Al Gore is correct on energy policy
To the editor:
Regarding your July 21 editorial "Earth to Al":
I find it hard to imagine how far you will go to twist and spin the truth. If your readers would like to see the whole speech made by Mr. Gore, go to www.wecansolveit.org. Not since John Kennedy challenged us to put a man on the moon in 10 years has the United States done anything to make the people feel really proud to be Americans -- other than perhaps the civil rights movement, also a part of the Kennedy legacy.
Mr. Gore talks about producing all of our electricity from renewable, clean sources not eliminating all gas and oil needs. Your editorial asks "What happens to air travel"? Maybe, if even 20 percent of our cars are plug-in electric in 10 years, the demand for gas will have decreased to the point that prices will be lower and we can use our domestically produced fuel for jet fuel and diesel for over-the-road trucks.
Not to mention lower prices for those still driving gas powered cars.
You also indicate that you think our entire economy will collapse if we pursue this chimera (your word, not mine). What about the jobs and new industries created by this plan? And by the way, what is happening to the economy today as we wring our hands and try to figure out where we can get more supply so that gas prices will go down?
If we do nothing, or follow any of the proposals to produce more oil, the price of gasoline is not going to go down. Besides the damage to the planet our only course of action will be more wars for oil. But if we do begin to follow this process to free ourselves from a carbon-based fossil fuel way of life, what will the rest of the world do?
If the industrialized nations of the world see that we are really serious about this will they say "Yippy, now there will be more gas for us to use" and continue to destroy the planet, or follow our lead and begin using renewable fuels, as well?
Lastly, I was living back east in the '60s, but I would love to see what your editorials had to say when President Kennedy proposed going to the moon and back in 10 years.
Charles Long
HENDERSON
Free press
To the editor:
In a recent RJ article it was stated that I brought charges against Rod Taylor that resulted in his expulsion from Clark County Education Association. That is false.
The decision to expel Mr. Taylor from the association was made by the CCEA Review Board (the judicial body of CCEA) after a petition was filed by several members of the CCEA. I was not involved in submitting the petition. I was not involved in the decision of the review board.
Mr. Taylor, who is running for an elected office, is using the Review-Journal to get as much free press as he can get. Mr. Taylor never lets facts get in the way of his tirades. He has a habit of making groundless and false allegations against the CCEA and me, and the Review-Journal continues to print his misrepresentations.
MARY ELLA HOLLOWAY
HENDERSON
THE WRITER IS PRESIDENT OF THE CLARK COUNTY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.
Parental responsibility
To the editor:
I am 59. I have lived in four states. Due to a horrific auto/bike accident in 2001, which was the fault of another motorist, I lost my career as an registered nurse. Here are the facts -- from experience.
Throwing more money at education is a waste. People choose to have children. People choose to not practice birth control. People choose to have more children than they can afford to feed, clothe or send to college.
My husband was a teacher for many years. He was physically attacked and verbally abused by the students. Our public school system should not and cannot be forced to teach behavior and spend several extra hours per day to try to keep these children educated and practice proper behavior. Parents must practice responsibility. Parents choose to have children and that responsibility comes with duties. Due to our medical expenses from the accident in 2001, we lost everything-our home, our savings, etc. We live on $15 an hour. Yet, we are still responsible for paying the taxes for these children. This is cruel.
We do everything we can to stay off of the public dole. As Americans, this is our responsibility -- not to have other hard-working people pay for our problems. So instead of throwing more money at the education system, the people who have more children than they can afford should be made to pay for the education of their children. This should not be the problem of the hard-working taxpayers.
People should be taxed according to how many children they choose to have. We cannot afford to pay for them.
P. Smith
LAS VEGAS
