Cambrian letters to the editor, Dec. 1, 2016

Mess with karma and you get Trump

John FitzRandolph’s Pacing Through the Pines article (Nov. 24) about bald eagles was terrific in spite of the first four paragraphs. Why he felt the need to insert his political views here is puzzling. But since he opened the door, I will step in. Hillary Clinton’s demise was fueled by her name-calling Donald Trump supporters as “deplorable,” irredeemable and xenophobes. Then FitzRandolph piles on with “this dull-witted national election” after the fact. Really?

But most important, the blame for Clinton’s loss is not hers alone. FitzRandolph would be singing a different tune if the then DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Schulz had not conspired to keep Bernie Sanders out of the running. There now seems to be an overwhelming sentiment that Sanders had the best shot at winning the presidency.

Trump is what happens when you screw with karma.

Nov. 17 letter ‘misconstrues facts as opinions’

In his Nov. 17 letter to the editor, Ted Siegler resorts to personal attacks and misconstruing facts as opinion to support his claim that an apology is somehow owed for telling the truth about illegal government activities. (Letters to the editor, Nov. 17).

It is a fact, not an opinion, that the Cambria Community Services District told ratepayers that Cambria was in an emergency water shortage when it was not, and that Cambria was going to run out of water when it was not.

At the time, the district’s well levels were average and Cambria, in fact, did not run out of water, as the district’s records show.

Next, even the casual observer now knows the district told ratepayers it was building an emergency desalination plant to provide water only to existing customers during dry seasons but instead built a major desalination plant to provide year-round water for new development. This is known to be true based on the district’s record.

And the district’s record shows that, based on its false claim of an imminent emergency, it built the desalination plant without competitive bidding, without public environmental review, and without the regular public permitting process.

The district completely sidestepped the laws that provide for open, public decision-making and protection of public resources — laws critical to safeguarding public health, safety and welfare. The topper is that district representatives have the gall to attempt to publically chastise those of us who make public records act requests to try to find out what they are doing behind closed doors.

Now, because he can’t credibly deny the facts, Mr. Seigler classically resorts to vague personal attacks intended to, what … bully me? It is my opinion that neither LandWatch nor I owe an apology to anyone for disclosing the facts — for telling it like it is.

Stand up after election results

It has become increasingly clear to me that I can no longer continue to go about my daily life without getting directly involved in the outcry against the deplorable imminent future of the United States and the rest of the world as a result of the recent presidential election.

We are living at a critical tipping point in both U.S. and global affairs. We, as concerned citizens, must not stand by and let this impending doom play itself out. It is my intent in this letter to beseech everyone who cares about the future of this country and the world in general to not stand by and let the president-elect, who after all does not represent the majority of voters, push this country and the globe past the tipping point.

This man does not represent what America stands for or emulate the image of the men of the Enlightenment who founded this nation. There have been many who have already risen to the call. I have read many letters to the editor and some good news articles in various newspapers illustrating the dangers we face with this incompetent narcissist in command. So I say to all of you who have risen to the call, please continue your appeals of reason to the nation, and for the rest of us, don’t stand by and let our nation sink into the abyss, stand up and be counted. Get involved. Write letters to the editor. Write your congressman. Join in peaceful protest marches.

We can make a difference when we stand together. We must stop the insanity before it is too late.

One CCSD member recognized danger

As one town — large or small — across the U.S. finds itself drowning in red ink because of the wreckless public employee salary increases and pension guarantees, so should citizens avoid tunnel vision lest they stumble onto spongy ground.

Recent judicial — last week — decisions addressed the “salary spiking” issue which is only part of the melting iceberg.

In Cambria one member of the CCSD recognized the dangers of skypie. Good for her. It’s lonely out there sometimes when the fog clears.

I have no problem I know of with the bookeeper’s performance, but I do believe that this little town’s bookkeeper salary being on par with that of U.S. senators and congresspeople is quite sufficient.

This story was originally published November 30, 2016 at 8:32 AM with the headline "Cambrian letters to the editor, Dec. 1, 2016."