Don't let the unions gain control

I have read all of the letters over the past several months regarding the recall of Councilman Jerry Kerns and I still can't find a legitimate reason for the recall. The one thing that really worries me is why the unions have invested more than $80,000 to recall him.

There is no explanation, other than that they want more control of the City Council when they come to the bargaining table. The unions have no interest in making Oceanside a better city or balancing the city's budget.

I fully support our firemen and police, but many of them do not live in Oceanside either. The unions are all about gaining power for themselves. If they gain control of our City Council, it could mean even worse financial problems for the city of Oceanside. That means higher taxes and reduced services and benefits for all of us hard-working, taxpaying citizens of Oceanside.

Don't let the unions gain control of Oceanside. Vote no on the recall.

Sandra Todd

Oceanside

Spread of firearms transcends party

Just because health insurance reform is stalled and work on new financial regulations has barely begun, you might think that bipartisanship is not possible anymore. But you'd be wrong.

When the big, high-priority issues come up, elected officials of both parties put aside their differences and work together to pass the needed legislation. In May, Congress passed a bill that included giving people the right to carry loaded, concealed firearms into our national parks.

The Senate passed the bill 67 to 29; the House passed it 279 to 147. Of the 279 "aye" votes in the House, 105 were Democrats and 174 were Republicans. With such overwhelming bipartisan support, of course President Obama signed it into law.

Based on this action, you also might think that the gun lobby in this country is too powerful. But I, for one, welcome our new NRA overlords.

Paul Buchman

Vista

More information needed before voting

I have seen many letters and articles about the pros and cons of the Jerry Kern recall, but nothing about Rex Martin, Charles Lowery or Rick Kratcoski, who want to take over his seat. What is their stand and what will they do? How do I get information about them?

I am not sure what fork in the road I am taking.

Bob Crowell

Oceanside

'Cash for Clunkers' was a bad deal

A recap of the "Cash for Clunkers" program, from the same folks who are convinced the U.S. government is best equipped to administrate a national health care system.

A clunker vehicle at 15 miles per gallon that drives 12,000 miles per year uses 800 gallons a year of gasoline. A vehicle that gets 25 mpg and drives 12,000 miles per year uses 480 gallons a year. So, the average clunker transaction will reduce U.S. gasoline consumption by 320 gallons per year per car. They claim to have pulled 700,000 clunker vehicles off the road -- so that's a savings of 224 million gallons per year.

That equates to a bit over 5 million barrels of oil for the year. Five million barrels of oil is about one-fourth of one day's U.S. consumption. Five million barrels of oil costs about $350 million dollars at $75 per barrel. So they spent $3 billion to save $350 million. How good a deal was that?

They'll probably do a great job with health care, though. Just one good deal after another ...

"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest our Nation become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance." -- Cicero, 55 B.C.

Skip Wilson

Vista

Do nothing, get nothing

Gary Maruska (Letters, Oct. 27) should be concerned with a president who has a manufacturing czar who stated, "We all know that the free market is nonsense ... We kind of agree with Mao that political power comes largely from the barrel of a gun." That statement was made by Ron Bloom, who had connections with the Democratic Socialists of America, like President Obama.

Then there is Anita Dunn, who is the White House correspondent who has declared war on Fox News and who stated in a speech to graduating seniors that the philosophers she admired most were Mao Tse-tung (mass murderer of millions) and Mother Teresa. This is just one of Obama's czars.

If you don't believe he has surrounded himself with radicals, e.g., Van Jones, Jeff Jones, Ron Bloom, Mark Lloyd, John Holdren, Cass Sunstein, and a host of others, do your homework. If you are fine with a socialist government, then do nothing because this is what you will get.

And as for Stuart Goodman (Letters, Oct. 27), in his tirade against Glenn Beck, don't shoot the messenger.

Valerie Wanket

Valley Center

Wall Street cares little about America

Relaxation of regulations that once held commercial and investment banking in check has allowed Wall Street to go merrily about wheeling, dealing, merging smaller businesses into larger businesses, and drawing huge profits and legally screwing the American public.

It insists that since it is too big to fail, it is entitled to a perpetual form of corporate welfare, to be paid for by the American public.

You have to ask the question, who or what got us into this mess and into the world's global economy such that it was legal to move corporations offshore for cheaper labor, to the detriment of American jobs?

My answer is that it came about because money is and was to be made -- and Wall Street has and had a large hand in it.

Wall Street does not care about America. All it cares about is money. Not necessarily for you or me, but for its corporate masters and investors. To hell with everything and everyone else.

I really cannot say enough but to just ask you to please read David C. Korten's book, "Agenda For a New Economy: From Phantom Wealth to Real Wealth -- A Declaration of Independence From Wall Street."

Paul Wollam

Oceanside

It's up to you, Supes

As the Merriam Mountains project heads to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors in December, thousands of San Diegans are scratching their heads. The recent approval of the project by the Planning Commission was mind-boggling.

Dozens of residents packed the Department of Planning and Land Use's hearing room both days to express their opposition to the project. More than a dozen made organized presentations on behalf of groups of folks against the disastrous 2,700-home development in rural North County.

