Sunnyside: Why no Tea Party here? SUNNYSIDE (10-3-11)--Search as we will on the internet, there's no Tea Party patriots in our fair city. We've got 'em in Yakima, the Tri-Cities, Prosser, Zillah. But not Sunnyside. Why not?   Hmmm...   (1) There's our business community, shrinking as it is, with empty storefronts gathering dust. In order to stay afloat, most feel they "need" to stay politically correct. No Tea Party folks, puh-leeze! Hey, we've gotta LIVE here! Shut up!   (2) Then there's Sunnyside's tax-funded government community. You know--schools, police, the city, DSHS, Employment Security, Planned Parenthood, the Hospital, etc. Locally, it's these folks who live on the hill. This community is a fairly big economic engine here. If your paycheck comes from a government, you'd better keep your patriot mouth shut.   (3) Then there's unions--my gawd, everybody's got a public employees' union. That includes all local government workers in (2). And Sunnyside hosts the home office of the United Farmworkers Union. Can't step out of line because unions are part of the leftist coalition that doesn't just reject Tea Partiers. It beats 'em up in some places. Not here. Nobody to beat up.   (4) Then there's the federal/state/foundation-funded non-governmental organizations. Some folks call 'em NGOs; some have other choice names for 'em. My gawd, they're all over the place in Yakima County, including our fair city. These folks certainly can't embrace the Tea Party, because the Tea Party is calling for less taxation, and if taxes are less, there goes NGO funding! We're talkin' the Washington State Migrant Council, and many lesser outfits like them. Gotta be bilingual, by golly. Everyone knows the drill. Patriots: shut up.   (5) Bottom line, NOBODY in Sunnyside can or will start a Tea Party group because they've all got their fingers in the tax till, and they ALL need to stay politically correct or endanger their paychecks. Again, NO Tea Party puh-leeze!   (6) There's only one way to describe this situation. It's truly effed up. Have a nice effing day.   Torchwood: British crap SUNNYSIDE (8-6-11)--Torchwood, the story line, sets up the scenario in which no one dies. Those who have been mortally ill or mortally wounded continue to live anyway. These folks are the living dead. Movie creators portray a particularly reprehensible woman as a "Tea Party" politician, running for office, who wants to warehouse the "undead" into abominable, stinking institutions. There the "dead" will stay...until later. "They're dead," she says. "It's just the way things are. They're overflow people competing with the really living for resources. Those who should be dead must be segregated from the rest of us." The nubbin is "overflow people". The same ethos would call retired old folks "overflow" people who nowadays live longer than ever before. Or the ill. Or the mentally challenged. There are no "overflow" people. All people are precious, leftist politicians notwithstanding. People like the female politician exist, true. But they're not Tea Party types, as story liners would have us believe. Big government politicians lend themselves to the "warehouse them" sentiment. These are leftists, not Tea Party types. In Western Society, we need movie and music studios with sane, conservative artists who compete with the monsterous, left-wing assholes who nowadays seem to have cornered the creative business. Tanning tax--'bout time, right? SUNNYSIDE (8-1-11)--The country's year-old federal tanning tax is so COOL! Finally, America has a Democrat inspired tax that only bites white people. 'Bout damned time. Tanners are charged an extra 10 percent when they hit the blue light tables. The new tax was instituted to help pay for Obama's health care reform. Now when white ladies want to avoid winter pallor, they can enjoy paying Obama's government for the privilege. Hope and change, baby, we love it. Barak and Michelle will also have to pay an extra 10 percent when they tan up. But they can afford it; no problem. Others of us have to count pennies these days. If democrats progress any further... Black ladies soon will be privileged to pay 10 percent more to conk the curley out of their hair. And another 10 percent to dye it blond or red or streak it. Latinas can get in on the tax action,too, when they become fun loving blondies. White, brown or black, we love the ladies all. But we can't say the same for our divisive, Democrat federal government.   Federal Regional Offices--let's abolish them SUNNYSIDE (7-22-11)--Ten federal, geographical regions were formed in 1969 by Richard Nixon's executive order. They have always formed a very dangerous usurpation of state powers. They should be abolished.   Each region contains several states, and each hosts one or more federal "regional offices".   From these regional offices federal government wields its power,in very many ways, over state populations. Each regional office brings the "beast" closer to each citizen's door. Each greatly magnifies federal power and endangers the powers of state governments.   These unconstitutional political aberrations were not formed by Congress, but they may be abolished by Congress. They were formed four decades before the Tea Party arose. Now is the time to "take 'em out".   It's time for Tea Party activists to address the regional office issue, and do so through their elected representatives, talk shows, town meetings, editor letters and other manifestations of today's groundswell of citizen activism.   By the way, closing down these regional political outrages will save a trainload of tax dollars. We're talkin' a freakin' long train here.     State legislators live just down the road SUNNYSIDE (7-22-11)--Used to be you could make a fairly local call to your state legislator and politely request that he reject or approve a cat who was running for the U.S. Senate from your state.   Or you could stand up and make the request at any number of local town forums where the state legislator could take your request under consideration in clear view or your friends and neighbors.   "I don't want that guy in the U.S. Senate; he doesn't represent MY views", you could say. And your state legislator would take your pronouncements back to the state capitol where the legislature ultimately decided who would be your next U.S. Senator.   Whoever was elected, you would know he or she would take state government's views to D.C., thus strengthening state powers and working against what we have today: the federal behemoth. Feds have contempt for what have become comparatively puny state governments.   Woodrow Wilson was a clever bastard. He worked to get the 17th Amendment added to the Constitution. Now it doesn't matter what we say to our state legislator who lives just down the road. The 17th doesn't allow state legislatures to choose their U.S. Senator.   Our U.S. senator now is chosen by a vote of the entire electorate. His election campaign is mostly funded by out-of-state politicos. The U.S. Senate no longer forms the "upper house" as the founders intended. The U.S. Sentate has become redundant. It's no different from the U.S.House. It's similarly corrupt; now both houses are filled to the rafters with braying asses.   We abolished the 18th Amendment, that is, Prohibition, without suffering a constitutional convention. Similarly, we can abolish the 17th without endangering that wonderful document, the U.S. Constitution. Let's get it on.   U.S. governance today: stupid versus evil SUNNYSIDE (7-3-11)--Forrest Gump was a loveable movie character. You'd jump out of your seat and spill your popcorn just rooting for him. He was kind, loving, and honest.   If you have any soul at all, you'd stand up for someone like Forrest Gump in real life. You'd say: "Don't mess with Forrest!"   Then you've got somebody like the icey-eyed, highly articulate Hannibal Lector. Hannibal the cannibal. If you have any soul at all, you'd cap Hannibal and let the devil take the hindmost.   Alas, take a gander at the U.S. government. Watch what happens between Republicans and Democrats.   Republicans (politely, of course) trip over their own feet and spar with one another. Left-wing Democrats, in lock step, bare their wet fangs, rubbing their hands together in anticipation of triumph and gratification.   In a purely virtual sense (of course!), we should support Forrest and cap Hannibal. Bang.   Who the heck are they? SUNNYSIDE (7-3-11)--Anybody running for local political office ought to truthfully divulge the political party of his choice. It's common sense and common courtesy.     Voters can tell MUCH about a city council or school district candidate when he reveals his party affiliations for us poor schlubs.     Dems generally love big tax-paid programs busting with bureaucrats, public sector unions, big government, stultifying regulations and centralized power (theirs).     Republicans generally prefer small business successes, self-help, de-regulation, de-centralized powers, and the Constitution with its Bill of Rights.   Remember: Local officeholders provide support for their guys in county, state and federal governments. Probably pays to know who they are, right?   Didja hear about Wal-Mart? SUNNYSIDE (7-3-11)--The formerly 24-hour big box reportedly will be closed between 12 midnight and 6 a.m. from now on. That's the whisper from employees. Seems the reason is suspected inside job thievery during the wee hours.     One employee, who looked nervously about when YVN asked about store theft losses whispered, "Would you believe? Over a million dollars!"   The employee wished to remain unnamed. Meanwhile city officials have revealed many local gang members are employed in local businesses.   I-Watch Closing In on banger billets SUNNYSIDE (7-3-11)-- Thanks to the Sunnyside PD's groundbreaking war against local gangs, the I-Watch program should soon be able to let everyone know via the internet which specific Sunnyside addresses host gang bangers.   Oh,and landlords' names and phone numbers can be hoisted up as well.     That way, any local citizen can call and congratulate those who rent to gang bangers. Getting the needed info requires a prodigious amount of public record requests and fact-compiling.   Nevertheless, as Larry the Cable guy advises, local concerned citizens intend to "Get 'er done!"   I-Watch is a 501-c-3 SUNNYSIDE (7-3-11)-- As a private, non-profit corporation, the I-Watch group can receive donations from those who wish to help the group carry on its mission--while shrinking donors' tax bites.   I-Watch goals presently include reducing crime by careful coordination with the Sunnyside PD.     The group may also provide a wide variety of research, with an eye toward informing the local public about the roots and branches of crime in Sunnyside.   I-watch could in the future provide practical training by experienced university grads in newswriting, investigative research and photography. The idea is to create competant journalists not not indoctrinated by any government university system.   Time to "Wisconsinate" Washington State Tax-sucking public-agency unions due to dry up   SUNNYSIDE (3-13-11)--Every time a union thug scares state and local governments into raising public-employee salaries and adding fringe benefits, taxes skyrocket for us peons who struggle in the private sector to pay for them.   Those getting shafted by public-unions include non-union waitresses, store clerks, farmworkers, mechanics, small-businesses and home owners.   A sizable element of Washington's population today uses public sector unions to bully their way into great salaries, medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, great working conditions, and fat pensions. Meanwhile, going without these public-union perks are those of us who pay for them with our taxes.   Public sector union bosses notoriously sleep with the Democrat party; they in fact keep the Democrats rolling in money via multi-millions in union dues from public sector employees. The system is oddly similar to the one that characterized the old Soviet Union.   In Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker and legislative Republicans have brought this decades old, excruciatingly unfair scenario to an end. Wisconsin public unions can no longer bargain for costly goodies paid for by private tax-paying Americans who have no such goodies.   Public-agency unions are a breed far different from those protecting private sector carpenters, farmworkers, laborers, plumbers, pipefitters, electricians, and the like.   These "backbone" workers build the country and work damned hard for their wages. Their wage hikes may ultimately raise the cost of goods, but buying goods is not coercive, as is the governments' demand for raised taxes when public sector unions successfully bully legislators and small governments.   Get it? No? Well, have a cup and read the damned thing again!   Not cooperating with cops? Some Sunnyside landlords may try to remain anonymous SUNNYSIDE (1-23-11)--Gangbangers need a place to eat, sleep and hide out. To that end, they rent their digs rather than buy them. They rent from landlords who want to stay in business.   Nowadays, Sunnyside landlords need a license to rent out a given address. Landlords must register their rentals with the city. It's NOT voluntary. Cops are now going door-to-door to determine which Sunnyside houses are rental units.   Landlords who have not so far cooperated with the new law will be directed to register for a license to rent. If they don't register, their future licenses to rent may be denied, ending their rental incomes. Rentals requiring licenses include houses, multi-plexes, mobile homes, rented rooms, and all other makeshift dwellings.   When police uncover drugs and gang activity at a given residence, officers inform the landlord, who then can receive financial help to evict thug renters.   To familiarize themselves with the new law, landlords are required to attend a class to inform them regarding Sunnyside's emphasis on crime-free dwellings. Some 130 local landlords have so far registered with the Sunnyside PD, "but we believe that's just a portion of the rentals...and we need to register them all," Capt. Phil Schenck said recently.   Schenck said it's unfortunate that "good landlords" have to comply with the licensing requirement but that "we need to take our city back" from gangsters.   When all Sunnyside landlords are in compliance and the program is rolling, it's believed gangsters will be forced to move out of town--into the county or nearby cities.   The county and other cities are free to pass ordinances similar to Sunnyside's, but that may require public pressure on county commissioners, the sheriff, and other local city councils.    YVN suggested this more than three years ago City mulls new PD-Landlord proposal to whack gangsters   SUNNYSIDE (4-20-10)--Sunnyside city government is mulling a "partnership" with local landlords to help prevent local gangs from setting up a "gang house".   Gangsters often rent from out-of-town landlords more interested in collecting rent than worrying about crime in Sunnyside. Landlords also pay a fairly high legal cost if they boot a gangster out of a rental unit.   In a special meeting today, the council discussed what they've termed a "Police Private Sector Partnership Project". Sunnyside Police Chief Ed Radder told the group "we have had great luck, in a limited scale, in dealing with criminal behavior by denying and removing organized criminal street gang activity from a neighborhood by using existing legal sanctions (evictions for cause).   "Even more desirable is to prevent a 'base' to even become established through proper channels of communication and cooperation (between the department and landlords).   Police information could be used by landlords to help them decide whether to rent to a given person. If the guy's got a yard-long rap sheet, the landlord should know about it.   No word was forthcoming about whether a proxy renter with no apparent criminal record could rent a home as a favor to a known gangster.   In 2007, a young mother rented a home from a local private landlord on Sunnyside's Taylor Avenue. Gangsters moved in, and citizens around the home sold out and moved away. More than one Molotov cocktail was thrown at vehicles in the home's driveway.   Sunnyside's newly proposed measure also would provide a subsidy to offset the landlord's considerable cost of a formal eviction/unlawful detainer process. Given Sunnyside's high crime rate, city officials believe such a subsidy makes good sense.   "This would not be used for general cause evictions, but only when a public need is proven, based on criminal behavior," Radder told the group.   Police reports indicate thugs also reside in Sunnyside's publicly subsidized housing, though the program as proposed only addresses private housing at this time.   Yakima has operated a PD-landlord program for years. Yakima's real estate associaton officials say a great rapport has developed between the PD and landlords, because it's a win-win.   Yakima Valley News suggested a PD-landlord program to the city more than three years ago: YVN writers then said:   SUNNYSIDE (1-19-07)-- Maybe there's a good way to get the Sunnyside PD and a "Sunnyside Landlord's Association" to work together to rout gang/drug/fence operations in Sunnyside's rented homes. Bruce Smith's Yakima Valley Business Times published an article about the Yakima Valley Landlord's Association (Marvalene Broadhead at 457-4770) and Yakima PD (Sgt. Linda Watts at 575-6200). The two agencies coordinate to decrease crime in Yakima rental units. Two things: No "Sunnyside Landlord's Association" now exists. And it's taken Yakima landlords and cops five years to get used to working with one another. Seems the program could be replicated here, given consultations with those two Yakima agencies. They know all the good ideas and pitfalls by now.   YVN knew we were ahead of the curve--but 3 years?