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Where there’s smoke, there’s Wally
WALLY HERGER was Johnny-on-the-spot with his words to the readers of the Post last Thursday, doing the empty pandering usually done by slimy politicians who show up at a disaster to try to claim a portion of credit for the work of firefighters and other first responders, and to praise the people who actually deserve praise.
This is meant to make us all think the polls are doing something, these overpaid scoundrels who neglect the needs of constituents for years on end, but then turn up to take advantage of a quick photo-op at the disaster sites to show the folks that they’re on the case.
It’s kind of like George W. Bush’s flyover during the Katrina disaster in New Orleans, which was something less than a band-aid on that hemorrhage those people were suffering because of governmental neglect and ineptitude. If those levees had been shored up as had been recommended, those people down in the Big Easy might have had an easier time of it. If action had been taken BEFORE the emergency occurred, people in New Orleans might not have been in the vulnerable position of having to depend upon people like Michael (”Heckuva Job, Brownie”) Brown and other incompetent and corrupt Bush appointees.
Wally also managed to slip in a few self-serving paragraphs about his tireless efforts to get additional evacuation routes out of here, having spent 22 years representing this district during which time precisely nothing has been done to provide the desperately needed evacuation routes necessary to protect the lives and safety of the thousands who live on Paradise ridge. Senator Ted Stevens, Republican creep from Alaska, got a hundred million for a bridge to nowhere in his state, but Congressman Herger, who has surely been aware of the dangers to his constituents, has done nothing to provide leadership that could have gotten a bridge built from Magalia (on Ponderosa) to Highway 32, a much more efficient evacuation route than the much-discussed back door to Butte Meadows.
Herger has done nothing because he has defined his function as being a mere water-bearer for the Republican agenda in Washington, trotting around doing the bidding of higher-ups in his party, proselytizing for privatizing Social Security, signing off on an unnecessary and disastrous war, working against environmental protections and serving the interests of the powerful people who bankroll him.
He hasn’t had to do anything for the working people of this district because this congressional district was carved up to be secure for whatever Republican hack held the seat, no matter how uninspiring, corrupt, or inadequate he or she might be.
Just as he did with the firefighters, Wally also basks in the glory of “the troops” and “our brave soldiers” in Iraq, though he has voted with Bush to deny those military men and women the benefits their service should earn for them - from proper medical care to educational benefits. When Herger says he “supports” something, it tends not to mean very much.
So, when he says he has “supported the escape route through Sterling (sic) City, and Inskip out to Butte Meadows out to Highway 32, there is no evidence of what that “support” has meant. Did he take a leadership position, or did he just kind of agree with the general notion?
Did he do anything substantive in those 22 years? In his piece in the Post, he claims to have been instrumental in getting the $12 million that has been allocated to the project of building a new road out, but Kim Yamaguchi, pictured with Governor Schwarzenegger on the front page of Thursday’s Post, also claims credit for having secured that money, but it’s also a bit unclear just what efforts he has expended to further those escape routes.
What is clear is that after the disaster has struck, guys like Wally and Kim are right there where the pictures are being taken, applauding one another, patting each other on the back, and issuing those “heckuva job” accolades back and forth for benefit of the media.
Ol’ Wally, who lives in an expensive gated community in Chico, has done nothing in 22 years to address a threat everyone knew was present. He has, during that time, enjoyed pay and medical benefits most people will never know, and he has enjoyed the company and the privileges that attend his association with the country club elite, all while ignoring the vital needs of the people who pay his salary.
The Skyway was resurfaced in a matter of hours after the Humboldt fire melted the asphalt, but Wally Herger can’t get a road put in here that is a vital matter of public safety - not in 22 years. And, in the aftermath of the fire that swept through foothill scrub, his answer is to argue, euphemistically, for more logging.
Wally calls it an “aggressive program of strategic forest management,” but I think we all know the interests he’s working for when he says that, and what “aggressive forest management” really means. In Wally World, logging the big trees is the best he can do to provide a safer environment for his constituents.
Because our politicians have proven so indifferent to the safety of ridge dwellers, some citizens have begun circulating a petition calling for immediate action to secure emergency escape routes out of here. If you see that petition, you’d be well advised to sign it.
Sitting around in this haze of smoke over the past week should have given most everyone time to think about how poorly we’ve been served by these scoundrels, who draw salaries for representing our interests while busily representing their own.
Wally Herger hasn’t earned a return to Congress. His time in office has been characterized by nonfeasance when it comes to doing the work of the majority of people whose misguided votes put him in office.
~ By the Paradise Post Editorial Board
24 views
Wow! Well written and well deserved. Time to throw that bum out.
What about our California governor? Sounds pretty much like what he did here in Shasta County.
This article pretty much says it all. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Here’s the one I have a hard time forgetting.
In 2000, Wally Herger said this: “Northern Californians are being held hostage at the gas pump. The Clinton-Gore Administration has demonstrated a complete and total lack of leadership in preventing this problem. It is a clear failure of domestic and foreign policy.”
