Letters
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- Written by: Lowell Grant
I was at the birthday party for an old friend last weekend and had the pleasure of a conversation with several of my son’s friends, all of whom are around 30. To my surprise they were anxious to talk politics, something new in my experience with the younger generation as they have generally always seemed turned off by the topic.
They were quick to toss out all of the right wing myths about government, using catch phrases like “tri-lateral commission” and “new world order,” etc., as though these things actually existed. They were certain of it.
At every turn in the conversation they made it clear that they were convinced that private industry should be in charge of virtually everything since, in their minds, government could only screw it up. It was as though they didn’t realize that Enron, AIG, Citibank, Lehman Bros., Merrill Lynch, Countrywide and all the others were private businesses that had done incredible harm to our society.
Later, I found myself thinking about this odd phenomena and came to the realization that during their lifetimes government has always been cast as an evil and dark force. It is simply not in their experience to conceive of government being able to play a positive role in society. To them it was nothing more than a monster standing in the way of private enterprise.
During their lives, government has been dominated by those who have focused on making sure that the agencies designed to regulate private industry have instead protected those industries from being governed.
Instead of agencies like the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) being a watchdog, the Bush administration turned it into a lapdog. I doubt there is any logical person left who has witnessed the carnage in our economy during the past 18 months who still thinks this has worked out for the better.
Instead of the Department of the Interior ensuring that the gas and oil companies operating on our federal lands were paying their fair share of royalties to us, they were instructed to stop collecting from them! The main office in charge of this was located in Denver, Colo. Instead of sending accountants to review the books, the Bush administration sent hookers with drugs to party with them! I know this sounds impossible, so I invite you all to Google “Dept. Interior scandal” so you can read about it first-hand, please don’t just take my word for it.
These are but two examples that jump to mind but it’s the same story from the EPA to the Food and Drug Administration and right on down the line. No wonder these young men don’t believe in government! It takes one more step in the process of logic to understand that just because government has been hijacked and turned into a dark force, that it cannot be turned back into the force for good that we should all expect and demand.
President Eisenhower warned us when he left office in 1960 about the military industrial complex seizing control of our government and he was prophetic, as that is exactly what happened. No one was better able to understand the threat, as his unique set of experiences enabled him to see clearly the forces at work. Our government is owned and operated by the corporations who buy access to those in office to promote their agenda. Fundraising is now a full-time job for every congressman and senator. Until we take the money out of the equation, this will not change.
It is my sincere hope that President Obama realizes that this may well be the last chance to prove that government can actually work on behalf of the people.
One of his goals should be meaningful campaign finance reform. As long as our government is up for sale there will be no shortage of those who will buy it. This does not have to be all that complicated to be effective.
Why not simply limit all campaign contributions to a certain dollar amount and make it illegal for anyone other than a U.S. citizen to make a contribution? Corporations and unions are not citizens by the way and should not be allowed to buy votes. If they want to endorse a viewpoint or even a candidate, they should put their own commercials out there and clearly identify themselves with their own legal names instead of using sham names like “Concerned Citizens for Clean Water” when what they really want to do is dump industrial waste into rivers as a cheap way to dispose of it.
Another step in the right direction would be to outlaw all lobbyists. If they want to state their case for their industry, make it in a public session of congress, on the record. No back room deals, no contact with public servants in private settings, period.
We have an entire generation of young adults who have no reason to believe that government can work because our government has been hijacked during their lifetime. We must stop electing people who don’t believe in government, as that is simply a self fulfilling prophecy for failure and we must take control back from the corporations, or risk losing the democracy we give lip service to every day.
Lowell Grant lives in Kelseyville.
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- Written by: Herb Gura
Fifteen years as a public servant and an elected official have taught me something about the way democracy works best. The most innovative and creative ideas usually come not from us politicians and the professionals we hire, but from the other side of the table where the public sits.
It may be time-consuming and uncomfortable to listen to hours of public comment about an issue that we may think we already have all the answers to, but time and again I am surprised by some well-informed citizen stepping up to the microphone and providing a solution or at least the seeds of a solution that I have overlooked.
