Growth and the attempted water grab
To the editor:
Your editorial of Oct. 23 -- "Is growth finally slowing down?" -- contained this closing comment: "Forcing a government and an economy built on rapid growth to adjust to slower growth would not happen without some short-term pain. But it might not turn out to be such a bad thing after all."
In defense of their water grab and pipeline proposal, Pat Mulroy of the Southern Nevada Water Authority has said many times that if water from rural Nevada and Utah did not flow to Southern Nevada, growth would be hindered. She forecast an economic catastrophe. Your analysis is much more realistic.
No economy can continue uncontrolled, cancerous growth forever. It would be much better to face the facts sooner rather than later, when the population is much more out of whack.
Your recommendation that governments re-evaluate massive, potentially wasteful projects should start with the water grab and its pipeline -- for which no one knows the cost.
Ken Hill
WENDOVER, UTAH
Insurance costs
To the editor:
Reporter Ed Vogel quoted Chuck Knaus of the State Insurance Division as saying Nevada homeowners' insurance will not be affected by the California fires ("Nevada homeowners won't get burned on insurance from California fires," Oct. 24 Review-Journal). I think Mr. Knaus is being a bit disingenuous.
My Las Vegas homeowners insurance went up by 40 percent following the Katrina debacle in New Orleans. Upon questioning my insurance company, they indicated that due to the losses from Katrina, everybody's insurance was going up. I checked other insurance companies, and sure enough, we were all paying for the losses that occurred a long way from home.
JEFF BECK
LAS VEGAS
More Harry
To the editor:
TheHill.com reported this about our very own Sen. Harry Reid and the Southern California wildfires:
" 'One reason why we have the fires in California is global warming,' Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters Tuesday, stressing the need to pass the Democrats' comprehensive energy package.
"Moments later, when asked by a reporter if he really believed global warming caused the fires, he appeared to back away from his comments, saying there are many factors that contributed to the disaster."
As a Nevada resident, I am ashamed that we can't find someone more intelligent and qualified than Harry Reid to represent us in the United States Senate.
C.C. Calligan
LAS VEGAS
Air rage
To the editor:
We read A.L. Bardach's Oct. 19 commentary with interest and dismay. She clearly brings out that the death of Carol Anne Gotbaum at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix could easily have happened to anyone who uses the skies to travel.
But we liked the way the writer's family handled their own situation. Although they were clearly upset with the callous attitude of the combination of US Airways/Mesa policies and airport indifference, they made the airlines pay by taking them to small claims court. That's true democracy as exercised by the people.
We wish that everyone with a true claim would respond this way. Taking on one industry at a time would surely put a few others on notice that they may be next. Any law firms volunteering their time want to focus on this area of need? We might see the beauty of democracy at work.
herman Roth
merle roth
LAS VEGAS
Tax debate
To the editor:
Tax cuts for the rich. That's been one of the talking points from Democrats for the past six years. Let's look at the facts straight from the federal treasury.
The top 1 percent of wage earners pay 39.4 percent of all federal income taxes, a new record and 10 percent more than during the Clinton administration. The top 10 percent pay 70.3 percent, another record.
The bottom 50 percent pay 3 percent, their lowest share in history.
Tax revenues are higher now than at any other time in history, higher than even during the buy.com boom of the '90s.
We are told that Bush inherited a surplus when he took office. So why are we now in deficit? The major reason is spending. It has gone up faster than even during Lyndon B. Johnson's "Great Society."
The Democratic answer: Spend even more!
Every Democratic hopeful promises the American people the bank. Some examples are matching the first $1,000 in 401(k) savings for wage earners who make less than $60,000 a year, universal health care, family leave paid by employers and higher federal education spending.
One Democratic candidate even floated a trial balloon for a plan that would have given every newborn a $5,000 bond.
I am old enough to remember a young Democratic president giving his inaugural address saying, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." Where did those Democrats go?
Oh by the way: That young Democratic president, John F. Kennedy, also lowered taxes.
ROBERT GARDNER
HENDERSON
