Letters to the Editor 11/7

Attaining wealth

Many of those who make up the Occupy Wall Street protesters complain that the wealth and income in this country is not distributed fairly. They are correct, but I have a surprise for these folks. There is no great wizard of wealth who distributes income and wealth in this country. You attain wealth in one of four ways: you earn it, inherit it, steal it or hit the lottery. I believe what they are really saying is that the government should take more from the rich in the form of taxes and give it to them through entitlements.

Perhaps they would be better served to look to the wisdom of the words written by a Presbyterian minister. His words are as relevant now as they were when written. “You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling the wage payer down. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred. You cannot build character and courage by taking away people’s initiative and independence. You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.”

Terry O’Farrell

Atascadero

Basic goals

The Occupy Wall Street movement’s basic goal is to have 1) a big federal government that dictates how life in this country is lived from pre-cradle (abortion) to grave (and beyond, e.g. estate taxes); 2) a redistribution of wealth by taking money away from achievers and giving it to underachievers who are forever beholden in its votes to the party providing such subsidies and forever destructive to the initiative of would-be achievers; and 3) a redefinition of our Constitution and its underlying principles by all branches of government to fit their socialist objectives.

The Tea Party movement’s basic goal is to reverse the trend of the last few decades to replace our hugely successful free market system with European-like socialism by 1) a federal government that is only as large as is needed to fulfill its obligations to its citizens as clearly defined in our Constitution; 2) reinforce our free-market system with expanded opportunities for all, reasonable safeguards against abuse and reasonable safety nets for those truly in need; and 3) adherence to our Constitution and its underlying principles at all levels of government.

Donald Hirt

Paso Robles

Not on same level

It is an ongoing source of chagrin to me that The Tribune and other newspapers run “Doonesbury” and “Mallard Fillmore” side by side on their editorial pages, as if in point/counterpoint.

I must admit to a strong liberal bias. Nonetheless, I very occasionally find myself in agreement with Bruce Tinsley, particularly with respect to his commentary on social trends. That granted, however, his work is nowhere near the level nor in the same mode as Gary Trudeau’s masterful strip.

“Mallard” is essentially a two-panel diatribe that displays very little intellectual rigor and shies not away from group slander and sloppy stereotypes.

“Doonesbury” is a rich tapestry of intricately developed characters that explores social, political and personal issues with humor and insight, blending reality-based context with whimsical invention to both parody personage and probe the zeitgeist.

Craig Dingman

San Luis Obispo

A bit confused

Marco Rubio criticized the actions of the Obama administration in Libya as “too late” and in the past had advocated sending ground troops. “The cost of rebuilding the country has gone exponentially high. If the United States had just gotten engaged a little bit earlier and a little bit more aggressively, ... it would have cost a lot less money,” he said on Fox News.

I am a bit confused. Just how is it our responsibility to rebuild Libya let alone send in ground troops, and just how do the Republicans plan to cut spending if we are to be the world’s policemen? Oh, I forgot, we are going to cut back on Medicare and Social Security and in that way we can free up some more dollars to fight wars and rebuild those countries.

Good thing we did not have a Republican president, folks, or we would have found ourselves in three conflicts — Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, and who knows what other country might be next — maybe Syria or Yemen.

Are we going to be rebuilding all of these countries at the same time, and when, if ever, do we begin to put our own country back together?

No matter what Obama does, it is going to be wrong. I get the message! I am a registered Republican and have voted as such for most of my life.

George Pistoresi

Paso Robles

Proud to live here

On Sept. 16, at our first home football game this fall at San Luis Obispo High School, an Oxnard football player, Adrian Padilla, suffered a severe head injury. Adrian is now making a recovery, and with this positive news I would like to thank the incredible community that helped to facilitate this young man’s recovery.

When our administrative team first heard of the incident, we wanted to help the family. However, our efforts to pay for the family’s hotel rooms were met by George Newland from Quality Suites. He made it his priority to provide the family with comfort and a home base during their three-week stay. This generosity was also displayed by the Gridiron Club at San Luis Obispo High, which arranged meals and other services for the family.

Then, the outpouring of help continued from anonymous members of the community who provided donations. Our staff and administrators, along with Superintendent Eric Prater, continually showed support. This community spirit was truly amazing, as was the hard work of the team trainers from San Luis Sports Therapy (Amanda Snyder and Stacy Ritter) along with Dr. Weise, the staff at Sierra Vista hospital, and all of the ICU nurses, doctors and EMT staff who helped Adrian.

As a newcomer to the community, I was impressed with the cooperative spirit and compassion shown for Adrian and his family. I am proud to live in and be a part of the San Luis Obispo community.

Leslie O’Connor

Principal, San Luis Obispo High School

Were it not for ...

Our esteemed leader told a San Francisco audience last week that we have lost the ambition and imagination that allowed us to build the Golden Gate Bridge and Hoover Dam. Both were built during the Depression when Wall Street and the government were in a shambles. Banker Amadeo Giannini, to support the community, bought the entire Golden Gate Bridge bond issuance when no one else could. In four years, the bridge was completed, under budget.

The Bay Bridge was also completed during the Depression. Its replacement is decidedly ambitious and imaginative, including an impressive single-tower suspension structure. It’s behind schedule, billions over budget and projected to take more than a decade to complete. I would submit not having an EPA, OSHA, CCC or some other creation of the left during construction explains how, against all odds, these great Depression-era structures were completed in five years or fewer.

We could again pursue significant world-changing endeavors and have ambitious and imaginative Cal Poly students pursue them were it not for overreaching environmental and workplace regulations. We have no public money for these projects due to government malfeasance, but there are billions in private equity waiting for the anti-business, pro-government Luddites in power to be sent packing.

Fred Maurice

San Luis Obispo

Otter protection?

Around 8 a.m. on the morning of Oct. 27, I observed the kelp recovery vessel Ocean Rose plow through kelp in San Luis Bay just 400 yards from the 1000 block of Ocean Boulevard in Shell Beach where six to eight sea otters were still curled in the kelp from the night before. The kelp recovery efforts resulted in several passes for over an hour in this relatively small kelp forest.

On the following day and since I have only observed two sea otters in the same area but closer inland on the remaining kelp. I do not know what happened to the other otters.

Here is my question, and I hope someone has the answer. Is the natural habitat of these endangered sea otters and their lives protected from the kelp recovery process engaged by the Ocean Rose by law or by their permit? If not, should they be protected?

Phil Middleton

Shell Beach