LETTERS: How good are the rooftop solar jobs?

Rooftop solar and jobs

There sure has been a lot of reporting about net metering and rooftop solar recently, what with Sen. Harry Reid's National Clean Energy Summit, President Barack Obama's $11 billion in new subsidies for the industry and, of course, the Nevada Public Utilities Commission's rate decision.

What interests me is the constantly harped-on 6,000 good-paying Nevada jobs. How does the rooftop solar industry define "good-paying"?

For example, the Nevada Department of Employment reports the average private-sector wage in Nevada is $21 an hour. Is the rooftop solar industry paying its workforce that much? More? Less? How much more or less? Do the workers have a top-flight health plan? Do they have a defined-benefit pension plan? If not, do they have a good 401(k) plan with an above-average employer match? Is there a generous profit-sharing plan, with 100 percent vesting after one year?

In other words, is this industry really ushering in a brave new world where all share in the benefits, or is this just the same old system in which labor is thrown a paycheck and told to be grateful for the crumbs, while in this case, the massively taxpayer-subsidized, crony capitalist, corporate welfare queens get rich beyond their wildest dreams of avarice.

Knight Allen

Las Vegas

Support the Iran deal

The Iran nuclear deal is truly a historic diplomatic achievement. The deal keeps Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb and keeps the United States from fighting another devastating war in the Middle East.

I hope all members of Congress will recognize the power they have to help make the world a safer place by supporting this accord.

If we want Sen. Dean Heller and all our elected representatives to support this agreement, we need to let them know that we support it. Calling, writing and emailing them are important steps in making our voices heard on this critical issue.

Susan Rand

Las Vegas

Reid and Iran

Surprise! Did anyone actually think that good old Sen. Harry Reid would actually vote against the Iran nuclear agreement? ("Reid says he will vote for Iran nuclear deal," Aug. 24 Review-Journal online.) Sen. Reid has always voted with his party. How could he suddenly put the good of his country ahead of the Democratic Party? President Barack Obama can always rely on Sen. Reid.

When Iran gets a nuclear warhead, and it will, the consequences will fall on Sen. Reid, President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry. The president wants to have something to be remembered by, and believe me, this agreement will really achieve that.

Doris R. Lewis

Henderson

Local gas prices

Gas should cost about $2.50 per gallon in the Las Vegas Valley. That means there should and could be $100 more a month in every family's pocket, plus reduced costs as a result at the grocery store and most anywhere else we buy goods that need to be shipped here.

I'm surprised I haven't heard any mass outrage on why we are being gouged at the pump when the price of oil has tumbled down to half of what it was a year or two ago. Other states have gas prices of $2 per gallon. We're paying more than $3 on average. Who's keeping the price artificially high? The local gas stations? The oil companies?

Or is the federal government at fault for not doing a thing to protect us because it wants us all to move to electric cars? Does anyone have any logical explanations? Shouldn't the media be asking, too?

Steve Mollica

Henderson

Trump and the military

I have yet to hear from Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on how he avoided the draft for the Vietnam War. He is 69 years old, so that would make him 19 years old at the start of the war, the ideal age for military service.

I think it would be an insult to those who served and risked their lives to have a draft dodger as commander in chief.

George Haushahn

Las Vegas