Mailbag: Romney inspired, Pilot stumbled
On Friday, a very large and truly historic event took place here in Newport Beach. But you would never know it from reading the Daily Pilot the next morning (“Visit has satire, support,” June 2).
The Romney Victory Committee, made up of many Newport Beach residents, that night raised more than $3 million — the single largest political fundraising event in Orange County history. Indeed, it was one of the largest fundraisers in the nation and more than double what President Obama raised here last month (“Obama visit rattles CdM,” Feb. 17).
More than 500 people packed the largest ballroom of the Balboa Bay Club to hear former Gov. Mitt Romney, the man we hope will be the next president of the United States. Many of those people had sacrificed to pay a substantial sum to be present because they are deeply concerned about the future of our country and the profound damage being done to it by the Obama administration.
They heard Romney speak of his vision for America, and of the need to change the failed and destructive course of the last four years by restoring fiscal discipline, to reduce the size of government in Washington, to rebuild our military and our alliances and to promote entrepreneurship and personal responsibility. The huge crowd loudly and repeatedly cheered his remarks and left feeling hopeful about our future under President Romney following his victory in November.
None of this was reported in the Daily Pilot. Instead, the Daily Pilot focused its coverage almost entirely on a small handful of clowns — literally — who stood on West Coast Highway waiving inane signs promoting class warfare and yelling their desire to preserve the Obama status quo — a pseudo-socialist, government-centered society, rapidly heading the way of Greece. Rarely have 1st Amendment rights been exercised for such vapid and ideologically bankrupt purposes; yet to the Daily Pilot, their drivel was Page One, top of the fold, news.
I hope next time your reporters will not be so easily distracted from covering the most significant event of the day in our city.
Dan Livingston
Newport Beach
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City Hall color choices
As you drive toward the ocean on MacArthur Boulevard and crest the hill at San Joaquin Hills Road, with Fashion Island on the right, and you drive past San Miguel Drive, our family has always loved the distant view of the Pacific Ocean. It is a breathtaking scene, even after all of these years. One’s eyes are just naturally drawn to the azure of the Pacific as you look across the township of Corona del Mar, with the palm trees silhouetted so nicely. In the distance lies Catalina Island. We always comment on how we get to “live in paradise.”
Of course, that was before the city of Newport Beach began to build our new Civic Center along the west side of MacArthur. So, now, as if the new buildings aren’t enough visual distraction, one’s eyes are drawn to the neon lime green accent colors of the concrete shear walls jutting above the new parking structure. The distraction of the color happens every time, just have to look at the parking structure, instead of the natural beauty on the horizon. Yuck.
Really? Is there no other color that might be more compatible with the natural serenity of the scene? Perhaps in a sea blue tone? It is just a shame that the view is distracted by this color choice.
Dewain E. Campbell
Newport Beach
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How to create jobs
As a serial entrepreneur who has created hundreds and hundreds of jobs over my career, I’m going to share with you a fact that might prove a bit shocking to some.
Entrepreneurs don’t start companies to create jobs. Rather, they start companies to make money. And gain a measure of freedom. And have some fun not usually afforded those who toil endlessly for “the man.” And if they are successful, job creation results. It is nothing but a byproduct. And the greater an entrepreneur’s success, the more jobs are created.
That’s why it’s so amusing to watch the back-and-forth between President Obama, a man who has never so much as operated a lemonade stand, and candidate Mitt Romney, whose business successes have fostered the creation of literally tens of thousands of jobs.
One of these days those we put in charge of things in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento, for that matter, will come to realize that the only jobs government creates are government jobs. Unless you want to count Solyndra, Bright Source, Evergreen Solar, Ener 1, Beacon Power, Sun Power, Fisker, etc.. Or then again, maybe you don’t.
So, what’s the right way to go about this job creation thing? Simple.
1.) America has the highest corporate income taxes in the world. Lower and simplify the tax rates and watch the climate for new business formation and job creation improve dramatically. It would also result in the almost immediate repatriation of about $2 trillion of corporate profits tucked away overseas, where it was earned. Just imagine how many jobs would result from that much new money being sprinkled around the private sector.
