Letters for July 6, 2017

About those cuts

Re “Austerity wins, programs lose” (Newslines, by Howard Hardee, June 29):

On practically a daily basis, I hear about budget deficits and cuts in funding in Chico and Butte County. Fire stations closing, social services employees losing their positions, library hours being cut, the Boys & Girls Club taking a major hit, school budgets scrambling, and the list goes on and on.

Gee, where can the city and county find additional funding?

Oh, marijuana is now legal and, golly, entire states as well as many jurisdictions in our own state are benefiting from the new dot.com boom: cannabis.

How long are our local representatives going to keep using the 1930s movie Reefer Madness as a basis for 21st century policy?

Ed Pitman


I live in a complex for seniors, disabled and not. It is unfortunate that we require emergency services (more than the average citizen). This includes the EMTs, and typically the people of Station 42 are the ones who accompany them. These people could almost be like family to us, as we see them often—but they are angels on earth, no doubt!

There were even times when, during power outages, they would come and park in our lot for the “just in case” events in our homes—unless/until an emergency call came in. That is honest compassion.

I’m so glad that none of them will lose their paychecks. However, it is unfortunate that during these budget cuts, the fire departments will be stretched a bit thinner.

To all the members from Station 42, I must say thank you! Thank you for being there when we needed you and for treating the patients with the care and respect that they deserve. Maybe we’ll see one of your faces in the future, despite the circumstances.

Blessed be to all of you!

Ani Sky


‘Living nightmare’

Nine days after the surreal, living nightmare day that Donald Trump took the White House hostage—with help from Bernie Sanders, Gary Johnson and Jill Stein—I sent a letter explaining Trump’s dubious rise to political stardom.

I wrote that Trump pirated the sales techniques of pompous Gorgeous George the wrestler to appeal to his (Trump’s) so-called “poorly educated supporters.” Not only did Trump pirate the wrestler’s outlandish style, he also emulated Vince McMahon of WWE, the guy who made himself a billionaire by staging bogus wrestling matches designed for “Joe six-pack” and his army of deplorable minions.

Fast-forward to Trump body slamming a CNN reporter via doctored video footage. This is Vince and Linda McMahon (Linda is in Trump’s cabinet) in all their splendor.

First-time hick voters, white female Hillary haters—along with Sanders, Johnson and Stein—tipped the Electoral College scales in a handful of Rust Belt states to make America the Trump disgrace.

Ray Estes


Mission impossible

By and by, even educators who despise firearms will be packing heat and required to placate those accompanied by emotional support animals such as ferrets, hedgehogs, pigs, rats, felines and canines. However imperceptible now, these developments are actually occurring and make progress beyond a global education ranking of 17th seem nearly impossible.

Kenneth B. Keith

Los Molinos

Just say no

When our president goes to the G-10 summit, expect criticism for whatever he does. Especially concerning climate change.

When President Trump pulled out of the Paris Climate Accord, critics were wild.

The Paris Accord hurt our U.S. economy, while not doing anything to help curb fuel emissions. We paid poorer countries $1 billion to cut their emissions voluntarily. Few did.

The U.S. is the most innovative [country] on earth. The secret is our freedom and our economy. When our economy is strong, we have more people at work and more people free to explore new ideas.

Our God-given freedoms are exceptional; making us able to outperform any other industrial nation in the world! This country has a collective conscience. We reach out with money and lives to help others! We won’t stop finding ways to help our planet!

The critics seem to say that America is evil and we are ruining the world. This is unAmerican and needs to stop! It’s time for people to rise and say “no” to the one-world government policies of the left.

Oh, wait! We did on November 8, 2016!

Loretta Ann Torres