A Stroll Down Memory Lane

There’s California, it seems to me, and then there’s the rest of the world.

Speaking of the rest of the world, California’s economy is currently the fifth largest, globally. Imagine everything going on in California–everything from farming to high tech–and it’s a diverse range of endeavors and people to meet them.

If I could live anywhere it’d be in California. In fact, I often wish I lived there.

But I don’t. I live in Tulare County.

Tulare County is the Arkansas of California. Maybe the Mississippi.

A right-wing, knee-jerk backwater where a poorly drawn cartoon such as Devin Nunes is not only comfortable, but–in all likelihood–safe. His support is legion and blind, both–while Nunes himself seems more concerned with his relationship with the White House than that with his own constituents. Those who support Nunes are complicit in the undermining of America.

Which is not being made “great again.”

Trump is far from presidential. He has the typical gravitas all megalomaniacs share–that is, everything is about himself, even if it’s all in his own head. Internationally he’s mocked, and he talks a big game until the time for whatever summit arrives. Then he caves. He’s a bully, a liar and a blowhard. And, as I’ve previously written, he’s in the Russian mafia. Yet Nunes continually bends over (you can decide which way) to support the Orange Horror. Just recently, Nunes was recorded opining that a Republican-controlled congress is this president’s last line of defense.

So much for Twitter.

Last I looked, we live under the rule of law–not a cult of personality–and congress, such as it is, remains a branch of government co-equal with and as a check on the executive.

Californians understand this.

Nunes’ constituents will still re-elect him.

In the nearly 20 years I’ve lived in this Comic-con of a county I’ve witnessed a whole cast of bad actors upon the public stage. Their chief virtue now, of course, is that they’re all gone.

Let’s take a stroll down Memory Lane, shall we?

Former Tulare Police Chief Jerry Breckinridge is gone, after his documented kerfuffle with wife, booze and driving, to take his issues up in the city of Arvin.

The entirety of the former Tulare Local Healthcare District Board is gone, thank God. Individually and collectively an unprecedented disgrace. Sherrie Bell, Dr. Parmod Kumar, Richard Torrez, Linda Wilbourn and Laura Gadke are no more–at least, as a board. How any of them can show their face in the city of Tulare eludes me.

And on that note, gone, too, is Dr. Benny Benzeevi.

There are many more–I have omitted, for instance, the City of Tulare Public Cemetery District–but my favorite has to be former Tulare Mayor Carlton Jones. True, he yet sits on the city council. But after antics that might have shamed Caligula, he voted for his own removal.

Go figure.

If only it were ever that easy.

See how much better the public good can be when certain bad actors exit the stage?

Now another needs to go.

Care to guess which one? I’ll give you a hint:

Whoever puts party, or self-interest, over country is a traitor.

Get off your duff in November and vote.

— Joseph Oldenbourg

7 thoughts on “A Stroll Down Memory Lane

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  1. Sir you talk about Tulare county being the Arkansas or Mississippi of Ca. a right wing, knee jerk backwater. like there is something wrong with those places. You need to get out of the office and see what this county is all about. If you don’t like this area you can relocate to an area that’s fits you politically like the sanctuary city north of here S.F. you might like it there better, just watch your step while walking down the sidewalk. As for Mr. Nunes he has my support, my vote and if he needs any financial support that also. MAGA

    • Oh yes, he will. I don’t know because I don’t know this man, but I bet you he lives in Visalia. In the short time I’ve lived in Tulare, it seems to me that Visalia has it nose in the air, with a look like they smell something bad. Well, obviously it is we Tulare folks because we are right wing, knee jerk, backwater hillbillies. Like the look we saw on Peter Strozk, Brennan and James Comey. Liberals have a disease. We think they are wrong, naive and unChristian. They think we are evil. Re read this piece with that thought in mind. Sorry but the more this guy writes, the more I think he’s an idiot.

      • “Liberals have a disease. We think they are wrong, naive and unChristian.” ????? I am curious about what ever happened to the Republicans that used to tout family values, who used to be fiscally conservative, who used to pay homage to the taking of personal responsibility, who showed human kindness in treating others with a modicum of dignity and respect. Where are those Republicans? If there are still some left in this country then why are they so silent? Their silence has become quite deafening. When did being a habitual liar and the braggadocios groping of women become a badge of honor? When did rude crude vulgar sexist language and behaviors become a badge of honor? When did electing a narcissistic sociopathic Russian loving white supremacist for President become a badge of honor? When did getting a conservative judge seated on the Supreme Court become more important than the Christian values Republicans used to espouse? What will history say about those who defended and protected Trump but not their country? These Trumplicans who like their leader openly show their hatred and contempt for others especially those who are not of their own kind. I suppose that God would say that we need to pray for them and maybe we should…..but will you also pray for the salvation of our country? Who will stand up and fight for our country’s salvation? Not Trump and thus far not his supporters. SAVE OUR COUNTRY AND VOTE THIS NOVEMBER!

  2. How ironic that you would lay into Carlton Jones when you just did the very same thing that he did. I am not interested in reading a paper about our valley’s affairs by someone who demeans its people openly. The “other” California you long for gives us great cities like San Francisco. I recommend the article your wife wrote about it.

  3. Seems to me your description of Tulare and some of its not so finest moments hit the nail right on the head …..but I don’t believe that Breckenridge’s wife was part of his kerfuffle….the woman in question was and possibly still is his girlfriend. I hope he is doing okay in Arvin.

  4. The Associated Press says that Devin Nunes used political donations to pay for $15,000 worth of Boston Celtics tickets, nearly $43,000 on hotels, meals and site rentals in Las Vegas and thousands more on wineries and limousine service outside his district.

    Yesterday, San Diego Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter and his wife were indicted, charged with using $250,000 in campaign funds on personal expenses, including a vacation to Italy, private school tuition, and using $600 in campaign funds to fly a pet rabbit in a plane’s passenger cabin. His lawyer called all these expenses “mistakes” that were “strictly inadvertent and unintentional.”

    Do you think Devin is hearing foot steps behind him today? I hope no one sends a note to the US Attorney.

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