Absence of ethics in local politics
The absence of ethics policies and contribution limits in county politics encourages manipulation by special-interest businesses and by public employee unions. We should demand ethics reforms and individual contribution limits similar to those in nearby counties.
Current policies favor incumbents such as District 1 Supervisor Das Williams, endorsed by the public employee unions whose contracts and benefits he approves — a clear potential conflict of interest. We need ethics policies to outlaw exactly the type of cannabis industry-backed political action committee that’s been sending out “attack” mailers to help Mr. Williams shore up support in the face of challenger Laura Capps’ campaign calling for much stronger regulation of the cannabis industry, campaign-finance reform, contribution limitations, and the introduction of an ethics policy.
On the one hand, it’s amusing to read the bizarre quotes in the pro-Williams mailers. Though Mr. Williams is endorsed by every wheel and spoke in the Democratic machine, his PAC accuses Ms. Capps of being “liberal.” Even more fun is reading that a former Young Republicans board member anointed Mr. Williams “the only candidate for conservative voters in this election.”
Do these PAC folks think conservative voters in our county cannot smell the cannabis under their noses? Perhaps they believe county voters are too stoned to discern irony. Ms. Capps, should she care to, could pull together some local conservatives proclaiming her — equally falsely — a darling of the MAGAs.
The point is, Ms. Capps isn’t running the sort of mudslinging campaign that causes voter turn-off and contributes directly to low voter turnout. Ms. Capps has raised unpleasant facts about the corruptions, contributions and loopholes connecting Mr. Williams to our county’s polarizing pot plantations — facts that cannot be erased by “attack” mailers.
Eileen White Read
Montecito
Time to weed out the corruption
There is great concern over whether Social Security and Medicare will run out of money soon. How about trying to save by cracking down on all the corruption — not only within those systems themselves, but throughout all our government? Money is paid out to crooked officials and bureaucracies within our own government, but also paid to corrupt governments around the world.
If we could clean up this mess, there should be plenty of money for those who deserve it. Kudos to the work done by Judicial Watch to expose these illicit activities.
Furthermore, if all this waste was knocked out of the budget, we could start working our way out of our trillions of dollars deficit. When as individuals we are accountable in our tax returns, it is not fair for government to waste our money. We the people call for justice.
Gretchen Kieding
Solvang
How long should we be on hold?
The whole country is on hold because the Democrats in the House of Representatives have decided to spend all of their time investigating President Trump and looking for ways to impeach him. As a result, nothing in the citizens’ agenda is being accomplished.
The Democratic majority has put everything on hold until the November election. No national budget, no tax reform, no immigration reform, no health care reform, etc. The only way to restore the House to normalcy and reality is to replace the Democrats who are running this detrimental national show.
Our 24th Congressional District is occupied by such a Democrat. Salud Carbajal is Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s loyal follower. He agrees with the do-nothing agenda and voted for impeachment of Mr. Trump. He appears now and then doing look-good touchy-feelies, mainly for his environmental base. But otherwise he is part and parcel owned by the Democratic agenda.
A majority Republican Congress is the only way to stop wasteful spending on useless investigations. A well-known Republican candidate in the 24th District is Andy Caldwell. He, along with other Republican candidates in other districts, must be elected to replace the on-hold mentality in the Democratic-controlled Congress. Your vote for Andy Caldwell will make the difference in the future of America.
Justin M. Ruhge
Lompoc
How divided are we, really?
Some say America is rigidly and angrily parceled into red and blue, retro and metro, secular and God-fearing factions. Abortion, gay marriage, school prayer and gun control are polarizing issues.
Is the nation really polarized on these hot-button moral, religious and cultural issues? Should we believe the media pundits and politicians who tell us that Americans are deeply divided? At a time when the rift between “red” and “blue” states seems deeper than ever, is it really?
Let’s debunk the assumption that Americans are deeply split over national issues and present a contrary picture — that most Americans stand in the middle of the political landscape and are in general agreement even on those issues thought to be most divisive. Poking holes in the concept of a “cultural war,” let’s see that the majority of Americans are both moderate and tolerant, and that their greatest concerns are leadership and security, not moral values.
The view of a divided America is simply false. By recognizing our common ground, we have a basis for creating a more unified and moderate approach to government and politics in the future.
Ron Lowe
Santa Barbara
Our way of life threatened
We call those who lived during World War II the “Greatest Generation.” When fascism spread across Europe and threatened to oppress the entire world, people left their farms, schools and families to fight the tide of injustice. Others supported the effort by working in factories building the foundation of our modern military and planting the seeds of the technology we enjoy today. To be a member of the Greatest Generation meant sacrifice. Many gave their lives to protect our way of life. They sacrificed because striving to do the right thing is a part of the American character.
Once again, our way of life is threatened, and we are being asked to sacrifice. When Attorney General William Barr intervenes on behalf of President Trump’s friends in the court system, our way of life is threatened. Justice is depicted with a blindfold because judgments are made regardless of who you are or who you know. Mr. Barr’s own prosecutors resigned in protest because of his unprecedented meddling in the Roger Stone trial. They sacrificed their careers to sound the alarm that our justice system is being compromised.
If the executive branch can manipulate the outcomes of court cases, we lose the sense of fair play that is at the heart of the American way of life. People the world over prefer to do business with American companies because they know that business is governed by the rule of law. Capitalism is based on trust and fairness. If cronyism is allowed to take over our courts, it will be felt in the economy.
It is time for all of us to sound the alarm. Go on record supporting impartial courts. We are not being asked to fight on foreign soil, but it does take courage to stand up for what’s right in the current political climate.
Molly Machin
Nipomo
