OPINION Marc Valles, Managing Editor

Times-Standard - 02/17/2018 Copy Reduced to 44% from original to fit letter page Page : A04

Serving Eureka and Humboldt County EDITORIAL BOARD A4 Paula Patton, Publisher OPINION Marc Valles, Managing Editor

Saturday, February 17, 2018 » MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/TIMESSTANDARD AND TWITTER.COM/EUREKATS » times-standard.com Editorial Cartoonist’s take Shooting blanks: A timeless story

Tragedy struck _____day in the community of _____, ______, as a gunman killed __ people and wounded __. It was the __ such incident in 20__. Armed with ______, No such legislation was ex- _____ and ___ rounds of am- pected to pass. munition, the shooter sprayed Still others called for the bullets for __ minutes before arming of _____ in order to being _____ by law enforce- curtail such incidents. ment. At the White House, Presi- Little is known about the dent _____ spoke for __ min- shooter’s motive at this time. utes on the subject, offering Following the incident, law- comfort to the victims, and makers waited __ minutes be- promising nothing of sub- fore blaming ______, ____, stance. PATRICK CHAPPATTE, LE TEMPS, SWITZERLAND and _____. Citing the precedent set by Others still blamed the me- previous administrations, ev- dia. eryone agreed that the presi- Both sides on Capitol Hill dent was likely to make good Letters to the editor immediately accused the other on the promise. of rushing to politicize the According to data from the Board of Supervisors complete. The state would save so, why did he not follow their bloodshed. Centers for Disease Control, an should support SB 562 money. Businesses would ALL advice in not releasing classi- While some, includ- average of more than 33,000 save money. Californians would fied information in which de- ing ______(_-_____), Americans per year between Your recent article (“Board no longer pay a single premium, tails were omitted for the sake took to social media to of- 2012 and 2014 died as a result delays stance on single-payer co-pay, deductible or out-of- of politics and not redacted for fer thoughts and prayers to of gun violence. Nearly two- health care,” Times-Standard, pocket fee. Pie in the sky? But the sake of security? He should the victims, others including thirds were suicides. Around Feb. 14, Page A2) reveals supes when you take the profit out of trust the FBI more than the ______(_-_____) dis- 12,000 a year were homicide NOT understanding what SB health care, so much money is Russians. That’s the real issue. missed this as inadequate and victims. 562, the Healthy California saved that one CAN actualize Later in the same broadcast demanded action in the form It has been _ days since the Act, would do. A state analy- universal health care — JUST there was a long segment by of ______. last shooting death in America. sis of cost says covering health LIKE IN SOME 40 OTHER IN- Sharyl Attkisson of the show care for every California resi- DUSTRIALIZED DEMOCRA- “Full Measure” (on KAEF) criti- dent UNDER THE CURRENT CIES AROUND THE GLOBE. cal of the Mueller investigation. SYSTEM would cost $400 Bil- So, wake up, supes, get with the I don’t mind libertarian views, Another view lion. The supes apparently have program and write that letter and I have some respect for Att- no information about the Polit- like you mean it. Then join Ar- kisson (unlike Nunes) but it was ical Economic Research Insti- cata, Eureka, Blue Lake, and all so one-sided as to be unfair. tute, University of Massachu- Manila and Willow Creek ser- I researched who owned The White House setts, Amherst study: a 90-plus vice districts in signing a Reso- KAEF news and I came upon page, in-depth analysis of how lution to Support SB 562. the good article by Will Hous- SB 562 could be funded and Patty Harvey, Willow Creek ton (“Sinclair buys 4 local sta- how it would change that sys- tions,” Times-Standard, July vs. the working stiffs tem was headed by Robert Pol- Asking for a balanced 15, 2017, Page A1) about the lin, Ph.D., who also testified to reporting of our news media giant Sinclair Broad- Donald Trump’s biggest day one to further enrich and our Assemblyman Jim Wood’s cast Group acquiring KAEF as whopper is that he’s an honest- empower the corporate elites Select Committee on health- On Feb. 7, I watched the lo- well as KBUV associated with to-God “populist,” standing he had denounced as a candi- care in Sacramento and laid out cal North Coast News on KAEF. Fox. In Houston’s article it was up for America’s date. the savings incurred by the bill There was an interview with mentioned that Sinclair “has hard-hit mid- Public Citizen’s report doc- as amounting to some $80 bil- Republican Rep. Devin Nunes drawn criticism for its conser- dle class against uments with concise, easy-to- lion. He explained how state talking about his release of a vative leanings in the lead-up to Wall Street, cor- grasp specifics on how Trump- and federal subsidies already memo, against the advice of the the presidential election.” Sha- porate lobbyists, the-faux-populist has system- would supply 70 percent of the FBI, concerning the Mueller in- ryl Attkisson’s show “Full Mea- and moneyed atically sold out the working cost and with the addition of vestigation into the connection sure” is also owned by the Sin- elites. families whose votes he cyni- certain taxes (sales, 2.3 percent between the Trump campaign clair Group. Jim Hightower This pre- cally swiped, handing our gov- and gross business receipt tax, during the 2016 election and the All I am asking for is a bal- varication has ernment to a kakistocracy of 2.3 percent on receipts over $2 Russians. He was asked if he anced reporting of our news. duped many corporate plutocrats. million) the coverage would be trusted the FBI. He said yes. If George Green, Arcata working stiffs into thinking The Public Citizen exposé is he’s their champion. The huck- titled “Forgetting the Forgot- ster doubled down on this ten: 101 Ways Donald Trump lie in his inaugural address Has Betrayed the Middle Let them know last year, pompously declar- Class,” and it drives the stake ing, “The forgotten men and of truth through the heart of State Senate Eureka phone: 707-445-6508 Sacramento, CA 94249-0002 women of our country will be his populist pretensions. It’s Mike McGuire: Eureka fax: 707-445-6511 Phone: 916-319-2002 forgotten no longer.” available at CorporatePresi- 130310th Street That’s why a new, straight- dency.org/forgotten. To email, visit http://sd02. sen- Fax: 916-319-2102 talking pamphlet by the Sacramento, CA 95814 ate.ca.gov/contact/ email Eureka phone: 707-445-7014 Phone: 916-651-4002 watchdog group Public Citi- OtherWords columnist Fax: 707-445-6607 zen is so important. It exposes Jim Hightower is a radio Fax: 916-651-4902 State Assembly the “people’s champion” as a commentator, writer, and 10365th St., Suite D Eureka, CA Jim Wood: To email, visit http://asmdc.org/ rank fraud who’s worked from public speaker. 95501 P.O. Box 942849 members/a02/

