Judicial appointments still political
To the editor:
Did you read Jane Ann Morrison's Monday column ("Judicial candidates should be judged on their merits, not politics")? Ignore the headline. Read the column and file it away in your memory bank.
Why? Because our ruling lords and masters are right now gathering more than half a million dollars to be spent next year to convince us that appointing judges is a better system for selecting the judicial branch of government than elections. Why is it better? Because, they claim, "it takes the politics out of the process."
Sure it does. The same way the sun rises in the west and sets in the east every day.
You come away from the column with a clear understanding of just how political the appointment process really is. Threats by a powerful faction. Personal animosity between members of the appointing committee (both of the same political party). Feelings of "betrayal" by party loyalists. Nope, no politics in the appointment process.
Right?
Half a million bucks can buy a lot of hustle and con. Strengthen your resolve against it now and you won't be victims next year.
Elect. Elect. Elect.
Knight allen
LAS VEGAS
Chronic pain
To the editor:
Until June 9, I'd guess that the majority of Danny Gans' fans did not know that he suffered from chronic pain syndrome. They saw a great entertainer and supporter of many charities.
I also have chronic pain syndrome. There are three things everyone should know who loves or cares for someone with chronic pain syndrome:
1) Those with this disease never want anyone to pity them and learn quickly how to hide their pain.
2) They feel they cannot allow themselves the luxury of having a bad day. With chronic pain you never have a day that you do not hurt so pushing through is normal.
3) We know that if our use of narcotics becomes widely known that we will no longer be "Danny Gans entertainer" but "Danny Gans drug user."
What a tragedy that so many will now see Mr. Gans as someone different than who he was: a great entertainer and person.
Cynthia Grant
HENDERSON
Immigration reform
To the editor:
Here we go again. Every couple of years, advocates for illegal immigrants pop up and try to shove their agenda down our throats (June 2 Review-Journal). This time they're using the sympathy angle. They want to stop deportation that separates families.
The poor immigrants (they never say "illegal," I noticed) have been suffering for many years, they say.
Well, perhaps the little darlings should stay at home and do something to remedy their situation in the country from which they hail.
We have enough problems of our own without the pressure to reform our laws to accommodate a bunch of criminal trespassers.
larry poteet
LAS VEGAS
Water waste
To the editor:
I was elated to see that finally someone was taking an interest in "wasteful dipper wells" (June 8 Review-Journal). Many months ago I noticed the water running in the sink at the dessert buffet at Green Valley Ranch. When I called to discuss this matter with a supervisor at Green Valley Ranch, I was told it was because of a health regulation. As I learned from the article, it is not a regulation.
I hope UNLV professor Martin Dean Dupalo is successful in getting this wasteful procedure terminated with help from the Southern Nevada Water Authority. After all, this is the desert, and we should not waste water.
Tom White
HENDERSON
Domestic fraud
To the editor:
What concerns me most about the domestic partner bill recently passed by the Legislature is that it opens the door to massive fraud and waste.
I saw this while on active duty in the military. People who just wanted benefits got married because the one who wasn't in the service wanted free medical, travel and shopping at the commissary, while the active-duty person wanted to live off base and collect extra money for that. A lot of times they never even lived together.
Can now anyone claim to be a partner? What happens when one changes a partner every six months? Can the government of Nevada give the people any assurances that there would be no fraud in this system and that no taxpayer money will be wasted?
The people should know all of this.
Arthur Scott
LAKE HAVASU CITY, ARIZ.
