Divergent voices

The response letters in the Healdsburg Tribune’s “Letters to the Editor” to Dave Henderson and my letters criticizing Gary Plass for not endorsing a ban on assault weapons made me realize that although there are many people who agree with our opinion there are also plenty who don’t. It was interesting to see the various views on the same subject. Most of us here in Sonoma County are liberals – mostly center-left but liberals just the same. Although we are technically part of the Bay Area we are still a rather rural community which is traditionally conservative. The divergent opinions have led to a healthy discourse which is one of the things that make our American way of life, as Vladimir Putin put it, “exceptional.”
I was worried when the Democrats won a legislative “super majority” in last year’s state elections. I wondered who’s going to provide the checks to prevent a “tax and spend” stampede that the Democrats are famous for. As it has turned out so far Jerry Brown has held to his word on taxes and the legislature has become more responsible with the state budget. I was also concerned whether the Sonoma County Supervisors, all democrats, could cut spending in response to declining revenues but they seem to be doing so.
Conservatives are traditionally rather ridged on dogma and they tend to be closed minded on issues such as gun control, taxes and social welfare.  Since most liberals are free thinkers this rigidity drives most liberals nuts and vice versa with conservatives regarding liberal progressivism. Liberals would prefer to be represented by people who can “chew gum and walk” and think outside the box whereas conservatives want people to govern who uphold traditional values.
Traditionally, Republicans have been fiscally and socially conservative whereas Democrats have been fiscal and social liberals. Since the “Great Recession” started five years ago shrinking revenues have force governing Democrats to be more fiscally conservative. As the saying still goes, “If you want to be a social liberal you better be a fiscal conservative or there won’t be any money for your social programs.”
So while the Democrats have learned to become better at handling the public’s tax dollars and cutting waste the Republicans have become worse at handling social issues. In fact, at the national level, conservative have not only not improved on social issues they have in effect marginalized themselves buy becoming socially mean spirited at a time when millions of people have been trampled by the recession and the slow economic recovery. No one wants to be governed by mean spirited people.
However, as Gary pointed out, this is not Washington. Here at the local level, we still need conservative points of view on local issues which Gary provides. Plus what fun would it be if we all thought the same way and what would liberals and conservatives do if we didn’t have an emotional issue to argue about? “Small town dust-ups” as Ray Holly calls them and we have two good ones coming up with the hotel and round-about issues. How many small towns in California, or in the country for that matter, would love to have our local issues and the revenue they bring?
Jane St. Claire’s letter “Community paper” gave me goose bumps. She captured beautifully what the Tribune means to our town and how it captures the pulse of our community. One of the great features of the Trib is that dissenting voices can go back and forth in the Letters to the Editor each week. In the Press Democrat a writer is limited to one letter every ninety days which eliminates any tit-for-tat rebuttals. Granted, the PD is a county paper so they really couldn’t handle all the squabbles but that policy does make one appreciate the Tribune. So bring it on people – Rollie and Kerrie are awaiting our rants.
Michael Haran is a Healdsburg resident.