Page 4 - Dinuba Sentinel 1-17-19 E-edition

Opinion
A4 | Thursday, Janauary 17,, 2019
Fred Hall - Publisher Rick Curiel - Editor
In My Opinion
Liberal policies have contributed Gto California's de ciencies
avin Newsom was sworn in a bewildering total
this past week, becoming the of gasoline taxes
th
40 governor of the State of and surcharges is at
California. Newsomannounced,ashis administration’s policy, sanctuary for everyone as well as a “pie-in-the-sky” laundry list of more available housing, health care for all whether or not you are a citizen, affordable housing, and
a lower cost of living. Given a long
list of unpleasant and inconvenient facts which now exist on the ground in ourstate,onewouldhavetobeeither delusional or politically lying in order to make such a claim.
The Governor’s promise of a
bright future for California under the continued guidance of the Democrat party strains credulity, especially when one considers the litany of problems withwhichwearefaced. Giventhe situation in which California finds itself, we have to seriously question those who claim there is no national crisis existing at our Southern border by taking a critical look at what mass, uncontrolled immigration has wrought.
California has the dubious claim
of having the highest percentage of residents over the age of 25 whose education ended prior to the ninth grade...that’s roughly 4 million Californians. We rank next to last (48 out of 50) among states whose residents never graduated from high school. We’re talking about almost one in five Californians who have little formal education. Contrast that to pockets, such as Palo Alto, where 40 percent of the city has a Masters degree, or higher! That sort of disparity is the prescription for a disaster and, know what, it is directlyattributabletoourdesireto bring even more emigrants into this country as cheap labor.
How can this be the case in a state where some of the most reknown universities ply their trade? We’re glad you asked because there is a rather simpleanswer. TheCaliforniaState University System has been actively involved in creating a student body where only about 20 percent are Englishproficient.. Sourcesindicate that, at one time, the remediation rate was about 35 percent but that has been recently scrapped as being offensive and archaic. Anyinstitutionwhichaccepts “happy and stupid” as an alternative because to do otherwise might harm the self esteem of a student is a direct contributortofailure.
We’re left to ask, as most laymen, what the hell ever happened to “Academic Excellence” and “The Best andBrightest?” Noquestionaboutit that there is a place for everyone in our societybuttheideaofoutcomeparity through political correctness is a non- starter. Whenpeoplestandcalmly aside and accept being fed bologna
by academics, we get exactly what we deserve—a second rate society!
Taking a deeper dive into the asymmetrical mess that our state has become, one must ask the question of why, with the highest tax rates in the nation,doweenjoysuchpoorreturn in terms of service. Proving our point about burdensome taxation would be the fact that our income top tax rate at 13.3 is the highest in the nation; sales tax at 8.5 percent is forty-ninth; and
Fred Hall
55 cents per gallon which is second highest in the entire country. You know the shape our roads are in by making
a simple two-hour
drive to our coast. Surely our schools represent a bright,
shiningpoint,youmightsay. Consider the fact that our public school test
score rank 46th nationally. English
and math scores are embarrassingly low! National surveys show California’s “standard for the world” system of roads and freeways come in with a ranking of 45th in the nation. Talk about aracetothebottom!
When simple facts are laid in front
of one for examination, it’s difficult
to realize which California it was
that Gavin Newsom was describing during his swearing-in ceremonies in Sacramento. Hetalkedaboutagreat house that was filled with the good life for all. Increasingly we see two houses— the wealthy, well educated one and a permanent under-educated underclass. Taxes and governmental regulations and rules have managed to decimate our middle class—the key support for money to fund our social programs—and sent them fleeing the state in search of an affordable cost of living.
Why do the political leaders who
we elect take such a righteous look
at “red state” America when fully 25 percent of the homeless population
of this country sleep on the streets of California. Ourliberalattitudetoward crime and criminals has resulted in
the State trying to empty our jails
and transfer the expense of criminals running loose to the taxpaying citizens? San Francisco ranks number one in
per capita property crimes among all of America’slargestcities.
