Election Day brings more bad news for Nevada
To the editor:
As disappointed as I am with the national election results, I am more frustrated with the Nevada political scene. With a small government and low taxes we could demonstrate a sharp contrast to the fiscal mess we see in California. Nevertheless, this month's election results indicate that we are ready to adopt California's self-destructive path.
First we dump two state senators who stood in the way of higher taxes and bigger government. Then we read that Republican Senate leader Bill Raggio believes that the Republican Party is not liberal enough to suit Nevada's constituency. Does that sound like a strong stance against higher taxes?
We recently have had massive budget cuts, and yet I see nothing different in state government. The DMV still provides the same lousy service, the various state agencies still put your phone calls on perpetual hold, and the schools still provide a decent education for students who actually want to learn. These budget cuts have been accomplished without layoffs. Contrast that with all the layoffs in businesses across the state.
Sen. Raggio's comments indicate a fear that Republicans might be shut out of the legislative process, not realizing that the best thing they could do in 2009 is shut down the legislative process. Because I am not hopeful that the remaining Republican legislators will take a stand against more taxes,
I have a proposal: Let's offer all legislators triple their normal salary if they will agree to cancel the 2009 Legislature altogether. That would be tax money well spent.
Michael Mathews
LAS VEGAS
Private-sector reality
To the editor:
Matthew Watson's Thursday letter regarding possible pay cuts for state employees states, "Why should state employees, any more than ironworkers, casino workers or employees in any other lines of work, shoulder a higher burden in these tough times?"
Is Mr. Watson unaware that workers in other industries are not only taking pay cuts, but that their hours and, in many cases their jobs, have been cut? In addition, their 401(k)s have been decimated.
Why do people like Mr. Watson continue to live in fantasyland?
Doris Lippincott
LAS VEGAS
No expectations
To the editor:
After reading Tuesday's Review-Journal, I was so glad that I never had high expectations for the governor ("Gibbons calls for salary cuts"). Gov. Jim Gibbons apparently doesn't care about people like me who are public school teachers and parents of school-aged children, because if he did, he wouldn't be cutting the school budget yet again.
I never thought I would see the day where I, a kindergarten teacher, would be told, "Don't ask for crayons -- we don't have any more money to buy them." What kind of governor would even consider cutting the school budget again when Clark County is facing such a terrible financial time?
In addition, I can't believe that he has the nerve to say, "I am not in favor of any tax that puts at risk a business or the economy of this state." Oh, governor, but it is putting Nevada's economy at risk!
Evidently, the future of Nevada's economy doesn't count -- not to mention the businesses that won't relocate here because their employees won't move to a state that is at the bottom of the list on per-pupil spending.
That's right Gov. Gibbons, let's not tax or give any more money to education, which might be too innovative and risky for Nevada's economy and your record as governor of this state. People might start having expectations for you.
By the way, I will take a few dollars of your $141,000 salary to pay for crayons for my students.
Sheila Reid-Shaver
LAS VEGAS
Big dreams
To the editor:
Only in Vegas. The city of Las Vegas plans $46 million in renovations to Freedom Park to create the Big League Dreams Sports Park at a time when we are more than $100 million short for education in a state that ranks nearly dead last in providing something that takes the majority of the population far beyond a softball field.
Is there anyone else out there who finds this ridiculous? Of course, it's small comfort that some of the funding results from the sale of public lands and that the park itself eventually will be run by yet another private operator.
As a longtime educator in the community, I'll be sure to keep that in mind as I stock up on supplies and audio-visual materials bought out of my own meager teaching salary because our education system, from kindergarten through graduate school, cannot afford to purchase them.
Jeannine Klein
NORTH LAS VEGAS
Getting it right
To the editor:
Global warming is scary, and dealing with its effects is important. But the rush to replace fossil fuels with alternative energy programs is foolish unless there is proof that reducing carbon dioxide will solve the problem.
As a chemical engineer with more than 30 years of experience, I see at least two scientific principles that argue strongly against CO2 being the cause of the warming. Hard science (not just simple statistical correlations) must be applied before we mortgage our future to alternative energy programs.
There is simply too much at stake for us to destroy our fossil fuel-based economy without first proving that CO2 is the cause for increasing temperatures. Our whole transportation system, the trade deficit, and future economic growth depend on getting this right.
Tom Keller
HENDERSON
Color matters
To the editor:
The Nov. 9 Viewpoints headline declared Barack Obama's presidential election win "A colorblind victory."
How can the Review-Journal declare a colorblind victory when estimates were that between 85 and 95 percent of black voters voted for Sen. Obama?
If the statistics showed that 85 to 95 percent of white voters backed Republican Sen. John McCain instead, would the Review-Journal have covered it the same?
Gary Olson
LAS VEGAS
Well done
To the editor:
I am so proud that the American people selected the more qualified presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, based on his credentials and not on the color of his skin.
I said it before and I will say it again, Sen. Obama is the "promised land" that Martin Luther King Jr. referred to in his Memphis speech in April 1968. I'm sure the Rev. King is looking down on us and is saying, "Well done."
DOROTHY BARNES
LAS VEGAS
Children are the future
To the editor:
What a great idea to support our poor suffering casinos by lowering the gambling age to 18 ("Gambling at 18 opposed," Thursday Review-Journal.
If that doesn't work, maybe we can put slot machines in our elementary schools.
Patrick Quinn
HENDERSON
Card check
To the editor:
Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., co-sponsored the Employee Free Choice Act. If this legislation is passed, another one of our freedoms will be lost.
This legislation would essentially make everyone's vote on whether they want union representation or not completely transparent. Rep. Berkley's communications director has stated that she "supports the legislation as a means to prevent intimidation of those seeking to organize in their workplace."
A couple of obvious questions:
How could employees who support unionization be intimidated if the secret ballot, now in effect, is detrimental to them? And where is Rep. Berkley's concern for those employees who do not want to be unionized?
Therein lies the diabolic attitude of those who support this legislation, which would open the flood gates for the various unions to "make their move." If this legislation becomes law, you should look for further erosion of our civil liberties to follow shortly.
CLARENCE LANZRATH
LAS VEGAS
