Tuesday, July 08, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

LETTERS: Efforts to secure more water actually harmful

To the editor:

We Nevadans are finding ourselves faced with another tax increase because of the massive amount of growing pains we have already suffered through during 15 years of massive growth.

And now someone has come up with the idea of building a pipeline (July 4 letter) to bring water from Louisiana in an attempt to bring us another 15 years of subsidized growth and more tax increases.

How about this: We build the pipeline and send the water the other way -- Southern Nevada water to Louisiana. That should lower our taxes by stopping growth.

While we're at it, we could immerse our politicians in the water before we pump it. Of course, we might first turn the politicians upside down and shake them. That just might produce enough money to fund our school system.

JOE FRCHO

LAS VEGAS

Fooling around

To the editor:

Let me see if I can understand this: There are 15 Assembly Republicans who want to reopen (or invalidate) a legally and lawfully passed and signed budget so they can cut spending in social programs. Their rationale being they then will be able to fully fund the education budget. And if they don't get their way, they will refuse to vote to support any tax package that funds the budget.

These folks remind me of the people who drive 55 mph in the fast lane on the freeway because they can.

Remember, the social programs the Republicans want to cut also benefit the children the Republicans say they want to educate. As a colleague of mine pointed out, "You can't cut off your head and stand on it to get taller."

Just a word of advice for Assemblyman Bob Beers and his Merry Men: We voters have longer memories than you think. Stop fooling around with our children's ability to receive an education.

JOSEPH R. PRIBYL

LAS VEGAS

Still open

To the editor:

Just a few weeks ago, we were being warned of the dire consequences if the tax increases were not approved to match the budget. The governor would have to shut down all state functions, etc. on July 1. What happened? Did the government shut down? If so, I sure didn't notice. As of today, I haven't noticed. Are our wishes going to get dashed?

Then there was the Clark County school system and their union Cassandras. They were to shut down on July 1, also. Now I read that they have enough funds to operate until the middle of August. Is somebody lying?

ESMAEL E. CANDELARIA

LAS VEGAS

No diversity?

To the editor:

Tim Hay, the state's consumer advocate, believes that democracy is under attack because the FCC has implemented new concentration of ownership rules (July 6, Nevada Views). Oh my, how scary. One media giant may control the content of news appearing in newspapers, radio, television and cable.

Mr. Hay believes that if diversity diminishes it will lead to "a further diminution of participation in the democratic process." That would really be too bad. Mr. Hay quotes a newspaper editor who goes as far as to say, "History is clear that if people don't feel vested in their government, that government will eventually falter and fail." We can only hope.

If it's media diversity that makes the idiot masses line up at the voting booth to elect crooks and knaves to constantly steal from them, then less diversity would certainly be an improvement.

Unfortunately, Mr. Hay is not paying attention. There is no diversity of views coming from media. No matter how the ownership of media is split up, the message from all avenues of the press are the same: pro-war, pro-taxes, pro-big government and constant worship of the religion called democracy. A religion that is, as H.L. Mencken wrote, "the worship of jackals by jack asses."

DOUG FRENCH

LAS VEGAS

Call list

To the editor:

Editorial cartoonist Vic Harville's depiction of nuisance telemarketers being hung by the "Don't Call Me" listing is, in my humble opinion, off base. If I were a telemarketer, I'd be doing handsprings (or surfing in joy) because the government is helping my "bottom line" sales by eliminating nearly 100 percent of my calls to people who would routinely hang up on me anyway.

Let me know if they start to complain that they'll be going out of business thanks to the government's move.

SAM CHINKES

LAS VEGAS

Big battle

To the editor:

In response to your July 4 editorial:

The battles at Bemis Heights and Freeman's Farm in the autumn of 1777 were collectively known as the Battle of Saratoga. The American commander was Gen. Gates. But he seemed to have a problem getting out of his tent. The man you referred to was Gen. Benedict Arnold. His courage in those battles was ignored by Gates and he subsequently found himself out of favor.

Instead of being remembered as one of our great heroes of our Revolutionary War, his name will always be associated with one of the great acts of treason against this country and its people.

Your editorial was accurate in saying Saratoga was one of the decisive battles of the Revolution because it stopped the British from cutting off New England. Possibly more importantly, it encouraged the French to actively support the American forces for the remainder of the war.

Thank you for the editorial. Now we have to hope those who truly need to will read it. If the school district funding was tied to performance, like salaries at your paper, we wouldn't have our current education problems. Thanks again.

MICHAEL W. DUNEGAN

LAS VEGAS

Casino abuse

To the editor:

Thank you for having the integrity and courage to print the In Depth section article about casino abuse of skilled advantage players (July 6).

To those of us who have the skills and willingness to beat the casinos, their reprehensible conduct is nothing new. But exposing the criminal behavior of many casino employees, and exposing the refusal of our government officials to protect the public from these crimes committed by casino personnel, is a big step toward reducing their frequency and severity.

There are hundreds of example of this type of behavior by casinos. Unfortunately, most victims are too afraid to complain.

AL ROGERS

LAS VEGAS