California law sets forth some pretty specific guidelines about the way public officials are to conduct the public's business and the manner in which public meetings are to be run. A particular section of the Government Code known as the Ralph M. Brown Act, mandates that with very few exceptions, all members of the public be permitted to address any issue on a government body’s agenda.
I believe that the Clearlake City Council violated that law in limiting and then shutting down the public hearing regarding Provinsalia on Feb. 26.
Even if the city's lawyer can make some argument that the council acted technically within the law (which is unlikely), it is poor policy to treat the public as the enemy rather than the source of wisdom that they usually are.
Herb Gura lives in Clearlake Oaks.
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- Details
- Written by: Lake County News Reports
I have watched this project come and go in different forms over the last 20 years or so. We need to realize that any proposal for a large development which makes significant changes must go through a process which reminds me of the digestive system of a cow.
The latest iteration began with an extremely flawed proposal and the worst environmental impact report (EIR) I have ever read.
The city staff began the process, and after several years and many meetings and public workshops the project was changed significantly. The old EIR was thrown out, and a much more thorough EIR prepared. The proposal to use Dam Road as the main access road was abandoned and replaced with the requirement to construct a new road named Provinsalia Avenue.
The original EIR proposed financing the roads in a way which could have made the city responsible. This was taken out, and now the city is requiring the roads to be built using private funds and maintained by the parcels within the development through a maintenance district. Many other beneficial changes have been made.
In other words, by going through the process, the city folks have worked to address the issues raised by various people and agencies and have modified the project requirements accordingly. This is the way the process is supposed to work.
Property owners have the right to propose projects. The city has the responsibility to place requirements and conditions on projects to mitigate their impacts on the community. Sometimes the conditions are so expensive that the project just isn’t economically possible.
In my opinion, this project is not economically viable and will not happen in its present form. If I were the developer, I would revise it and make it an upscale community for retired people. This would eliminate the impact on schools and commuter traffic and not compete with existing parcels for family residential use.
Now, some people have criticized the City Council regarding this project and in particular for the way the final public hearing on this project was conducted, claiming that public comment was restricted in violation of the Brown Act. I was not at this hearing, but did attend the previous one where I spoke in opposition to the project, concluding that although the city has done a good job, it could be better.
I know each one of the council members, and can vouch for their sincerity and good intentions. I know the staff, and have complimented them publicly for the good job they have done in adding many new conditions and requirements to this project. I also know many of the opponents to the project, and they are also good people with good intentions.
What I think we need here is more respect, on all sides of this issue.
If the council wants to alleviate the complaint that they restricted public comment, they can step back and hold another public hearing. They don’t have to start the process all over again. Individual council members may feel that they have heard enough, and ruminated enough, but sometimes you just need to let concerned citizens have their say. It’s all about the process. Sometimes the cow swallows its cud, sometimes it regurgitates and chews it some more.
Those who have complained should show some respect for the City Council and their staff, who have a difficult job. If you think there was a flaw in the process, then complain about the process and don’t attack council members personally.
The quickest way to lose respect is to disrespect someone else, and the best way to earn respect is to show some respect yourself.
Ed Robey is a former Clearlake City Council member and the recently retired District 1 supervisor. He lives in Lower Lake.
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- Written by: Yvonne Cox
It greatly saddened me to see most of the people being honored at this Sunday's Stars of Lake County were just doing their jobs and then there are people like myself that does not get paid and pays for everything out of my own pocket.
For three years now I have been running my soup kitchen, feeding over 30,000 people, supplying grocery bags for those in need and a youth center.
I just wonder how many other people that really are making a difference in our community are being overlooked.
I think it is a wonderful thing to honor people, but I feel it to be a great hypocrisy to charge people $50 to attend a function were they are supposed to be awarded not charged.
I personally don’t need to be glorified for doing what I should be doing. Every Tuesday I am honored with smiles and hugs.
Shame, shame!
Yvonne Cox, “The Snake Lady,” lives in Lucerne.
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