”Conspiracy of silence” should remain buried in the deep past
I detect a note of desperation in Mr. Ridge”s last two letters especially the one of July 30 (Observer*American). It has not been a good year for the G.O.P., and its future is provisional. So its time to demonize, criticize and categorize, scapegoat and use wedge issues to hide the real problems of the failed economy and a war policy that draining our country of its resources.
Evidently, Mr. Ridgel has forgotten as so many Americans have something call “freedom of expression”. It does not state how long, or how loud, nor unhappy as it might make some who listen. And gay Americans, citizens in every sense of the word are practicing these rights, and will continue to do so.
The “conspiracy of silence” that Mr. Ridgel and others might desire is buried in the deep past when men and women were jailed for embracing, beaten by homophobic policemen, shunned by family members, losing their jobs when their sexual identity was discovered. That”s the price of silence, and one we will no longer consider.
We as a people have survived the McCarthy witch hunts when homosexuality was equated with communism, the Anita Bryant campaign of hate, and a plague that was ignored by our government until it became a heterosexual problem.
I think we can survive a directive from Mr. Ridgel insisting or is it demanding that we be silent in consideration of his personal feelings. No, you may bolt the door, buy ear plugs, shout us down, but we will continue to be heard. I am challenging you and others that feel as you do to confront us, one on one.
It”s called “freedom of expression”, and I am not afraid of its consequences, only deeply concerned that it”s been almost eliminated in our present day traumatized country.
Harold Riley
Clearlake
Lake County public transit is worth a ride
I was grateful to read Cynthia Parkhill”s editorial about mass transit (Observer*American, July 23). I have recently discovered the joys of Lake County Transit. I live in Kelseyville and work in Clearlake, and I”ve recently learned how easy it is to commute to work on the bus. I”ve experienced many pleasures in riding the bus from economic benefits to environmental and social rewards.
I”ve appreciated riding the bus for less money than what the gas in my car costs, saving wear and tear on my own car, and avoiding adding any additional pollutants to the atmosphere. The buses are clean, well maintained, air conditioned and even have seat belts. The drivers are pleasant and eagerly provide information on routes and timetables. It is a pleasure to relax, read, take in the views, or talk to other passengers.
I encourage others to ride the bus. We have the opportunity to save fuel, help maintain clear air in Lake County, and cut down on the traffic on our roads. Try it!
Pamela Bordisso
Kelseyville
Insurance company based decision upon faulty Google Earth publicity
I”m writing to make everyone aware of an insurance situation developing in Northern California. Our home fire insurance is not being renewed because they claim we live in a high brush hazard area. This decision was made based on the Google Earth Web site, which is able to pinpoint any address in the world.
However, the site location of our house is incorrect. We live a quarter mile from Highway 29 on Hofacker Lane and Google Earth shows us on a brush-covered mountain top close to Hidden Valley Lake development. I am now trying to get them to correct their website.
I have filed a claim with the California Insurance Commission as I have been turned down by six insurance companies based on the same information.
On Aug. 26, 2008, I will be uninsured after 55 years with the same company. This may or may not happen to anyone else, but with the high fire danger we are now facing, I wouldn”t count on it.
Hugh Gralund
Lower Lake
Parties have nothing to offer voters
In this season of political posturing it seems we (The American Voter) are subjected to sound bites without substance by both parties. This even though poll after poll indicates that the vast majority of the population is disgusted with the lack of substance being spewed forth by both parties. The Democrats Candidate wants to: Raise taxes, somehow force Americans to conserve, limit or eliminate our quality of life in order to please the left wing and the European Socialist”s model of communistic redistribution of wealth.
The Republican Party has its faults as well. The Housing Crisis solutions are all based on bail outs for the very financial institutions that created the crisis.
Neither Party seems to give one damn about what is really right for the citizens who blindly vote them into office based on misleading sound bites. It is time that We, the Citizens of the United States say: ” Wait just one GD Minute!” But, then how can we do that? The parties keep promising ” Pie in the Sky”, something for everyone, tax the rich, universal health care, keep corporations profitable, give tax breaks to special interests, the list goes on and on and on.
What would happen if all across the nation citizens who are fed up with the political parties games were to suddenly yank the carpet out from under their feet? Think what would happen if in the next three months all of us who have registered to vote either as a Democrat or a Republican were to change our registration to ” Independent”! Overnight, we yank the real power of the parties out from under their feet.
Money and Special Interests can only go so far if their aren”t voters to translate those special interest into tangible elected stooges who ” cow tow” to their bribes and enticements . Each voter can still vote for whom they chose, but the political parties would have to revise their thinking. With no base to count on they would have to listen to what , we the voters want.
The sad part is that it probably won”t happen. It would take you the voter having to actually do something ( Re-Register Independent) !
So, go on and moan how government fails you, just go long like the sheep you are.
Stephen Vecellio
Hidden Valley Lake
Elected officials are self-serving
Stephen Vecellio”s letter (Observer*American, this issue) “Political parties have nothing to offer voters” was right on the money. Our Federal and State elected officials have stopped representing the people and turned into a “political class” only interested in maintaining power for themselves and for their party.
