Do we really want everyone to vote?
To the editor:
As I was reading Molly Ball's July 7 article about how many people the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) has persuaded to register to vote, I wondered if these newly registered men and women know enough to be responsible voters.
One example from the news article was the 19-year-old who didn't know the difference between Republican and Democrat until the ACORN representative connected the name of each presidential candidate to his party. Does anyone see a danger to our republic when we encourage ignorant, clueless people to vote?
Unfortunately, this young woman, if she does vote, won't have a problem finding her way to the polls. She will be provided a bus ride on election day -- along with hundreds of other new voters just like her.
I know there are a lot of people who believe that they have to vote only for president and only every four years. Forget about all the other candidates for Congress, the state Legislature, county offices and judgeships -- all public officials who will have more influence on our lives than any president will have.
And what about the ballot questions? Many people will not bother to vote for or against them. That means the ballot questions will be decided by a small number of people with special interests -- or by the class-envy types who will vote to raise taxes on "the rich." We have already seen the problem caused by the term-limit law, which was once a ballot question.
Oh well, that's politics. But I often think we would be better off if the right to vote were limited to property owners, as it once was.
JANE HAM
LAS VEGAS
Good read
To the editor:
In response to the July 11 letter complaining about Corey Levitan's Fear and Loafing in Las Vegas column:
If you don't like Mr. Levitan's work, do one of four things:
1. You try doing a different type of job every week.
2. Write a funny slant on it.
3. Don't read it.
4. Get a sense of humor.
Or try all four!
Leave Corey to do his light-hearted, funny, interesting column for the rest of us to enjoy every Monday.
My hope is he will continue to "try" his hand at more different "jobs." It's funny and enjoyable reading.
ANN I. CURNOW
LAS VEGAS
Cow gas
To the editor:
Last week, in a major address in the nation's capital, former Vice President Al Gore called for a 10-year plan to move the nation's entire energy supply to solar, wind and other renewable sources. What he failed to address is the massive role of meat production in the global climate crisis.
An authoritative 2006 report by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization found that animal agriculture accounts for fully 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. That's more than automobiles (www.CoolYourDiet.org). It is also a major cause of land and water degradation.
Carbon dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas, is emitted by burning forests to create animal pastures and by combustion of fossil fuels to operate feed growing tractors, factory farm and slaughterhouse machinery, trucks and refrigeration equipment. The much more damaging methane and nitrous oxide are discharged from digestive tracts of cattle and from animal waste cesspools, respectively.
The good news is that each of us can do our part to reduce global warming without waiting 10 years. Our local supermarket stocks a rich variety of soy-based lunch "meats," hotdogs, veggie burgers, dairy products and ready-to-eat frozen dinners. Did I mention the cornucopia of fruits and vegetables that have always been readily available to us?
Martin Gordon
LAS VEGAS
Homeless vets
To the editor:
I don't understand the complacency in the veterans' community when our Iraqi-Afghanistan veterans are suffering record fatality-to-casualty rates, about five times greater than previous wars.
Unless we have domicilliaries (veterans' homes) built on the proposed 2011 Veterans Administration health complex, we won't be able to provide adequate inpatient therapy programs for Post Traumatic Syndrome Disorder, traumatic brain injury, alcohol and legal and illegal drug addictions.
Our government failed the Vietnam and Gulf War I veterans -- they represent about 60 percent of our 3,500 to 4,000 homeless veterans -- and without innovative inpatient care, our Iraqi-Afghanistan veterans, who are entering our homeless population today, will soon represent a majority.
Don't be complacent. Speak up for our veterans. Our congressional delegation will assure you that everything is OK, but you can't legislate compassion and a caring bureaucracy.
frank perna
LAS VEGAS
Federal role?
To the editor:
Sen. Harry Reid has announced a plan to assist victims of polygamy (Review-Journal, Wednesday). I had always thought one of the more noble beliefs of Mormons was to take care of themselves. If, however, Sen. Reid believes that the federal government should be involved in religious victim abuse cases, where was he when innocent children were victimized by Catholic priests?
Andrew P. Fahey
LAS VEGAS
