By Lowell Grant
Last week I endorsed candidates for County Superintendent of Schools, District Attorney and Sheriff, but room did not allow for one other endorsement that I feel strongly about. That would be for the re-election of Denise Rushing as District 3 supervisor. It”s hard to believe that it”s already been four years since Denise was elected. I believe she has brought an intelligent, rational and progressive point of view to the Board of Supervisors.
No member of the B.O.S. can accomplish anything with their single vote; the challenge is to have the ability to articulate your case rationally, with a balance of passion, logic and facts. Denise can point to a record of success and I believe that during her second term she will continue to be a good influence on other Board members, helping to balance and broaden what could easily be a “good old boy” mentality that would not prove helpful for our future. Denise deserves a second term to continue her good work.
One of Denise”s opponents already served eight years on the board. He was soundly rejected in his attempt for a third term. He represents the right-leaning spectrum of politics, smaller government and term-limits for politicians are core-principles, but when he first had the opportunity to work for the county, he took a job in code enforcement; certainly something much needed here but odd that someone who believes so strongly in less government intrusion in our lives wouldn”t feel hypocritical standing in someone”s yard, writing them up for a violation. Similar hypocrisy is evident in his favoring term-limits for everyone except him. It”s possible that I could be wrong and that Gary Lewis no longer favors less government intrusion in our lives or term limits. If he would like to go on record with a specific statement to that effect I would be happy to retract this paragraph.
I don”t know enough about the third candidate”s views and proposed solutions to our challenges to endorse him at this time. If he becomes active in the next four years and shows the same level of intelligence and leadership that Denise Rushing has, he could earn my endorsement in the future.
The State of California is in such dire straits that it is clear we will all feel the effects much more directly in the near future. As always, those who are least able to defend themselves, school children, the elderly and the disabled will suffer the most pain.
The wealthy elite, like billionaire Meg Whitman, will feel no pain at all, as they have engineered a system protecting them from even a one percent tax hike, while right here in Lake County we will have 39 fewer teachers next year. As we struggle with 12-percent unemployment statewide, state, county, city and school districts will most likely cut another 100,000 jobs in the coming year but we can take heart that the billionaires are quite safe. Ronald Reagan”s legacy is stunning and on display for all to admire. He is of course, the right wing”s sacred cow and there will be howling, insults and damnation hurled my way for having the gall to point out the obvious. To quote a real American hero, FDR, “I ask you to judge me by the enemies I”ve made!” and so I will enjoy the warmth of those coming attacks.
Accountability is the key, as Harry Truman said, “The buck stops here!” and just as the CEO”s of BP, Halliburton and Transocean spent an entire day passing the buck between them while testifying in the U.S. Senate, it is interesting to me that the buck is always passed from those on the right and never stops with them. Actions have consequences and some folks are smart enough to recognize it when, for instance, there is a consistent attempt to shift blame for the economy, deficits, wars and even the oil spill on to those who had nothing to do with creating any of them. Shame on those who deny accountability, the truth, the facts and decency.
My views do not represent the views of the Record-Bee or of any other members of the staff.
Lowell Grant is a weekly columnist for the Record-Bee. E-mail him at c21vintage@aol.com.