Our Congress and State Legislature both have abysmal approval numbers because they refuse to act out the public”s will. At the federal level they refuse to address illegal immigration, high fuel costs, and making the tax cuts permanent. In fact they want to raise taxes. At the state level the legislature again has failed to adopt a budget and cannot find any ways to cut spending. Their solution? Raise taxes. Brilliant. Raise taxes when we are in an economic slowdown and the people are struggling with $4.50 gasoline and rising food costs.
We all need to remember that our legislators get their power from the people. In recent memory we threw ruling parties out of power when they defied the will of the people. In 1994 the Democrats were thrown out of power. In 2006 the Republicans were thrown out of power when they spent themselves silly. Has anything changed?
In November we can tell the “political class” where the power really lies, with the people. If we keep sending the same people and parties back into office then the results will be our own fault. Personality and party are not good enough anymore. The “political class” needs to be reminded again that they need to truly represent the people.
Albert F. Bernal
Clearlake
SB 840 would save local governments millions in employee health care costs
Over the past year, Lake County Democrats, along with health care providers and unions, senior advocate groups and numerous concerned citizens have been working to inform the public of the only solution to America”s health care delivery crisis, enactment of a single-payer plan, or a Medicare-for-All system.
At the state level groups have worked to support SB 840, California”s Universal Health Care Act, introduced by Senator Sheila Kuehl, and co-authored by the legislators who represent or have represented Lake County in Sacramento, Assembly woman Patty Berg, former State Senator Wes Chesbro and current state Senator Patricia Wiggins.
SB 840 is California”s plan to establish a functional, modern, universal health care system for the 21st Century. This bill covers every California resident with comprehensive, affordable health benefits and contains the growth in health care spending while improving quality. It guarantees every patient with total choice of their doctors and hospitals.
California”s own budget crisis is greatly affected by the rising health care costs. The state budget buys health care directly through public programs and as employers. The bill is supported by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, who are the principle sponsor of the bill, as well as the California Physicians Alliance.
Also in support are the California School Employees Association, League of Women Voters, Health Care for All-California, California Labor Federation, California Church IMPACT and leading seniors” organizations including the California Congress of Seniors and California Association of Retired Americans.
This bill was passed by both houses of the legislature in Sacramento in 2006 and was vetoed by the governor. As of this writing, SB 840 has been placed on suspend by the Assembly appropriations committee. It is lodged there, pending resolution of the state”s budget crisis. In early August, the Committee will vote on whether or not to send the bill to the floor, where it will surely pass again, and then it will be forwarded to the governor”s desk for his signature.
In July 2007, the Lake County Board of Supervisors did a cost comparison detailing how much Lake County taxpayers would save if the SB 840 single payer health care system was enacted in California (Lake County Record-Bee, Aug. 11, 2007). The board”s figures revealed that Lake County could save at least $1.5 million in health care costs each year under SB 840. That”s $1.5 million of tax revenue that could be spent on other county services or returned to the taxpayers.
Answering a written request from Lake County single payer health care advocates, that was sent to cities and school boards in the summer of 2007, the Konocti Unified School District did the calculations and showed a $3 million annual savings in its budget. The school board and union representatives notified the governor of their position supporting SB 840.
In June of this year, Clearlake City Councilwoman Joyce Overton, in response to the 2007 letter, requested that the accountant for the City of Clearlake, Michael Vivrette, perform the same cost analysis. The results are that the city could save $404,000 annually if SB 840 was enacted.
The Lewin Group, an independent, nationally respected health care research organization, analyzed SB-840 and California”s current broken healthcare system. It reported that around $20 billion of premiums paid to the health insurance industry in California each year never reaches healthcare providers. It disappears into competing advertising and other overhead expenses and multi-million dollar bonuses to healthcare industry CEOs. The Lewin Report says that California could save around $8 billion in healthcare costs, in the first year after SB-840”s enactment.
Here”s how to calculate savings in four simple steps:
? Step One ? Multiply $7,000 (the exemption per employee) by the number of insured employees. The result is the amount of the total payroll that is exempt from SB-840 taxes.
? Step Two ? Subtract the result in Step One from the total annual payroll of those same employees. The result is the SB-840 taxable payroll.
? Step Three ? Multiply the result in Step Two by 0.0817 (the SB-840 factor of 8.17 percent, as shown in the Lake County memo). The result is the new annual healthcare cost under SB-840.
? Step Four ? Subtract the result in Step Three from the current annual healthcare cost (include retirees” cost). The result is the potential annual cost reduction.
Taxpayers would be well advised to contact their local school boards, water boards and city and county governments and ask those jurisdictions to calculate the savings under a single payer health care plan.
SB 840 provides truly universal, affordable, patient-centered health care with doctors in charge, not insurance companies. It”s tested, it”s possible, a majority of Californians are in support and it”s time.
Wanda Harris, chair
Becky Curry, media relations
James Evans, issues and resolutions
Lake County Democrats
Don”t forget to write!
The Clear Lake Observer*American welcomes letters responding to articles and opinions that have appeared in this newspaper, as well as on topics of general interest. Letters can be sent to letters@clearlakeobserver.com or mailed to PO Box 6200, Clearlake, CA 95422. Please include complete name, address and telephone number. Anonymous submissions will be discarded.
