American taxpayers are amazingly generous, a candidate writes
I have to hand it to American taxpayers. You are amazingly generous! In the last couple of years, we have found out that the Pentagon is missing $21 trillion, that we give billions of dollars in aid to countries that have universal healthcare and tuition-free college education (even though we go without those things ourselves), that the federal government paid salaries to Juan Guaido and his posse for their coup attempt (even kicking in a little extra for “democracy enhancement” training), the Afghanistan Papers showed us that the U.S. was paying for schools that didn’t exist, teachers that didn’t exist, soldiers that didn’t exist, and now we find out that Juan Guaido and his staff embezzled the humanitarian aid funds that we sent. All of this while American families struggle to make it each month, millions of us going without healthcare and many of us going without homes.
And are we out in the streets complaining that our government is literally throwing away money instead of providing food to hungry children? No! We aren’t a country of complainers like France, which has been having Yellow Vest protests for 15 months. We suck it up. We self-sacrifice. And then we go back to our iPads or playoff football or whatever Kylie Jenner is wearing this week. Because that’s what we do. Why should we have healthcare when there are non-existent children in Afghanistan who desperately need non-existent schools? I mean somebody’s got to pay those non-existent teacher’s salaries, and it’s not like the Afghan government can afford it. Not after what we’ve done to their country.
—Jason Kishineff, American Canyon, Democratic Congressional candidate, CA-5
Helping voters make a more informed choice at the ballot
Thanks for providing this extensive introduction to our candidates for County Supervisor. It is very helpful to voters in making a more informed choice. I was particularly happy to see Lily Woll support the excellent program of fire prevention which Cobb Mt. Community developed and has been working hard on steadily and persistently since 2016, with energetic and creative leadership from District 5 candidate Jessica Pyska.
Jessica has played a major role in every element – support for Firewise Communities, implementation of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan, expanding our innovative “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” program, promoting communication among stakeholders, including the County’s Joint Risk Reduction Authority, of which Jessica is an active participant. It is reassuring that Jessica’s successful track record, latest knowledge of innovative techniques and extensive contacts and broad support from fire leaders, will be expanded to all of the District 5 communities, which continue to face future fire challenges
Sincerely
—Eliot Hurwitz, Loch Lomond
Thank you Lakeport residents for your support
I am writing to thank Lakeport residents for sharing the true meaning of Christmas with children in need this past holiday season.
Because of the generosity of donors in Lakeport and across the United States, Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, collected more than 8.9 million shoebox gifts in 2019. Combined with those collected from partnering countries in 2019, the ministry is now sending 10,569,405 shoebox gifts to children worldwide.
Through shoeboxes—packed with fun toys, school supplies and hygiene items—Lakeport volunteers brought joy to children in need around the world. Each gift-filled shoebox is a tangible expression of God’s love, and it is often the first gift these children have ever received. Thanks to the generosity of donors, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 178 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories since 1993.
It’s not too late for people to make a difference. Though drop-off locations serving Lakeport are closed until November 16 – 23, 2020, information about year-round volunteer opportunities can also be found at samaritanspurse.org/occ or by calling (714) 432- 2950.
Thank you again to everyone who participated in this global project—many who do so year after year. These simple gifts, packed with love, send a message to children worldwide that they are loved and not forgotten.
Sincerely,
—Dana Williams, Operation Christmas Child, Boone, NC
