Page 4 - Reedley E-edition 12-28-17

The Reedley Exponent A4 Thursday, December 28, 2017 Editorial & Opinions
Serving “The World’s Fruit Basket” since 1891
A Mid Valley Publishing Newspaper
Founded March 26, 1891, in a two-story building on the corner of 11th and F streets, by A.S. Jones
Fred Hall — Publisher
In my OPINION
Jon Earnest — Editor
Chris Aguirre — Sports Editor Felicia Cousart Matlosz — Panorama Editor Budd Brockett — Editor Emeritus
QUOTE
“There are people who, instead of listening to what is being said to them, are already listening to what they are going to say themselves.”
— Albert Guinon (1863-1923)
Every December, as we approach the begin- ning of the new year, there is something that is very much a part of human nature which causes us to reflect back on the events of the previous 365 days. It seems to me, that if everyone were completely honest, there would be no one who could say they knew 2017 would turn out as it did. Those who expected politics as usual had to be confused as they saw the concept stood on end. Realistically, there must be something which we learned during this year’s trip around the sun!
Too much water was a big story for 2017 — will it return to too little in ’18?
Fred Hall
Since I came to The Exponent in January 2015 — and for my three years in Sanger before that — the lack of water in the Kings River was an in- creasingly big story as California was in the throes of a five year drought. The river bed would be close to dry in the winter months, and when agri- culture water releases from Pine Flat Reservoir began in May the swim- ming and boating season grew con- tinually shorter each year.
Until 2017. Weather productions for an exceedingly heavy rain year rang true. Dozens of feet of snow col- lected in the Sierra Nevada. In fact, it was the highest amount of snowpack recorded in a single weather year in the state’s record keeping. Water would be in abundance during the summer, which would be great news for businesses relying on a thriving river.
Unfortunately, the river thrived too much. And too early. A mid-January downpour in the foothills below Pine Flat swelled creeks and immediately filled the river’s banks to summer ca- pacity. As the rain and snow piled up, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers con- tinued to keep reservoir levels in check and not allow the lake to fill to near ca- pacity. That forced residents camping at Lindy’s Landing campground facil- ity south of Reedley to move to higher ground. As water releases increased during the agricultural growing sea-
son, levels kept much of Lindy’s lower campground underwater through the spring. Also flooded were the camp- ground next to The Wakehouse Wood- fire Grill and Bar off Manning Avenue. There even was a point in June where residents at the Riverbend Mobile Home park near Minkler were evacu- ated and stayed at an American Red Cross shelter set up in the Reedley High School gym.
Then came the big blow for boat- ers, swimmers and rafters: Fresno Country Sheriff Margaret Mims closed the river to all recreation ac- tivities on May 24. Tulare and Kings counties soon followed, and the river was closed for nearly two months. The occasional boat would go down the riv- er, risking a hefty fine from sheriff’s officials. But a raging river basically flowed absent of people.
Water levels finally receded enough for Fresno and Tulare coun- ties to lift the recreation use ban, and riverside businesses were able to somewhat lessen the financial sting with two solid months of water flow for boaters and swimmers.
With all that, it’s hard to imagine that Reedley and Fresno County could return to a drought declaration or policy in 2018. But that’s exactly what could happen. The city has had only one or two days of measurable rain since the end of summer. The Nation- al Weather Service forecast predicts
a chance of rain
on three days next
week starting with
New Year’s Day
on Monday, Jan.
1. Unless January
and February turn
out to be extreme-
ly wet months, the
idea of watering Jon Earnest restrictions in the
city once summer arrives isn’t out of
the question.
•••
The big story in Reedley could very well be growth and development. A first step came in early December with the completion of Paseo 55, the affordable housing apartments and development. The four three-story buildings west of G Street between 12th and 13th streets bring a perma- nent addition to the city’s skyline. Dur- ing 2018, commercial development will fill the vacant locations along G Street. As for the apartments? They’re already filled.
Other growth is the proposed subdivision at the northeast corner of Reed and Aspen avenues — slated for 161 new single-family homes — as well as the Almond Grove project be- tween Frankwood and Cyrier avenues north of Olson Avenue which would be an additional 45 single-family homes. Those projects await approval from the Reedley City Council.
Right about here would be the ideal spot to innumerate the suc- cesses which our surprisingly elected president has enjoyed. He promised a bold agenda and began in late January to deliver on his campaign promises. Leadership in the House far exceeded the “foot draggers” in the Senate in terms of cooperation. One year later, with his wins being much akin to creating inertia from a dead stop with a full load of dead weight, the economy is steadily gaining speed and strength. What we were once told was a “new norm” for the sluggish American economy has become provably incorrect.
The most recent enhancement for Americans and business was the signature of the first serious tax cut in decades. Although the cries of “tax cuts for the rich” and “corporate welfare” have arisen from Democrats, there already are indicators that much of that sav- ings will be returned to the hard-working people who earned it in the first place. Several major corporations immediately announced there would be bonuses paid to workers and salaries raised from money that no longer had to be sent to the Internal Revenue Service.
Last December, we all realized that the ordinary, everyday, rank- and-file people who vote had spoken and Donald J. Trump had been selected as their choice for the 45th president of the United States. Even at that early date, we all sensed that the Democrat Party, the media and the Republican establishment were going to have no posi- tive participation during the next four years of the Trump Adminis- tration. It’s almost as if they had formed an unholy alliance to hinder and obstruct everything the president wanted to accomplish — no matter how intuitive his proposal might have been! The personal agendas of these outliers would not allow them to have anything to do with “making America great again.”