Only two of the Planning Commissioners heard the community's concerns about the project's increased fire dangers, violation of the county's general plan, increased water consumption of more than 1 million gallons per day, destruction of the Golden Door Spa and other businesses and residences along Deer Springs Road, degradation of air quality and increased noise.

This project is bad for the community, and it's up to the Board of Supervisors to protect us from it once and for all.

Alisa Dunn

Escondido

Carlsbad police praised for stings

I would like to go on record supporting the Carlsbad Police and applaud how they are dealing with day workers standing on sidewalks looking for work ("Undercover sting used to cite, deport Carlsbad day laborers," Nov. 2). Their efforts will help reduce crime and litter, in addition to the increased risk of auto collisions. The relationship with ICE is how it should be in dealing with illegals.

My suggestion to Mr. Torres, La Raza, the ACLU and any other group supporting illegals and how they are dealt with, is to solve the real problem causing illegals to enter the U.S. Go to Mexico and help reform the corrupt government there and initiate real reform so these people don't have to leave their own country.

Most important, quit expecting the residents of America and San Diego County to continue supporting this blatant disregard for the rules and laws we live by.

Mike Burnett

Carlsbad

Our government's health care joke

Our government cannot even provide an effective flu shot program. My mom is 91 and has to wait until the middle of the flu season hoping to get her seasonal shot. If they can't even provide a simple flu vaccine program, what makes you think they can provide a full medical program? What a joke!

Beverly Reierson

Oceanside

Recall is not in best interest of O'side

Oceanside is now threatened with lower bond ratings because of its overall financial status. The greedy public service employee unions are bleeding the city for $500,000 in a vindictive recall election. Oceanside residents, please be aware that many (most?) of these city employees do not even live in Oceanside. They don't give two hoots in hell how much they jeopardize the city financially, as long as they elect their puppets to the City Council. This is in order to give them even more retirement benefits than 100 percent of their top salary.

I'm not fully pro or con on Councilman Jerry Kern, but his recall is not in the best interests of Oceanside overall. We must have independence on the council, and public employee voting lackeys are not the answer.

An affirmative recall will drive Oceanside's bond rating even lower. This is crisis time, folks. Please, every single voter, your vote is desperately needed. Get out and vote for your city. Vote no on the recall.

Mary Sissoni

Oceanside

Eliminate the bureaucrats

When are "we the people" of California going to wake up to the fact that we are being ruled by a bunch of bureaucrats, not governed by our elected representatives in Sacramento.

The Air Resources Board, Water Quality Control Board and the Coastal Commission are all controlled by unelected bureaucrats who are appointed by politicians in Sacramento and who do not answer to "we the people."

The Air Resource Board, Water Quality Control Board and the Coastal Commission frequently impose rules and regulations that affect our everyday lives.

We need fresh water, but a desalination plant cannot be built without satisfying the Water Quality Control Board and the Coastal Commission. The Air Resources Board declares CO2 as a greenhouse gas, even though it is a natural element that is necessary for the growth of green plants, and an element that we exhale when we breathe.

We need to terminate the Air Resources Board, the Water Quality Control Board and the Coastal Commission, and require our elected officials in Sacramento to make decisions instead of sitting around passing a thousand new asinine laws each year, while boards and commissions control our lives.

Frank Thurlow

Vista

Give our government common sense

Most of us are stunned by the juggernaut of events that have erupted nonstop for the past many months, that psychologically we are a battered people.

Not only are we a divided nation, we are losing our capacity to put up a good fight for our freedom of speech, and the right for dissent. After all, our Founding Fathers fought and sacrificed to give us this special liberty.

Whatever comes forth from the proposed government plans for all these new and untried ventures, our country is in turmoil, and most of us can't see the road ahead without the addition of more complicated situations developing from high places and sometimes from certain individuals who appear to come from distant planets.

Give us liberty, but most of all, give our government common sense.

Evaluating my life through peace and war, I have never known the heartbreak of seeing a great nation in utmost distress and disarray.

I pray God to help us all.

Jean Doktor

Oceanside

Recall has nothing to do with Kern

Oceanside could have maintained the infamous fourth ambulance and crew if not for the cost of a special election. Attempting to create their own majority on the City Council, the fireman union cost Oceanside money, reputation, affiliations and manipulations.

Oceanside residents have been jeopardized by the fireman union, not Jerry Kern.

This election has nothing to do with Mr. Kern. Kern just appears to be the easiest target. This election is about union power duping the community into a position of submission.

Perhaps a special election to stop special elections should be next.

Julia Diaz

Oceanside

We get what we do or don't vote for

I kept the Local View piece by Christine Gow, the treasurer of Citizens to Recall Kern ("Why recall Kern? Look at his contributors," Oct. 25). Yes, I think it is poor representation to further the interests of wealthy out-of-town interests, but it seems hypocritical of Gow not to mention powerful out-of-state unions funding the recall.

Look at our state representative Republican Dianne Harkey, who supports a super-wealthy developer to bypass environmental laws in the City of Industry, which could steal our Chargers. Industry is far away from Harkey's district, which includes Oceanside.

I doubt there is any politician not on the take from one special interest or another. Nor do I think they vote in the taxpayers' interests. But like Kern said, "If we get 30 percent voter turnout, I'd be amazed." We get what we do or don't vote for.

Joseph Worth

Oceanside