During the last 15 years there
have been approximately 6 million Californians who have fled to other states. Theseare—asageneralrule— middle class Republicans who seek more comfortable circumstances for their families. One shouldn’t worry aboutadropinpopulationimpacting our representation in Washington because they have been replaced by immigrants capable of doing jobs at low wages. Thatveryissuehasalsoresulted in California being a state with political control in one party—the Democrats.
If you doubt the political shift then explainhowHillaryClintonlosther election against Donald Trump and the media. Ms.ClintonwonCaliforniaby4 million votes which was completely out ofstepwiththerestofAmerica.
Immigration alone has not done all of this to California but it sure as hell has contributed. Democracy can’t exist with what amounts to a permanent underclass and a wealthy elite who take advantage.
We’ve tried everything else and it hasn’tworked. Buildthewall!
But, as usual, that’s only one man’s opinion.
Fred Hall is publisher of the Dinuba Sentinel.
In My Opinion
Government by extortion, 'rule or Nruin', is contrary to democracy
ews outlets are treating the Trump shutdown as they got their way?
a power struggle between two willful forces, the Similarly, progressives say (not president and the Democrats — rather than the incorrectly) that we need to act
president’s disturbing rule-or-ruin strategy. Let’s call it what it is: extortion, an attack on our democracy and the fundamental principle of majority rule.
Under our constitution, the executive branch cannot simply decree that government money will be spent on something. Congress must pass a law authorizing the government to spend the money.
So the only way to build Trump’s wall is to introduce a bill in Congress — and pass a law — allocating money for
a border wall. Surveys show that most Americans oppose
a wall, and Trump doesn’t have the votes in Congress for the $5 billion he wants to start building one (much less the $22 to $70 billion the whole thing could cost.)
So he decided he’ll take his ball and go home. The shutdown will go on for months or years, he now says, until he gets his way.
Except that it’s not his ball. It’s ours.
It’s the government of the American people that
he’s shuttering, not the plaything of the president. Our government does important things for us like enforcing clean air and water rules, making sure food and drugs are safe, supporting schools, protecting airports — and, yes, funding the Department of Homeland Security itself.
How long do we expect government workers to work for free? Will our airports have to shut down, our national parks be closed, our Social Security checks stop coming until the president gets his way?
One way to decide if something is reasonable is to ask how we’d feel if the shoe were on the other foot. What if Democrats tried government by extortion?
Many Democrats believe that since abortion is a constitutional right, Medicaid shouldn’t be barred, as it now is, from paying for abortions for women in poverty. But Democrats don’t have the votes to repeal the current law. What if they shut down the entire government unless
Mitchell Zimmerman
against climate change. Global warming is already wreaking havoc: more violent hurricanes, runaway fires in the West, flooding along the coasts, and other disasters.
But since GOP climate change deniers control the Senate, Democrats can’t pass laws to encourage a transition to clean energy. Should Democrats simply
refuse to pass any bill at all to fund the government unless they get their way?
However worthy the cause, the answer is no. When you insist on rule or ruin, the result is likely to be ruin for the rest of us.
If the proponents of every program that had support in Congress — but not enough to be enacted — decided it was better to crash the government than accept a defeat for
the time being, that would be the end of our democracy. It would mean that all of the government programs that do enjoy majority support would, in effect, be vetoed. Vetoed unless a program that the majority doesn’t support was enacted.
Flying the government into a mountainside isn’t principled behavior. It’s a disastrous attack on democracy.
Before the Nazis came to power in Germany in 1933, Germany’s democratic republic had broken down. It broke down because the rule-or-ruin strategies of the parties
at the extremes, the fascists and the communists, had prevented the government from governing. Today’s effort to govern by extortion raises the same peril.
Mitchell Zimmerman is an attorney who devotes much of his practice to pro bono work. Distributed by OtherWords.org.
rowbacks
This week the Dinuba Sentinel introduces a new feature, Throwbacks. The Sentinel has an archive of old photos depicting various moments in time from Dinuba's History. The feature will work hand-and-hand with today's social media, allowing you the reader to tell the story of Dinuba's great history. This one is easy, and you don't have to go too far back to remember the spot. Visit us on Facebook to share your memories of the place, and help tell the story.
Join the discussion
Sentinel file photo
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