Fuel efficiency leads to Big Brother
To the editor:
The government has been encouraging us to buy fuel-efficient cars to reduce gas consumption, reduce emissions and save the planet. And what is our reward for doing so? Officials at the Nevada Department of Transportation say they are not getting enough gasoline tax revenue because we are buying more fuel-efficient vehicles.
So NDOT wants to put a device in our cars that will record the miles we drive, when we drive and where we drive. They say we might be charged more for using our vehicles during peak times. Their excuse is that the fuel tax has not kept pace with infrastructure needs.
That is the thanks we get for becoming fuel-efficient.
What we need is for our state Department of Transportation to get more efficient and reduce its spending. We should now all stick with our SUVs, minivans and sedans. At least that way, when we get in an accident, we have a better chance of survival than in the little gas-efficient cars.
Oh, by the way, do you want the government monitoring your whereabouts? Go get them, ACLU.
Michael O. Kreps
Las Vegas
Union ties
To the editor:
A suggestion to candidates running for office during this election cycle: Downplay your connection if you have an obligation to unions.
Too many in the private sector have seen jobs lost, cut back or downgraded to be very receptive to those in organized labor who boast of contractually obligated benefits and entitlements while remaining intransigent to any real sacrifice, even in the face of possible business and government bankruptcy.
Combined with what appears to be a federal administration bent on promoting international labor unionism, which many see as dismembering the very values and system of freedom this country was founded upon, it just seems logical to appear traditional -- at least until elected.
KENT RISCHLING
LAS VEGAS
Political blunder
To the editor:
Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto's refusal to join the legal challenge of the Obama health insurance mandate is a political blunder on her part.
The attorney general, a Democrat, is ideologically motivated over the liberal government takeover of the U.S. health care system. Gov. Jim Gibbons, who was rebuffed by Ms. Masto after he requested she join the lawsuit, will now score political points in a state which is showing signs of turning in a more conservative direction.
Even though Gov. Gibbons has been wracked by controversies in his personal life, his conservative instincts in the governing department have remained very consistent, which is to his credit.
For Nevada to be unrepresented in this lawsuit is just plain, poor politics. Not only that, it is also plain, poor policy.
Bob Jack
North Las Vegas
Free ride
To the editor:
I am absolutely amazed at Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto's rationale in not proceeding with a challenge to the health care law. Ms. Masto said the state doesn't need to file suit because "Nevada can ride for free at this time by allowing other states to foot the bill."
If that doesn't speak to what is sick in our society, I don't know what does. Let someone else do all the work and pay the expenses so that the person (or state) who does nothing can potentially reap the benefits?
And a woman with these principles is our attorney general?
Good grief.
Beverly F. Stevenson
Henderson
No discounts
To the editor:
My wife and I recently visited the Lost City Museum in Overton. We were told that budget cuts have eliminated senior discounts and discounts for Nevada residents.
The director informed us that she has personally taken a 36 percent salary cut.
Museums are important to the citizens of Nevada. I encourage the governor and the Legislature to restore the budget to this valuable resource.
Paul V. Colman
Las Vegas
Church problems
To the editor:
A number of years ago I stopped my subscription to the Review-Journal after the paper ran an offensive political cartoon depicting Catholic priests chasing after altar boys from the church steps -- calling it the "annual running of the altar boys," a play on the bull running in Spain.
The church, however, has had many years to address and handle this problem of priest sexual abuse, among other scandals involving finances, etc. The church keeps apologizing, but I see no action to stop the ongoing, ever-increasing scandals.
The latest revelation from Milwaukee is the then-bishop wrote to the Vatican twice but got no response regarding the priest who sexually abused deaf boys. Then the priest himself writes to the Vatican and asks for help and to be able to live out his life in "peace."
What about the 200 boys? Germany and Italy follow with additional sexual abuse cases. Instead, the Vatican issued a statement of three points as to why the church was not responsible for the sex scandals. They seem to be ever increasing and, as a Catholic, I am not leaving the church. The church is leaving me.
B. C. Jarzen
Las Vegas
By the numbers
To the editor:
Kudos to March 17 letter writer Willard Morris for bringing up the subject of a Nevada lottery. Why can't the legislators see that thousands of Nevadans travel hundreds of miles (round trip) to California and Arizona just to play the lottery and spend our dollars in a different state?
I travel at least 100 miles every two weeks just to buy tickets in the California lottery. I would much rather spend my money here in a casino, or any other outlet.
If a casino sold a winning ticket, it would get a cut, so wake up and get it started in the next session. We really need a lottery here.
RUSSELL SCOTT
LAS VEGAS