A tip of the hat to you, Mr. President. Media types can create all the “profiles of courage” awards they wish while you toil away each day in the best interest of the American people and are denigrated for your successes — which, thankfully, continue to pile up.
It appears that all of us who complained about a country which was being managed into mediocrity by professional politicians were right with our call for a real business person who would be willing to move into Washington and begin draining the swamp.
We stand at a remarkable crossroads when it comes to the op- portunity to regain the greatness which has always been the epitome of being an American. We’re not sure that one side of this divide is inherently worse than the other when discussing Democrats versus Republicans. Both tend to talk right past each other with no concern whatsoever for reconciliation, agreement or a middle ground. One of the more troubling aspects of the modern politician, be they Demo- crat or Republican, is the ease with which they can lie and mislead to prop up their agenda.
I realize it’s naive to assume such a thing, but their only interest should be in how legislation will impact the people they represent. I really don’t want Chuck or Nancy dictating to my representative what is best for that constituency.
But, as always, that’s only one man’s opinion.
Constitution deals with sexual abuse in Congress
By Harold Pease
Guest columnist
According to the media, members of Congress of both major political parties are dropping like flies to a fly-swatter in a barn: Sen. Al Franken and Congres- sional representatives John Conyers, Ruben Kihuen, Blake Farenthold, Joe Bar- ton, Trent Franks and Alcee Hastings in the last 30 days. All are accused of sexually abusing women, some re- cent, some years ago. Does the Constitution deal with misbehaving members of Congress when followed fully?
Unfortunately, with the disclosure of these seven al- so came the exposure of the existence of a secret fund- ing source for members of Congress accused of sexual harassment and other work- place discretions created under the Congressional Review Act of 1995. Since 1997, the fund has paid at least $15 million to settle complaints. Representative Blake Farenthold is the first member of Congress con- firmed to have benefited from it, receiving $84,000 in taxpayer dollars in 2014 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit with a former aide. We will have many other disclosures to rise to the expenditure of $15 million. A fund to potentially hide immoral activities is com- pletely unconstitutional. It also removes a deterrent to transgression.
So how does the Consti- tution deal with misbehav- ing members of Congress? It begins with the moral- ity of the electorate. John Adams, a Founding Father and second president of the United States, identified the
first principle of a republic where a king does not dic- tate good or evil, but the participants in that govern- ment bridle their “human passions” through “morality and religion.” Left unbri- dled, he said, they “would break the strongest cords of our Constitution.” He ended a lengthy paragraph on the topic with, “Our Con- stitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
At least nine other Founders expressed simi- lar opinions. George Wash- ington in his “Farewell Address” wrote: “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political pros- perity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. And let us with caution in- dulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion.”
In their time, none de- nied the relationship be- tween morality, religion, God and justice. When mo- rality is situational, as it seems to be for so many to- day, this link is broken and one depends upon his own wisdom alone. There is no “appealing to the Father of lights to illuminate our un- derstanding,” as expressed by Benjamin Franklin in the Constitutional Conven- tion. As Washington once said, “Government is like fire, a dangerous servant and a fearful master.” Un- principled government can do much damage as it has to the Constitution for years.
We expect those we elect to govern to have strong moral fiber and to have their human passions fully bridled. If they are still struggling with the
base, hedonistic, animalis- tic and adulterous elements of themselves, such as is reported of these members of Congress, how can we expect them to make laws for the people based upon righteousness and justice? How can they discern such?
So the first constitution- al principle is the election of persons to govern who demonstrate moral fiber. Moral bankruptcy usually starts long before one is a member of Congress. Al Franken demonstrated this by his choice of material as a professional comedian. Women complained of the sexually abusive behavior of John Conyers decades ago. Once this is known and confirmed, he should not be reelected. When the people themselves are mor- ally bankrupt and do not care about the philandering of their favorite, as in the second election of Presi- dent Bill Clinton, then such, as Adams said, breaks “the strongest cords of our Con- stitution.” Returning to the principle of electing only those with strong moral fi- ber, and zero tolerance for those who do not, will elimi- nate most, if not all, preda- tory behavior in Congress.
Once manifested two parts of the Constitution come into play to isolate the damage. Each House is to be the judge “of the Elec- tions, Returns and Qualifi- cation of its own Members” making certain that it is the will of voters and that will was fairly derived (Article I, Section 5, Clause 1). But neither House can consti- tutionally rejudge behav- ior that is known to voters addressed during the cam- paign after the expression
of the people, should any of the seven run and win in 2018.
Also, each House may “punish its Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Mem- ber” (Article I, Section 5, Clause 2). In this they deal with behavior occurring after being seated such as sexual harassment. So let the Ethics Committee of both houses deal with the accused.
But the Constitution has one more check. At least six of the seven accused of sexual abuse face their constituents in 11 months to be judged by them and reseated or not. Their best behavior is likely pending that outcome. Let these two constitutional filters do their work — not media trials that only serve the vengeful and are too politicized to be fair.
If the above does not end predatory sexual be- havior in Congress the Con- stitution can be said to be broken, as Adams said, at least on curbing immoral- ity of its leaders. The dis- closures are serious; still, we need to be reminded that there are 535 members of Congress and most bridle their “human passions” but the seven, who presumably do not, are seven too many.
Harold Pease is a syn- dicated columnist and an expert on the United States Constitution. He has dedi- cated his career to studying the writings of the Found- ing Fathers and applying that knowledge to current events. He has taught histo- ry and political science from this perspective for over 30 years at Taft College in Kern County.
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