An open letter to Rep. Dana...

An open letter to Rep. Dana Rohrabacher

Mr. Congressman: I write to you in the public forum because I feel

that this may be my only way to get your attention.

Over the last several months I have sent you three e-mails and one

rather long letter explaining my views on a number of important

issues. To date, I have not had a single response from you -- not

even a computer-generated form e-mail.

If there has been some difficulty with your computer system or

with mail getting to the Capitol, I apologize for this letter; if

not, then I have a few thoughts on the subject.

You are a congressman who makes no secret of his political beliefs

-- this is something to be admired in a public official. However, you

must always keep in mind that you are charged with representing all

the citizens of your district, no matter what their political

leanings.

I have no doubt that many of the things I have written to you

about are not on your political agenda, but I still think the

courtesy of a reply is not only in keeping with the democratic

process, but is plain common sense.

You were reelected by a clear majority of those citizens that

bothered to vote. Within the current framework of your degraded

system, you were the clear winner -- I make no issue of that, but I

must remind you that even if someone has not voted or is a Democrat

or even a non-surfer -- they are still citizens and are entitled to

participate in the formulation of public policy.

I am not naive enough to think that you personally review mail or

letters -- I understand you are busy, but I do expect your staff to

acknowledge constituent input. After all, you and the members of your

office work for the public, and if you don’t work with us, how can we

possibly work with you?

ROBERT FAY

Costa Mesa

Middle class and poor could use representation

It used to be that conservatives cared about balanced budgets, but

now tax cuts, mainly for the wealthiest 1%, are the sacred idol.

As a consequence, massive deficits are affecting the ability of

government to help the other 99%.

It’s appropriate that Rep. Chris Cox, who represents one of the

wealthiest districts in the country, should see to the needs of his

rich constituents and campaign contributors, by working for repeal of

the estate tax.

But can he spare a little time for the needs of the middle class

and working poor? I’d be interested to see him write columns for the

Pilot about what he is doing to provide vitally needed additional

funding for child care for working mothers; or to deal with the

growing health insurance crisis, which is now affecting the middle

class; or to help the 12 million children in this country who are at

risk of hunger.

PAUL C. EKLOF

Costa Mesa

Dirty politics are nothing normal

For anyone, especially the Pilot, to imply that dishonesty in

American election campaigns is in anyway just normal, everyday

political stuff shows just how screwed up we are in Newport Beach.

Whenever a person wants to gain a small-town political office so

badly he even hires a campaign manager, he must stand fully

responsible for the outcome. Who else? Especially if that manager has

already gained a fully developed reputation in the community and is

actually hired upon that reputation.

In no way can Gary Adams walk away from the tactics of his hired

manager, Dave Elllis. He is fully responsible. The final result may

be what he asked and paid for, but any honorable man would step down.

The important thing here is that the public’s trust in the system not

be violated.

REBA WILLIAMS

Newport Beach

Payroll tax hurts poor more than Death Tax

Michel Moore makes a number of important points about eliminating

the “Death Tax” (“Few really succumb when Death Tax comes to call,”

Nov. 27). Unfortunately, while it may effect only 2% of the estates

in the country, it effects a substantially higher percentage of the

estates in Rep. Chris Cox’s district and probably 100% of his

contributors. It would be nice to think that since the congressman

has one of the safest seats in Congress, he might look at the bigger

picture, but your chances of being a single winner of a $25 million

lotto are much higher than his doing that.

Robert Reich had a very interesting article on this subject in the

Los Angeles Times. For the same cost to the government from killing

the estate tax, we could drop the payroll taxes on the first $20,000

of income. This would benefit 130 million people with an extra $5,000

over two years, good for them and good for the U.S. economy.

Too bad these people aren’t able to pony up the bucks to buy (or

at least rent) a few congressmen.

JOHN PATRICK (PAT) ORMSBEE

Newport Beach

How to avoid all the theater commercials

Like Joseph N. Bell, I am a movie buff and exasperated with those

commercials before movies. In self-defense, here’s what I do (and

urge all to do). When I’m buying my ticket, I emphatically ask at

what time the film will start, then I ask the time the previews will

start. I repeat the times and say loud enough for the person behind

me to hear “that means there’ll be 15 minutes of commercials and 10

of previews in a total of 25 minutes before the movie actually

starts.” I smile, say thank you and “That’s great! It gives me plenty

time to read all the interesting newspaper clippings in the lobby and

avoid those in-my-face commercials at the same time.” I suppose this

works in cinema art houses only (I rarely go to multiplexes).

Then, between the last preview and the beginning of the film,

there’s the worse blast: the loudest pop-up 3D-graphics with Regal’s

own personalized commercial. At this time, I turn my hearing aids off

(here’s one advantage to the aging process) turn on my flashlight and

open the book I’m currently reading. Don’t get much reading done, but

I hope I make a point.

VERA VIANA

Costa Mesa

New race should be run in Newport Beach

The Daily Pilot is to be commended for covering in depth the

campaign phone message created by Dave Ellis, campaign manager for

Councilmen Gary Adams, Tod Ridgeway and Don Webb, along with Bernie

Svlastad in this year’s Newport Beach City Council race.

The front-page article on Nov. 24 cited Dave Ellis’ winnings as a

campaign manager for many of our City Council members. It also states

the Ellis “pushes the envelope until it tears.” This time Ellis has

pushed the envelope too far. The editorial page rightly states that

every elected official in Newport-Mesa should be adamantly opposed to

“running a campaign that is in any way designed to deceive or trick

the voter.”

After first denying any knowledge of the phone messages, Ellis got

caught and has been forced to admit that he created a phony phone

message. The message, received by Newport residents in the 11th hour

of the campaign, states that Ron Winship was the Greenlight-endorsed

candidate, when Rick Taylor was the real Greenlight endorsee.

Although Ellis now claims he did not authorize sending the message,

he admitted that he intended to send the message “as needed,” if it

appeared that Adams might not be elected.

It is time for elected officials to stand up for the voters. If

Adams is as upset as he claims, he should welcome a new citywide

election held for his District 4. There is no way of knowing how many

residents did not vote, or voted for Adams or Winship, because of the

phone message.

Ellis should have to pay for this election, as well as all the

expenses incurred by Greenlight and Adams’ District 4 opponents in

the past election.

YVONNE HOUSSELS

Corona del Mar

City should look into campaign calls

I just read the Pilot telling us about the deceitful phone

messages that were sent out ... I think this behavior is outrageous

and should be condemned and an investigation should be carried out by

the city.

JEROME TOBIS

Corona del Mar