2.) Minimize or eliminate altogether the unnecessary and stifling, politically motivated rules and regulations imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Labor Relations Board, the Department of Justice and the Department of Energy. They create uncertainty, and uncertainty is the bane of the entrepreneur.
3.) Sign the Keystone XL Pipeline into effect (20,000 new union jobs). Authorize environmentally responsible oil drilling in ANWAR, the Arctic and the Gulf of Mexico, and selectively off both coasts. Also allow oil shale and oil sands “fracking” on the 97% of public lands where it is not currently permitted. This new and environmentally safe form of exploration and recovery has resulted in a real boom in North Dakota (less than 2% unemployment).
Supply-and-demand economics works everywhere, it seems, except inside D.C.’s Beltway. Increased energy supply means decreased prices, fueling massive savings for the American people and starving billions of dollars from those in the Middle East who want to kill us. What’s not to like?
And 4.) Freeze the current income, capital gains and death tax rates to provide all-important predictability for the economy and the entrepreneurs who drive it.
And stop the class warfare. Demonizing the “makers” to win votes from the “takers” is fear-mongering, classless, counterproductive and just plain dumb. Will these common sense things happen? I’ll let you know Nov. 8.
Chuck Cassity
Costa Mesa
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Traveling to Mexico
Re. Brooks: Grateful for life, freedom (June 1):
Crissy Brooks, in her column regarding gratitude, remarks that “it is not fair that I can travel to Mexico without a visa but the reverse is not true.” What she doesn’t realize (or is conveniently omitting) is that the Mexican government realizes she is only visiting and has no intention to illegally live in Mexico and apply for all kinds of public assistance and get free education and health care. She is not going to have a baby in Mexico and claim all the benefits of doing so. I am tired of reading her liberal jibberish about illegal immigration.
Jim Hall
Costa Mesa
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What cost McCain?
Re. Mailbag: Patrician values cost GOP, McCain victory (May 29):
I was raised Catholic, so I call myself a Christian. Now that I don’t consider myself a member of any organized religion, I just pick and choose what I believe. Much like commentary writer R. Claire Friend, who chooses her facts from the U.S. history she has been taught — and makes up the rest.
She writes well, so I can assume she is educated, but she needs to be reminded that our country was founded specifically not to have a national religion. Yes, the “creator” was mentioned in the Declaration of Independence and “God” is en scripted here and there, but God doesn’t belong to one religion — Christian, Jewish or otherwise.
As for her criticizing John McCain, why equate warfare and campaigning anyway? Why is McCain’s lack of self-defense criticized when the most offensive party historically is the Republicans (e.g., from the 2008 infiltration of Acorn in order to bring about its demise, clear back to CREEP and Watergate)!
Liz Swiertz Newman
Corona del Mar
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Contraceptive edict violates 1st Amendment
The universal health coverage mandate by President Obama that the Catholic Church provide contraceptive services to women violates the freedom of religion protections guaranteed by the Constitution. It is a striking expansion of executive power unknown and unthinkable in our country’s history except during a time of war.
America was founded by people who had fled their English homeland to escape the royal edict prohibiting religious freedom. The Founding Fathers so strongly feared their new government’s possible intrusion into this personal liberty, it was the first right they guaranteed in the new Constitution they drafted.
The founders were deeply religious Christians, as were the colonists. Their descendants for generations have gone to war time and again to defend God and country. Americans remain a religious people despite the assault of liberal secular progressivism that began in the early 20th century. Our faith still distinguishes us from our European cousins.
Having successfully destroyed the core foundation of our Judeo-Christian beliefs, President Obama has now added the final nails in God’s coffin with his support for a federal law that would guarantee homosexual marriage and for the dispensation of contraceptives and abortifacients by the Catholic Church. If passed, Catholic obstetrician-gynecologists will one day soon be compelled to perform therapeutic abortions in Catholic hospitals to protect a woman’s health.
It is at this moment that Jews and Christians need to come together in defense of our Catholic sisters and brothers. Rabbis and pastors need to join and express their public outrage. It is now or never. Our civilization depends on it.
Dr. R. Claire Friend
Newport Beach