and I’m stickin’ to it

First, readers may want to attend the Tea Party Patriots meeting tonight; they will be discussing the ballot propositions. On some, there may be consensus and recommendation; on others, people may disagree. Come see where our local Tea Party stands; plan to attend at the Westside Grange on Walnut Street at 6 PM. Also, please note that next Tuesday, all of the State Senate candidates have agreed to appear at the Tea Party Patriots meeting to make their cases for your vote.

Readers should already know where I stand regarding Jim Nielsen’s race for State Senate and Doug LaMalfa’s for Congress – I fully support, endorse and contribute to both of them. Regarding LaMalfa’s candidacy, I have forgotten more instances of his going to bat for his constituents than his opponents have engaged in altogether. Whether it’s water, agricultural, forestry, land use, regulatory, tax or spending issues, he’s put in long days on the road to learn first-hand what his people need, how they get shafted by governmental agencies and how to work the levers of power for us, our interests and values.

Crop subsidies for rice growers? Really? That’s hardly worth lathering up over when you consider that it’s legal, and constitutes a fraction of the tax dollars wasted on food stamps that have long since ceased to sustain the poor and the destitute among us in favor of simply inducing dependency on the government. If you want to reform the subsidy program, I’m with you since the meddling of government in agriculture has been a mixed blessing over the decades, but I’m not for singling out LaMalfa’s legitimate use of the program. Doug had an opponent in the primary that made his living in dentistry, if I recall. You don’t think a fair portion of his income was made possible via governmental subsidies for Medicaid recipients?

Much could also be said about my friend Jim Nielsen’s devotion to our north state needs and values; I am proud of the tireless work he has performed defending our water, our safety, our rural and agricultural values and way of life. The endorsements he has garnered should make the case for him: California Farm Bureau, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, Crime Victims United of California, California Rifle and Pistol Association (named Nielsen Legislator of the Year), National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of California (Did I miss any?).

I have to say that I am so tired of the cheap shots and accusations directed at Jim over having a home (not his only one but a home nonetheless) in Gerber. It’s not a trailer, or a mobile – it is a manufactured home on a permanent foundation, making it as much “real property” as my 1965 “stick built” home. During one fundraising event, I had occasion to go inside and use “the facilities” and found that, from the bathroom to the kitchen to the rest of the house, personal effects were in abundance. The bathroom was clearly used but clean; the carpets were obviously used but quite clean; the mail occupied some counter space.

I raise that because, whether it’s local, state, Congressional or national Republican races, we need to quit nit picking our guys and gals over unimportant minutia; I say “lead, follow or get the heck out of the way” of those fighting for us and our conservative principles. If all people can do is throw verbal rocks, wait until they are in positions to actually do something to apply your pressure to keep them accountable. Right now, Jim Nielsen needs your vote to make sure he gets 50 percent plus 1, so that we can avoid a special runoff election costing taxpayers millions of dollars.

As for the Democrat, Jim Reed, a YouTube recorded his statements to his own, safe and Democratic constituents. The one thing that stood out to me that politically condemns him to defeat is that he really favors a single-payer, MediCare-for-all, essentially socialized, health care system. The guy is a hard-core lefty! He will sign onto any tax increase that comes down the legislative pike, and would not lift a finger to prevent taxes going up – in the interests of “fairness,” of course. He is a “tax attorney,” which means he’s not in the business of figuring out how his clients can pay more in taxes. Heavens no! He wants to make sure they pay the absolute minimum they are legally obligated to pay, not that there’s anything wrong with that.

It’s just that we have no shortage of rich Democrats bemoaning the so-called “unfairness” of a system that they take advantage of (i.e. Warren Buffet) by relying on investments for income that is taxed at a rate lower than that for “ordinary income.” Hence, they pay “less than their secretaries” (a phony argument since they will pay massively more dollars than their secretaries).

But here’s the irony, the hypocrisy if you will, similar to the debate over estate, or “death,” taxes: Government has legitimate claims on a portion of the money anyone earns, as agreed to by our elected representatives responsible to we, the people. Once earned income has been subjected to “income taxes,” what’s left should belong to those who earned it, and if they invest it profitably, in bonds, stocks or simply will it to heirs, those shouldn’t be so-called taxable events. Government simply shouldn’t have an endless claim on our money. Period!

People need to understand that America’s rich (and corporations) are taxed at the highest levels of virtually all industrialized countries. Raising rates will, first, result in sending many them (and their money) to other countries and, second, never raise over a trillion dollars a year to balance our bottomless spending pit. Don’t send another tax-and-spend Democrat, Jim Reed, to Congress.