Page 4 - Reedley Exponent 1-3-19 E-edition

The Reedley Exponent A4 Thursday, January 3, 2019 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 / Sports Juanita Adame — Panorama Editor Budd Brockett — Editor Emeritus
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their trail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight. And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Plenty of local happenings in 2018, plenty more still to come
— Dylan Thomas 1914-1953
For decades, left-leaning politicians, special interest groups, politicians and even our judicial system seem to have done every- thing in their power to alter our Constitution with claims that it is a malleable document which should be open to interpretation to modern day standards. We even had a recent president who served two terms running on the platform that he was going to fundamen- tally change America. Never mind that everything, especially the economy, went to “hell in a hand basket,” our mainstream media obediently and lovingly worshipped him. No one can cite anything he did to strengthen America or make like better but that seems to be beside the point.
This Dylan Thomas poem — which is open to interpretation — always reminds me that everyone should fight against the un- acceptable, even when it appears inevitable. It seems to me that we’ve ceded the battle to those who would weaken America for far too long. Thank heaven we finally have a leader who is willing to take on tough tasks and is willing to fight. Perhaps the time has come for us to join our leader in the struggle to save this great republic!
People need to begin to realize that simply hating someone doesn’t mean that they are wrong.
One can’t help but have ambivalent thoughts about the year of 2018 as it draws to a close. It’s been one of those years which has blessed Americans with the best of economic times and, yet, has been offset by an irrational hatred on the part of about half of Americans and our institutions for the man who is helping produce and deliver the good news.
Growth in a once stagnant economy has reached numbers one hasn’t seen in years; poverty is down; unemployment numbers are at all time lows for everyone including traditionally underem- ployed minorities; America has returned to its status as a world leader; we have a president whose word actually means something and the world has become a safer place over the past two years.
Contrary to those indisputable facts, The Mueller investigation has gone into another year of its controversial hunt for Russian trolls who, according to the media and Democrats, stole the elec- tion for Mr. Trump against their terribly weak candidate. As hard as it may be to believe, we fully expect Hillary Clinton to mount a drive for the nomination in 2020. At this point, the only people even remotely associated with that “crime” are a group of Rus- sians who Robert Mueller indicted but will never see the inside of an American courtroom.
This, yes I am going to use the word, witch hunt has gone so far afield that anyone who ever knew the president or had any deal- ings with him is in danger from the assembled team of Democrat operatives risks having their life ruined over past tax issues or a whole litany of problems which have no connection to the original cause for action given the Independent Council’s office. The “well” used for money runs extremely deep with taxpayers being the often unwilling provider for the Independent Council.
The only other indictments we’ve seen to this point involve what is called a process crime. That usually amounts being caught in a perjury trap by the council’s staff of Democrat donors and has little or nothing to do with what was originally charged. If I were a friend of the president, at this point, I would be worried about whether or not my dog has the appropriate license. It seems a pretty sure bet that Mueller and his merry band are rifling through records all the way from Washington to the local courthouse.
Meanwhile, in the feverish hunt for non-existent collusion, ev- eryone seems to ignore all the wrong-doing which poured forth from the Clinton campaign and the Clinton Foundation. We’re talk- ing phony dossiers which were prepared by foreign agents and used by Obama officials and a really biased layer of management at Justice and the FBI to obtain FISA warrants to spy on the Trump campaign — a sorry episode never witnessed before.
What happens when government officials can no longer be trusted to administer the law on a basis of a blind justice? What happens when election results can no longer be trusted because il- legal foreign nationals are allowed to vote in places like California? What happens when Democrats want an open border, furthering the expansion of their available voter pool?
It seems the time has come for anyone who has ever had a cognitive thought to examine the evidence of where this new wave of politics is taking this great country.
But, as always, that’s only one man’s opinion.
Government shutdown necessary for national security
Fred Hall
Looking back, 2018 was a pretty momentous year in Reedley. We’ve only given you a sampling of some of the events that happened with photos we’ve published this week.
There was a little controversy and friction. The city’s agreement in April to open the Faith House emer- gency shelter – carried by nearly $600,000 in state funding — rubbed many residents in the neighboring southwest Reedley housing devel- opment the wrong way. There even was brief talk of recalling Reedley City Council member Ray Soleno, who represents the district. Not only did a recall effort fizzle out, Soleno ended up being elected to another four-year term as District 4 member in November.
That same month, the shelter took in its first family for temporary emergency housing. The residence is up and running after a November grand opening, months after fixes to the property were made.
There were sad losses with the deaths of Paul Mitchell in January and Pam Melville in June. Both were longtime pillars in the community and left an indelible stamp on Reed- ley; Mitchell in education with his teaching and coaching and Melville in business and civic involvement
with her ownership of David’s and service on the city’s Parks and Rec- reation department (now Community Services).
There were comings and goings. Sandra Caldwell, who had a success- ful seven-year tenure as Reedley College president, accepted a posi- tion as executive director for the Wyoming Community College Com- mmission. Donna Berry, vice presi- dent of administrative services, has stepped in as interim president and is a candidate for the permanent job. There’s also a new face represent- ing the college’s district on the State Center Community College District board of trustees, as Magdalena Go- mez from Selma won the November election over incumbent Ron Nishi- naka from Reedley. We salute Nishi- naka for his many years of service and hope he remains active in com- munity happenings and planning.
The college’s growth continues with the establishment of a new Flight Science program this fall. An open house took place in May to help get the word out to prospective students. Also at the college, ground was broken back in February for the new Reedley Middle College High School complex. Work continues on the multi-story structure, which
is expected to be ready for occu- pancy in February.
