Letters for December 27, 2018

GOP’s new slogan

In a video of a Trump rally, I saw a T-shirt that stated, “I’d rather be a Russian than a Democrat.” Could this be the new slogan of the Republican Party? Their refusal to take any action against the Russians’ continued interference in our electoral process demonstrates that it just might be. Why is that?

According to the Federal Election Commission, Donald Trump and the political action committees of several elected Republicans—Sens. John McCain, Mitch McConnell, Marco Rubio and Lindsey Graham, and Govs. Scott Walker and John Kasich—accepted $7.35 million in contributions from Ukrainian-born oligarch Leonard “Len” Blavatnik’s holding companies. Through business connections, Blavatnik has close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

During the 2015-16 election season, the top recipients from this foreign slush fund were McConnell, who raked in $2.5 million, followed by Rubio’s $1.5 million, Walker’s $1.1 million and Graham’s $800,000.

It was just a short 30 years ago that the Republican Party promoted itself as the “national security party,” its members beating their chests with the American flag. Folklore has it that legendary delta blues guitarist Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil to play the blues. Evidently the Republicans have sold theirs to stay in power.

Roger S. Beadle

Chico

Note to fascists

In my letter dated Nov. 22, I made mention of at least two retired U.S. military generals—Gen. John Kelley, who referred to President Trump as “an idiot,” and Gen. James Mattis, who said “Trump has the intellect of a fifth- or sixth-grader.” Fast-forward one month, and both aforementioned former generals are now (or soon will be) former Trump cabinet members, both basically resigning in protest of the chaotic Trump.

Would your fascist letter writers suggest that these two former war heroes should “just leave the country, and go somewhere that they like” just because they “hate America/Trump simply for disagreeing with his ridiculous, depression causing policies?”

At his victory rally in Las Vegas during the 2016 primaries, Trump stood on the stage and said, “I love the poorly educated.” I’ve often wondered how many of the Chico News & Review letter writers were in attendance at the rally? Reading some of their right-wing posts/Trump tweets leaves room for a great deal of suspicion.

Ray Estes

Redding

‘Good riddance’

Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke quits! What great news! This is the same guy who rode his horse to 45’s inauguration.

His insensitivity to the Native American people, whose ancestral lands formed much of the treasures of which he was in charge, was obvious in the name he chose to give his horse: Tonto. Tonto, for crying out loud, was a Native American, albeit fictional, and the partner of the Lone Ranger. Why didn’t this idiot name his horse Scout, which was the name of Tonto’s horse? His wanton ignorance of the value of our national monuments and parks was further made evident in his unceasing efforts to remove federal protection from them. His ideas about preserving them were incompatible with the reasons for their founding, of course.

Good riddance, I say! And good on all the Friends of the Earth who helped get him out of office!

Miles Jordan

Chico

Let’s talk climate

Christmas came early this year, in the form of a bill introduced in Congress. It’s the very first for climate action with sponsors from both political parties in over a decade. It has a very real chance of passing (EnergyInnovationAct.org) with House introduction Nov. 28, Senate introduction Dec. 19. Wow!

It’s easy to think our nation is too divided for both conservatives and progressives to work together to stop further climate change. This is simply not true. Please tell everyone you know over the holidays. “Polite” silence just means we don’t find out about common ground.

Just last holiday season, looking down at my plate, I admitted my volunteer life with Chico Citizens Climate Lobby. I expected to be shot down or politely dismissed by my conservative relations. Shockingly, they were not only not hostile, but rather were appreciative of my work. What a surprise. I could have fallen off my chair.

The 2018 Yale Opinion Climate Survey now shows more than 70 percent of the country, including 72 percent of Butte County, believes climate change is happening. Who knew?

Julie Heath

Chico

Melania’s merry X-mas

First Lady Melania Trump summed up her husband’s presidency, soul and their residency in the White House by using solid-red trees to drench the White House in a full coat of Satanic or Russian red.

Maybe she was trying to be the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, as she and her husband cut off their “unloyal” employees’ and cabinet members’ dignity, careers and futures. The lobby looks like Melania took decorating advice from the Whore of Babylon, celebrating the spirit of evil in our most precious White House. Or maybe she is symbolizing the upcoming massacre of all who serve the devil Trump.

Hopefully, all involved will be celebrating next Christmas in orange jumpsuits, behind prison bars. Either way, it is completely inappropriate for the people’s home to reflect the bloody murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which none of the Trumps cared about. Trump taking blood money from Saudi Arabia, instead of taking a moral stand against bloodthirsty Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and his gang of murderers, is a perfect example of how immoral and low Trump will go for money.

Pat Johnston

Red Bluff

Kid helpers needed

A second- or third-grader’s life should have a certain solid feel to it—something to push off from to try new things. It is true for all of us, and especially our children, that life constantly challenges our sense of well-being and safety.

Fortunately, the human spirit is incredibly resilient. A small piece of “solid ground” in the face of incredible turmoil is often sufficient. That solid ground comes more from someone than something. Our Reading Pals volunteers are that “someone” for a child who has slipped academically behind. Consistent one-on-one attention communicates, “You have what it takes.”

The Camp Fire has heightened our awareness, and we are all searching for ways to help. Beautiful stories of the noble and resilient abound. Sixty Reading Pals kids and 60 Reading Pals volunteers were displaced by the Camp Fire. Many of our 250 Chico volunteers lived in Paradise. We are working to reconnect kids with their solid ground and now have a shortage of tutors.

As you consider what you can do, think about donating one hour a week to help a child find his or her footing. You can be a struggling child’s safe harbor. Contact readingpalschico.org or call 588-0119.

Rory Rottschalk

Chico

Rule of law?

There has been no rule of law since Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon. Ronald Reagan traded arms with Iran to fund illegal wars and created al-Qaida with his policy in Afghanistan. Bill Clinton traded money for access and set the stage for the private prison “industry.” George W. Bush lied us into war, creating ISIS-sponsored torture and spied on American citizens. Barack Obama gave trillions to bankers in return for financial support. Now Donald Trump has allied with Turkey, Russia and Saudi Arabia to enrich himself while conspiring with his minions to violate U.S. asylum laws.

Let the show trials begin!

Peter Johnson

Chico

Corrections

A story in Newslines about the retirement of Chico Enterprise-Record Editor David Little (see “Stepping down,” by Ashiah Scharaga, Dec. 20) incorrectly reported the location of the E-R’s old building as well as the time frame that the newspaper moved to its new digs on East Park Avenue. The old office was at Seventh and Broadway. It moved there in 1987. The story has been amended online. —ed.