Christmas Poem
The flag that flies over this great land is red, white and blue,
It seems that only yesterday we watched Ohio with legions of lawyers threatening to sue.
A map of states of blue, a map of states of red.
An election not of chads but of threatened challenges we all should dread,
One country, yet divided into two polar blocks of hue.
One block red, the other block blue,
Where are the stars and the six stripes that are white?
Did it all disappear in polar shift on election night?
Even in the darkest of days in 1914 on Christmas Eve,
Bitter enemies the trenches they did leave,
Put down the rifle, grenade and knife,
Briefly the spirit of Christmas prevents the taking of any human life.
White is not in the optical sense the color of a race,
But the blending of all colors to leave not a separate, divisive trace.
We are all the citizens or residents of this great country, a true beacon in a stormy, chaotic night,
On Christmas reach out and give the gift of peace,it is something we all can do right.
Michael P. Ridley
Partner
Good, Wildman, Hegness & Walley
Newport Beach
Joe Dunn
The recent appointment of state Sen. Joe Dunn of Garden Grove as chair of the Senate’s Judiciary Committee is regrettable.
In this position, Dunn will wield considerable influence over legislation affecting our state’s civil justice system. At a time when continued tort reform is needed, this key committee will be chaired by a person who has built a track record of siding with trial lawyers and enhancing their arsenal of tools to file lawsuits of every sort,some beyond imagination.
California voters spoke loud and clear on Nov. 2 by voting “yes” on Proposition 64, which made it clear that we want to rid our courts of frivolous lawsuits. Dunn is out of step with this mandate, authoring bills during his time in Sacramento that make it easier for trial lawyers to file lawsuits.
Local Orange County business groups tell us that Dunn says the “right things” when speaking locally but then goes back to Sacramento and votes with the trial lawyers.
We expect more of the same, as the proverbial fox now is guarding the hen house.
Maryann Maloney
Executive Director
Orange County Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse
Corona del Mar
CalPERS
The decision by the California State Personnel Board to replace labor leader Sean Harrigan as its representative on the CalPERS board makes a bold statement. CalPERS’ trustees should not be overreaching with their private personal agendas as they monitor the retirement investments for thousands of California government workers.
As a CalPERS trustee, Harrigan continued to push social and political agendas at the nation’s largest public employee retirement fund that were aligned with his “day job” as executive director of the United Food and Commercial Workers’ Southern California council.
As a labor leader, one cannot take the stage next to a giant rat and lead a labor gathering in chants,”This is not just about the food industry. This is about the entire labor movement”,as Harrigan did at a February rally in New York, without also reflecting on his role as a CalPERS trustee and public official who wields significant influence over the nation’s financial markets.
Not having Harrigan on the CalPERS board is good, conflict-free corporate governance.
Robert M. Brower
Irvine
