ANIMAL FARM (Letter to Independent Coast Observer)

“Some animals are more equal than others.” 

Whether applied to an anthropomorphized group of farm animals or the failed Communist dictatorships of the 20th century, Orwell’s observation about the inherent inequalities of “collectivism” has stood the test of time.  

The truth of this statement is particularly striking today as we witness a plethora of Orwellian-style edicts flowing out of Washington, D.C.  It seems some ObamaCare supporters are now discovering “inequities” in the legislation and are seeking temporary waivers excusing them from its requirements.  

This Administration has granted about 1350 such waivers thus far with a disproportionate number doled out to labor unions and other predominantly Democrat constituencies.  Interestingly, 20% of the waivers granted in April went to businesses in Nancy Pelosi’s congressional district. There are 435 Congressional districts across the nation. Do the math.

Conservatives view such actions as evidence that this country is being steered more and more towards collectivism:  a society in which the “rule of law” is corrupted by “collective cronyism,” a society in which class warfare rhetoric is used to demonize opponents and its most entrepreneurial, productive citizens are attacked as “enemies of the people.” 

The Democrat Left long ago jumped on the collectivist wagon, powered by the horse manure of political correctness and the winds of doublespeak (e.g., investment, not taxes). While the allure of getting “something for nothing” (e.g.; free health care, excessive food stamps) appeals to people across the political spectrum, it’s the raison d’etre for many Democrats.  

Fortunately, our particular brand of collectivism hasn’t approached the police-state extremes of the former Soviet system and its progeny. But it was Lenin who said, “You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs.”  That noise you hear from Washington, D.C.? It’s the sound of a lot of eggs being cracked.

Jim Littlejohn

The Prince (Letter to Independent Coast Observer)

A recent letter to the ICO (May 6, 2011) dubbed President Obama “the prince of multi-tasking.” The writer pointed out that, for Democrats: “His timeline is not always ours.”  (How Biblical! “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9)

However, as a Republican I am quite pleased because his timeline seems to be ours. He has granted renewable waivers to any business with union or San Francisco affiliation that wants out of Obamacare, backed Sarah Palin’s call to drill for oil in ANWAR (and in vast offshore expanses), extended President George W. Bush’s tax cuts, kept Guantanamo open and will try terrorists there in military tribunals, surged the war in Afghanistan, set a record by deporting 387,790 illegal aliens in 2009, and adopted the Bush Doctrine for the Middle East. Not only adopted Bush’s call for a democratic transition of the region, but for over 60 days – while thumbing his nose at Congress and the War Powers Act – has gone one up on Bush by bombing Libya, while still fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Prince also one-upped President Bush by clearly rejecting a Palestinian refugee “right of return” to Israel as part of a two-state peace settlement.

At this rate Republicans well may wonder why we would run against The Prince in 2012. I’m sure Obama realizes that Democrats won’t be able to get any tax increases through the Republican House; if he declared “No new taxes!” we Republicans might skip running anyone against him. But as Democrats have learned, he can’t be trusted, so he’ll be replaced with a good fiscal conservative; someone who will lead for the good of Americans, not just the unions.

Michael B. Combs

Nurturing the Dead Wood (Letter to Independent Coast Observer)

"When school children start paying union dues, that's when I'll start representing the interests of school children," said Albert Shanker, founder and long-time president of the United Federation of Teachers, and the American Federation of Teachers. But he also said: "A lot of people who have been hired as teachers are basically not competent." Of course he still worked unceasingly to keep the incompetents paying union dues.

The fact that the California Democrat Party is a wholly owned union subsidiary was again demonstrated this past week. A bill to allow school districts to use performance rather than seniority as a criterion for laying off teachers didn’t get six votes and died in committee. Three Republicans voted for, two Democrats against, and five Democrats abstained.

Abstained? Is that how Democrats stand up to be counted?

California Teachers Association members left their classrooms to pack the hearing room to voice their opposition, but needn’t have bothered; Democrats on the committee received $176,200 from the two largest teachers’ unions since 2004. Republicans got zip. Shanker applauds.

Many Democrats agree that public funds should be used to recruit, retain, and reward the best teachers.  Indeed, many teachers would like to see the "deadwood" cleared. But with the teachers' union in charge of the Democrats, it's who paid dues longest:  seniority rules.

  

I was fortunate in my association with Point Arena public schools, both as a student 1949-1960 and as a school board member with Alice.  Unfortunately, my three sons were not so lucky; the Illinois, Hawaii, and California public schools they attended as the Air Force moved us around were far from adequate.  If I could relive the past, my sons would have been in private schools.

  

Democrats and the teachers’ union would only care when no dues get paid.

Michael B. Combs