For a northern California town of just over 15,000 Oroville makes frequent appearances in this column. Since 2017, it’s a total of 10 by our count.
Most of the columns in the past were either concerning impending doom — on the scale of the Johnstown Flood — if the dam failed or state incompetence as they tried to repair a dam that was flawed in the first place.
As we wrote then, "California is a state run by big-thinking leftists, yearning to have their own independent foreign policy, but it can’t find time for mundane responsibilities like making sure dams don’t fail when it rains.
"We would call California’s management of the Oroville Dam a comedy of errors, but it’s no laughing matter when a potential failure of what is the tallest dam in the nation forced 200,000 people to evacuate their homes."
Since 2017, with the usual California fits and starts, enough has been done to the dam to keep it from collapsing.
We think this is very good.
Even better, the residents of Oroville have seen enough of California left-wing politicians up close to know they want no part of any future control by the left.
That’s why the Oroville City Council passed a resolution of which we heartily approve.
The Sacramento Bee has details, "The Oroville City Council on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution that declared the community a 'non-sanctuary city for all criminals' in response to a California law that limits when local law enforcement agencies can work with federal immigration authorities."
Those on the left in The Golden State encourage the invasion of our country, by illegals.
Oroville wants no part of it.
Unfortunately, they're in a box.
Left-adherents have no problem encouraging people with no right to be in the U.S. to come here, violate the law, and live as leeches on the taxpayer dime.
Oroville council members, on the other hand, prefer not to violate the law.
That’s why they passed a resolution and not an ordinance.
An ordinance would have required the police chief to violate state law.
"But, before doing so, council members removed language from the resolution that could have directed the city’s administrator and chief of police to violate the law.
"Sheriffs and police chiefs are only supposed to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in certain circumstances.
"That restriction was created by Senate Bill 54, also known as the California Values Act, that the Legislature passed in 2017."
Before the change was made, Councilmember Shawn Webber asked the interim police chief, "If we adopt the resolution, as written, and we direct you to ignore the law, would you do that?" "No, I will not violate state law," said Jason Wines, the interim chief.
Webber said he was not going to put the chief in that position.
"Just because we may want to, we can’t make a declaration that is going to usurp state law," the councilmember added.
Left-wingers in Sacramento aren’t burdened by ethics or respect for the law.
In proposing the resolution, Councilmember Scott Thomson "argued the law threatens public safety in the community, about 60 miles north of Sacramento, because it puts unnecessary restrictions on the city’s police. He drafted the resolution and requested that it be placed on the agenda.
"It said that the city opposes policies that 'harbor or protect individuals from prosecution by state or federal law enforcement agencies,' among other things.
"It is very clear that Sacramento is not listening to the North State and I for one would like them to hear our voice," Thomson told his colleagues during Tuesday’s meeting.
That’s certainly true and the state legislature has no intention of listening to patriotic America First voices.
There is no room for realism or conservatives in the Democrats' rose-colored glasses, left utopia.
Oroville doesn’t plan to stop with the protest resolution. It’s also considering taking more concrete steps. In January, the Huntington Beach City Council "also declared itself a non-sanctuary city and sued the state over the [sanctuary] law."
Oroville is thinking seriously about joining Huntington Beach in its lawsuit.
We approve, but also recommend not holding your breath. The same left-adherents who control the legislature in Sacramento also have outsized influence over the court system.
Michael Reagan, the eldest son of President Ronald Reagan, is a Newsmax TV analyst. A syndicated columnist and author, he chairs The Reagan Legacy Foundation. Mr. Reagan is an in-demand speaker with Premiere Speaker's Bureau. Read Michael Reagan's Reports — More Here.
Michael R. Shannon is a commentator, researcher for the League of American Voters, and an award-winning political and advertising consultant with nationwide and international experience. He is author of "Conservative Christian's Guidebook for Living in Secular Times (Now With Added Humor!)" Read Michael Shannon's Reports — More Here.