Another view The real women’s march will be heading to the polls

Tamika Mallory, an Afri- veys show the race tighter than There’s an enormous irony can-American who leads the that, but the trend along gender The early signs are encouraging for here. The energy and enthusi- national Women’s March, de- lines is clear. Democrats, who need a net gain of 24 asm driving women’s partici- clared at a rally Women favored Democrats by pation in 2018 was sorely lack- in Las Vegas last 26 points in the poll, 57 to 31 — House seats and two Senate seats to win ing in 2016, when Hillary Clin- month: “Stand exactly double the margin Hill- majorities in those chambers. ton ran such a tepid campaign up for me, white ary Clinton ran up among fe- that her crowds kept shrinking women ... You male voters in 2016. The shift is during the election season, not say you want to fueled almost entirely by white growing. But her defeat, com- be my friend? women, who backed Trump by are exemplified by the presi- lican women and caused them bined with Trump’s egregious Cokie & Steven I don’t want to 9 points, 52 to 43, but now favor dent’s demeaning attitude to- to ask themselves whether or behavior, has clearly ignited a Roberts hear it from your Democrats by 12 points. ward women. not there is a place for them in new sense of activism among mouth. I want to Another measure of female As Brenan writes, “Allegations the 2018 GOP.” many women. see it when you disillusionment with Trump and of past sexual misconduct, in- Steve Bannon, Trump’s for- Catherine Vaughan, a for- go to the polls at the midterm the Republicans: Gallup reports cluding a videotape in which he mer adviser, made a simi- mer field organizer for Clinton elections.” that in all of its 2017 polls com- spoke of women in vulgar terms lar point to journalist Joshua in Ohio, started a group called Mallory was identifying a key bined, only 33 percent of women that erupted in the final weeks Green: “You watch. The time Flippable aimed at state legisla- question for those midterms viewed the president favorably, of the campaign, continued to has come. Women are gonna tive races. “A lot of women I talk next November: How many compared to 45 percent of men. follow him.” take charge of society. And they to who are mothers were think- white women who supported “Trump’s first-year overall job Trump aggravated his prob- couldn’t juxtapose a better vil- ing, ‘What will I tell my kids President Trump in 2016 will approval rating was the lowest lem by sympathizing with a long lain than Trump.” in 30 years?’” she said in Time. abandon him this year and back of any U.S. president in Gallup’s string of powerful men who Women are taking charge — “Will they be able to say that Democratic congressional can- polling history, and his support were also accused of “sexual not just as voters, but as can- they did something?” didates? The answer could well among women was particularly misconduct,” from conservative didates. According to the Cen- All this energy won’t mat- determine who controls Capi- low,” writes Gallup’s Megan Bre- media stars Roger Ailes and Bill ter for American Women and ter much if women don’t lis- tol Hill for the rest of Trump’s nan. “During his first year in of- O’Reilly to Roy Moore, the Re- Politics at Rutgers, female of- ten to Tamika Mallory and ac- term. fice, Trump did little to help publican Senate candidate in Al- fice-seekers are breaking all re- tually vote. The complacency The early signs are encourag- himself with women.” abama. Now his defense of staff cords this year, with 50 running that helped sink Clinton is a real ing for Democrats, who need a That’s not entirely true. secretary Rob Porter, accused for the Senate and 415 for the danger. As Paulette Rappa, di- net gain of 24 House seats and Women vote on many different of domestic violence by two ex- House. Most are Democrats, and rector of a nonprofit that helps two Senate seats to win majori- issues, and good economic news wives, has highlighted the issue pollster Celinda Lake, an expert prisoners re-enter society, told ties in those chambers. The lat- will certainly help Team Trump. — and his woeful lack of judg- on the women’s vote, links the USA Today: “The real march is est Washington Post/ABC News But doubts about the presi- ment. two trends. on Election Day.” poll asked voters which party’s dent’s character and tempera- Republican strategist Katie “Women candidates help en- candidate they’re likely to sup- ment, which dogged him dur- Packer Beeson tells Time that ergize women voters,” she told Steve and Cokie Roberts can port in the fall, and Democrats ing the election campaign, have Trump’s actions and statements Time. “And in close races, you be contacted by email at held a 12-point edge. Some sur- not gone away. And those doubts have “disillusioned many Repub- win with women voters.” [email protected].

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