Time to oust LaMalfa

Rep. Doug LaMalfa held a town hall meeting in Butte County this week. At 5:30 p.m. on a Monday. In a small auditorium in Oroville. But, despite the apparent attempt to appeal to a small, favorable audience, opponents turned out en masse to challenge his policies and voting record.

This is encouraging. At past events, including candidate forums, he’s generally appeared to be preaching to the choir. Not so on Monday. Are his constituents wising up to the fact that he doesn’t have their best interests at heart? Or are his opponents simply feeling more empowered to speak their minds? Whatever the reason, we hope it continues. Without asking our elected officials the tough questions and demanding they represent us fairly and honestly, we cannot expect adequate advocacy or policy.

So, let’s not stop here. Let’s harness this energy and put it into tangible action. That means not pinning hopes on LaMalfa changing course, but getting behind a candidate who can oust him from his comfortable Washington quarters. He or she will need the backing of a majority of the 1st Congressional District. The next election is less than two years from now. There’s no time like the present to get started.