Welfare and Roger Rodoni

“ROGER RODONI TAKES CORPORATE WELFRARE
by Jake Pickering

- Social Worker -

P.O. Box 3050 , Eureka , CA 95502

(707) 832-8005

- February 16, 2007 -

“I try not to say too much to an intellectual void.” - Roger Rodoni

According to the February 16, 2007 edition of The Times-Standard, as reported by James Faulk, 2^nd District Humboldt County Supervisor Roger Rodoni’s recent speech to Eureka Republican Women was not only beyond hypocritical; it was incredibly insipid.

Roger Rodoni leases “a substantial portion of Pacific Lumber land since he first ran for the office in 1992… around 9,000 acres, including a house and a barn, and for it Rodoni paid only… $350 per month.” (www.northcoastjournal.com/122503/cover1225.html)

Never mind the obvious implications of blatant political corruption for the moment and focus on the hypocrisy displayed by conservative cattle rancher Roger Rodoni. Here we have our long-time 2^nd District Supervisor quite literally on the take from Pacific Lumber!

The financial benevolence bestowed upon Rodoni by Pacific Lumber should not only rightly be considered a fetid form of political bribery, Rodoni’s sweetheart deal with Pacific Lumber is an obvious case of corporate welfare run amok.

However, as financially fortunate as Roger Rodoni is, in his typically hypocritical Republican fashion Rodoni cravenly chose to personally attack the less fortunate of Humboldt County, referring to our meager social safety net as a “gravy train”, of all things!

Regarding the fact that the state and federal governments are considering draconian cuts to necessary programs that “supposedly take care of the people who can’t take care of themselves”, Rodoni coldheartedly quipped “I’m sitting here thinking, they need a bigger axe… Humboldt County is an oasis for this sort of thing.”

Rodoni’s outspoken opposition to vital social programs for the working poor, the disabled and the elderly is as legendary locally as his repeatedly displayed antagonism towards Native Americans and other oppressed minority groups.

Roger Rodoni is a right-wing relic from Humboldt County ’s puerile past. Rodoni is a racist Republican redneck who openly brags about his bigotry, wallowing in his hatred for women as well: “Like Supervisor Bonnie Neely, who he said has been buried in the Humboldt County Courthouse for 30 years; or Arcata Mayor Harmony Groves, a ‘social utopian if I ever met one – every time she talks you expect butterflies to come out of her mouth’.”

Roger Rodoni is the personification of political embarrassment. However, what is truly pathetic about Rodoni is that he is not nearly intelligent enough to understand that he should be ashamed of himself! How did Rodoni ever get elected to public office in the first place?

Oh yeah, that’s right. Pacific Lumber and their abusive parent corporation MAXXAM, Inc. put him there. Apparently, Savings & Loan scammer Charles Hurwitz’s largesse came in handy for Rodoni’s political campaigns. Too bad his constituents have received so little in return.

Ironically, Roger Rodoni said he is puzzled why “these characters keep getting reelected.” So are we! Humboldt County can do so much better than Roger Rodoni.

It is time for Roger Rodoni to retire from the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors. You can make it happen! Public pressure still counts for something in this county, and I urge you to contact 2^nd District Supervisor Rodoni to let him know what you think of his reelection prospects in the upcoming June 2008 primary election.

Tell Rodoni that the time has come for him to move on. Roger Rodoni’s office phone number is (707) 476-2392. Please give him a call, and tell him Jake Pickering sent you!

thanks Jake....