That project
is just one of the
Kings Canyon
Unified School
District’s plans
for expansion. Old
warehouse build-
ings were demol-
ished in December, setting the stage for the eventual construction of new athletic fields at Reedley High School including a new varsity base- ball diamond and ballpark.
At Immanuel Schools, the spar- kling elementary school complex was dedicated in August after a whirlwind construction. It’s given a new flash and attraction for the pri- vate school, which also in the past two years has finished a new athlet- ics complex near the Kings River.
As I said earlier, there’s been plenty to report on and spotlight. We’ll continue to do so in the Jan. 10 issue as well as future weeks in 2019.
And don’t forget, school is back in session on Monday, Jan. 7, at el- ementary, high school and college (Reedley College) levels. Drive safe- ly and watch out for students.
QUOTE
“The problem with the designated driver program, it’s not a desirable job, but if you ever get sucked into doing it, have fun with it. At the end of the night, drop them off at the wrong house.”
Jeff Foxworthy
Jon Earnest
By Harold Pease
Guest columnist
The federal govern- ment desperately needs to diet. Much of our spending is constitutionally dubious and it is immoral to pass our national debt, now exceed- ing $21 trillion, to our yet unborn children. We need to return to constitutional limits to govern the distri- bution of our taxes.
The one exception to the diet argument is national security. Without a physical barrier that works we can- not remain a country. His- tory has demonstrated our souther border to be too po- rous and that only a physi- cal barrier will work. “Kick- ing the can down the road” on border national security, as both major political par- ties have done for decades, only exacerbates the prob- lem. Our national security now demands a wall.
We’ve had 20 govern- ment “shutdowns” since 1977, according to the Con- gressional Research Ser- vice. Most Americans never knew when we were in one. In fact, “shutdowns” may be a good thing if they reduce the national debt, make ex- penditures more constitu- tionally based, or strength- en national security.
Democratic opposition to a southern border wall (they advocate for open borders) has been the prin- ciple reason for the last two “shutdowns.” Open borders is the “real” reason for their opposition but they know this will not sell with most Americans. The other two reasons are that a wall won’t work and it costs too much.
But walls do work. Look at any penitentiary. Many of those pushing the ineffec- tive argument, hypocriti-
Other Opinions
cally, live in gated commu- nities. If walls (gates) did not work they would not live there. China’s Great Wall successfully kept “barbar- ians” out for centuries and they built it with human labor — no earthmoving equipment — and over im- possible terrain.
Today’s 143-mile steel border fence in southern Israel has stemmed the flow of illegal immigration by 99 percent, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (The Jerusalem Report, Herb Keinon, Jan. 2, 2013). It “stopped the flood of African migrants into the country,” ending “Sinai ter- ror.” At one time 2,300 peo- ple crossed each month but after the fence it dropped to 18, a 99 percent cut. Israel will be building other walls. The wall began in Novem- ber 2010 finishing Decem- ber 2012, and changed ev- erything.
Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted, “President Trump is right. I built a wall along Israel’s southern border. It stopped all illegal immigra- tion. Great success. Great idea.”
Democrats argue that the wall costs to much but in the requested 2018 bud- get of $4.094 trillion, cer- tainly five billion is but a drop in the bucket. Spend- ing beyond our means has never been a deterrent for Democrats. In the 10-year Farm Bill of 2014, they gave $3.3 billion alone for a cotton income protection plan. Other gift giving in that nearly trillion dollar bill, considered pork by critics, included: “$2 mil- lion for sheep production and marketing, $10 million for Christmas tree promo-
tion, $170 million for catfish oversight, $119 million for peanut crop insurance, $100 million for organic food re- search, $150 million to pro- mote farmers markets, $12 million for a ‘wool research and promotion’ program, and $100 million to promote the maple syrup industry.” Ironically, the 949-page bill spends about $1 billion dol- lars per page ($956 Billion Farm Bill Loaded with Pork, Your World Cavuto).
We could easily fund the wall by ending the funding (ice cream cones) we presently give to the il- legals after they illegally cross our borders, but the Democrats would never agree to this because they are presently purchasing future party affiliates. The non-partisan Center for Im- migration Studies recently found that “63 percent of non-citizen households ac- cess welfare programs compared to 35 percent of native households,” cost- ing taxpayers an average of $73,000 per immigrant over his lifetime. In addi- tion they found, “compared to native households, non- citizen households have much higher use of food programs (45 percent vs. 21 percent for natives) and Medicaid (50 percent vs. 23 percent for natives).” Plus illegals get cash. “Includ- ing the EITC, 31 percent of non-citizen-headed house- holds receive cash welfare, compared to 19 percent of native household.” If these funds were instead used to finance a wall, such would be easily funded.
As far as the cost of the wall is concerned, a study released in Septem- ber 2017 by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) revealed
that, “At the federal, state, and local levels, taxpayers shell our approximately $134.9 billion to cover the costs incurred by the pres- ence of more than 12.5 mil- lion illegal aliens, and about 4.2 million citizen children of illegal aliens.” This, the report says, is a nearly $3 billion increase in the cost since 2013. It is also rather more than the single pay- ment of $25 billion that it will cost to build a wall — five-and-a-half times more, and every year.” Conse- quently, “each illegal alien cost nearly $70,000 during their lifetime.”
Both studies show that funds presently given those who cross our border illegally could easily pay the $25 billion total cost of building the wall or five bil- lion per year for five years for the same. This without raising a single penny from any new tax monies from our citizens.
Looks like we need the wall for both national and domestic security. To get this apparently we have to have the Democratically imposed partial government shutdown. Let us keep the partial shutdown in place until we get a commitment from both parties for the whole $25 billion needed; or legislation to redirect the funding of illegals to the wall.
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 taught history and political science from this perspective for more than 30 years at Taft College in Kern County.