A simple way to balance the budget
To the editor:
Congress, abetted by the president, does not have the decency and moral courage to balance the budget; however, members of Congress never fail to grab a pay raise for themselves. Serious intent to balance the budget has been studiously avoided, with politicians making excuses why it cannot be accomplished. Subsequent higher prices are painful evidence of the failing dollar and inflation.
President Bush has promised that the national budget will be balanced by 2012 -- a typical promise. Sen. John McCain, if elected president, has promised a balanced budget by 2016 (in only eight years). Who believes that?
Deficits of near half a trillion dollars (crass thievery), added to our multitrillion-dollar debt, are deplorably being dumped on future generations and create inflation. We are in effect stealing from our children. Usually, we see legislation loaded with dirty pork projects (now called the cute term "earmarks").
The solution to mandate a balanced budget is simple: Congress must be forbidden to take a pay raise unless the budget is balanced. Essentially, Congress must spend less and/or tax more, not steal the Social Security/Medicare taxes. Delete pork from the budget and include only that which is affordable.
GEORGE IRISH
LAS VEGAS
Campaign cartoons
To the editor:
This election year has produced some strange bedfellows, and it's a gender-ripping bed they've snuggled into.
Locally, there's the pairing of the Review-Journal's editorial page and the enemy of my enemy, syndicated political cartoonist Pat Oliphant, who, prior to Hillary Clinton's bid for the presidency, regularly lambasted the present administration with his cartoons featuring a diminutive childish George W. Bush and a sneering, cynical "Uncle" Dick Cheney.
Credit is due the Review-Journal for printing these delightful GOP smears. But hold on there. Mr. Oliphant (or is it Elephant?) has put George and Dick on hold and is attacking Sen. Clinton unmercifully for, gasp, wearing pants and running a no-holds-barred election campaign just, horrors, like a man -- like men have always electioneered! What is this country coming to?
JAMES J. BEGLEY
LAS VEGAS
Selimaj shooting
To the editor:
Regarding the Sunday commentary by Henderson Police Chief Richard Perkins: Sorry, Chief Perkins, but I have to speak out against the "brotherhood" that I was once part of. I spent two years as a deputy sheriff in a large county jail in Indianapolis and six years as a military policeman.
We carried no weapons or clubs in the jail as we moved hundreds of dangerous criminals around daily. We were confronted with homemade knives or "shanks," spit on and physically attacked with punches and kicks.
A distressed woman, on her knees and waving a knife around (if true), would have been a pretty minor event for us. Distract her, throw something on her, club her, but never use deadly force in that situation.
Yet Henderson police shot and killed Deshira Selimaj under such circumstances in February. Was a senior officer there in command of the situation? If not, why not?
Are your officers so "unathletic" that they can't handle a woman like that? What if she didn't understand English or was deaf and couldn't understand the officer's commands?
Chief Perkins' beginning statement in his commentary, "It is truly a tragedy when a police officer is forced to fire a weapon in the line of duty," assumes that "forced" is the truth here. I disagree, although I do understand the conundrum Chief Perkins is in since he has to support his officers -- even the frightened ones.
Why doesn't Chief Perkins send young officer Luke Morrison, who shot Mrs. Selimaj, over to the jail for some additional training? How about making him the lead guy in cell extractions? You know, toughen him up a little so that he doesn't feel threatened for himself and his fellow officers when a citizen is acting erratically?
Fortunately for our safety, the rest of the Henderson Police Department appears to be more disciplined and professional.
JOHN HENDRICKSON
HENDERSON
Good reverends
To the editor:
Leave it to Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson to fiddle while Rome burns -- or, in this case, Chicago.
Mr. Sharpton said he is going to "shut down the city," referring to New York City, because three New York Police Department cops, two of them black, shot and killed a black man ("The Final Word," Tuesday Opinion page).
Meanwhile in the "Windy City," in less than a week, gang-bangers have killed more than a dozen and wounded at least 28, and the "good" reverends remain silent and aloof. Just where are their priorities?
Jerry Fink
LAS VEGAS
