Now, I’m not much of a conspiracy theorist, but my eyebrows have been raised. I live in California’s 4th Congressional District, sprawling from the suburbs of Northeast Sacramento to the Oregon border, west to Oroville and east to the Nevada border. It’s the home of Hewlett Packard, William Jessup Christian College, and the most beautiful terrain in the nation. It’s the home of Republican Congressman John Taylor Doolittle, quite possibly the nation’s most corrupt elected official. We are neighbors with Congressmen Mike Thompson (D) in the southwest, Wally Herger (R) directly to the west, Doris Matsui
(D) to the south, and Dan Lungren (R) to the south east.
Apparently, its also a location brimming with Halliburton activity.
While making a quick trip to Sacramento, I was passed on I-80 by a brand new white Chevy truck with bold, red letters on the door: Halliburton. I thought it strange, especially since I had never seen a Halliburton presence in Sacramento. Why would I? There’s no oil to exploit, all the bases have closed down in the area with the exception of Beale Air Force Base about 50 miles to the north in the Yuba City-area. I thought it odd, and continued my driving.
Then, directly in front of me, was some sort of large tanker truck. On its bed were two large octagonal containers, clearly labeled "hazardous material." Always being a little freaked out by being behind big trucks, I decided to pass. What company name was printed on the door of the truck? Halliburton.
I pass another identical truck. Now this is getting weird. Three in one day? I decided to look for more. I see another on the other side of the freeway pass me by. What is Halliburton doing in Sacramento, and why are they shipping hazardous material through MY neighborhood???
After coming home, I decided to do a little research on the internet. As it turns out, Halliburton has a subsidiary in Woodland, a small city near the college town of Davis West of Sacramento (in Rep. Mike Thompson’s district). Should I be concerned that Sacramento is tainted by the presence of Vice-President Cheney’s favorite war profiteering company?
Sacramento, at least the Sacramento I grew up in, was always led by the most honorable and good Democrats I’ve ever known. Sacramento’s mayor, Joe Serna (who died in 1999), was a leader who worked with Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers. He led Sacramento with honor and integrity. Congressman Vic Fazio was THE United States Representative to go to if you needed help or attention to a special cause. Congressman Bob Matsui (who died in 2005) was the epitome of gentlemanly leadership. Those were the examples I grew up watching and learning from.
Would those heroes of Sacramento’s yesterday be proud to know it has two of the most conservative (with Doolittle added in the mix also the most corrupt) Republicans in the House guiding it into the 21st Century? Would they be proud of Halliburton’s presence?
I want to see a California that is truly looking out for the best interests of the people, particularly in the Sacramento-region. We need a credible challenger to Dan Lungren. This isn’t meant as a slight to 2006 candidate Dr. Bill Durston, but he could not capture the imagination or motivation needed to take on such a "clean" conservative as Congressman Lungren. We NEED Charlie Brown to finally take down Congressman Doolittle, and this upcoming election it looks like he will do just that. And we need another 10 Dave Joneses to take the state assembly to new heights.
I apologize that this rant on Halliburton has turned into a diatribe on Sacramento’s lack of good progressive thinkers. But you see the connections, right? We go through with life oblivious to the fact that the great Sacramento we grew up knowing and loving is changing, and NOT for the better. I just want to see the day when backwards thinking ends in this area of the greatest state in the Union. Thanks.