And at that time, we were paying about $1.50 a gallon.
Now we’re pushing $5 a gallon. What do you say now, Wally? Nothing.
He’s never represented us.
My personal favorite was when I sent him an email a few years back, asking him to support policies that would help slow the accelerating climate change, since the climate change leads to more severe weather (e.g. drought, floods, increasing numbers of tornadoes, fires…..)
and I received a letter from his office informing me that there is no such thing as global warming, and even if there is, nothing that WE are doing has any effect on it. Wow.
Wally is a clueless bozo who’s sometimes in congress and sometimes not and consistantly votes against his electors wishes. It’s time we sent this jerk back to his gated Chico house and lock the gate.
I “totally” agree with all of the comments above–I happen to play cards online and have been on the world poker tour off and on for several years. He voted for the bill to ban online poker also–He can take a hike!
Good ole boy Wally, I wish we could get rid of him. Sadly the right wing powers that be around here just love Wally. In all the years he’s been in the congress, I have never heard of anything that he has done for the district. He spent the Clinton/Gore years complaining about anything they did. Now he’s a Bush man, I’m voteing for Paul Singh in November. I really hope the rest of you do the same…IT’S TIME FOR CHANGE
I have sent several letters to Wally regarding different bills on animal issues. I received the same form letter every time telling me that he would not support anything in favor of animals.
WOW so much love! Nature or nurture? One of those is the reason I’m a conservative (socially I’m a moderate) . In any case I agree with congressman Herger sometimes!!!. I’ve lived in enough areas to know he is no different then any other incumbent gunna keep his office first and foremost. Unfortunately that’s what the system has evolved into, partly because we argue amongst ourselves about “online poker”. Google comment # 3 and see that quote shows up twice.(once from this article) Me thinks you made that one up. If Herger did say that my guess is he would have been referring to the fact we are setting on gobs of oil which we will not touch because it’s much better to sacrifice a bunch of right wing soldiers than even one caribou. When the truth is it could be done safely.
(were back to animal issue see how this works?) IF we stopped hating each other and faced the obvious. As far as global warming is concerned ( anyone know what happened to the acid rain of the 80s) My guess on that one is to many folks for the planet. If you think I’m wrong let me ask this question. How much poop do you think 4 billion people create everyday? Deforestation How many acres of land does Sierra Pacific cut down and let rot? 0 it goes into our houses folks oh and fine furniture. and on and on! In any case I really hope all you lefties get your way and win the whole shebang come November that way the air will be clean, the sky blue, gas, healthcare, and online poker will be an entitlements. Our enemies will love us. We can tear down those gates etc. etc. In any case I didn’t care much for that story.
PS. Now that the truth about Herger is out I guess Fienstien, Boxer et al will have that bypass done by years end. Oh one more thing it was Ellen Tauscher that started the (they did’nt show up at the tragedy so they must not care) after 101 California St. and she is a lefty. just my opinion. online poker.
I’ve been wondering for years how he keeps getting re-elected - boy it’s nice to know a lot of people agree with my views - let’s get him out of office - - it’s the year for change in politics so now would be a great time to do a clean sweep - (whenever he is up for re-election)
Good morning, Steve Tarvin. Welcome to Food for Thought, where readers post diverse comments in a civilized way. That’s why so many people use their real names here, something that’s rare on other online news sites.
I agree with you that we’d get more done without hate. Amen to that, brother.
On a related note, I’d like to remind everyone to avoid trigger-word descriptions that blast and label entire groups of individuals.
It would be so nice if people looked at the whole picture, rather than what can he/she do for me. Everyone is so ‘me’ centered today. If you think about it, ask yourself, what is xxxxx getting out of this?
Example: Everyone is blaming Bush for gas prices, Iraq war casualties, global warming, etc. etc. Who sets the gas prices? OPEC (does Bush run this?) Who crashed into the twin towers? IRAQ Who is responsible for global warming? Probably Al Gore
See how silly this sounds - I am not defending Bush, I do not agree with a lot of what he does, but we have not had any bombings to our cities/buildings, etc. since we crushed Sadam - is this not good??????
People LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE !!!!! get you head out of your ‘me’ world and think about what is best for AMERICA
We are the greatest, most generous country in the world, get over yourselves.
Kathy,
I sure hope you check back on this thread. No terrorists who flew (or were aboard) the airplanes on 9/11 were from Iraq as you stated. Fifteen of the attackers were from Saudi Arabia, two were from United Arab Emirates, one was from Egypt and one from Lebanon. They operated under the umbrella of the terrorist organization al-Qaeda, which is led by Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden has NOT been captured or brought to justice.
Your post represents something that’s very troubling, but not uncommon — the fact that many people in this country actually believe that we were attacked by Saddam Hussein or some faction from Iraq. You simply cannot (for your own sake) go on with this misconception in your head.