Las Vegas on national political stage

To the editor:

As the calendar turns from October to November, supporters of each political party in this state and across the country will begin to make decisions as to which prospective presidential candidates they plan on supporting in January's Nevada caucuses.

Nevadans have a truly unique opportunity this caucus season. On Nov. 15, Las Vegas will host a national Democratic candidate debate at UNLV. The political focus of the nation will be turned toward Las Vegas, and we have an obligation to tune in and make an informed decision about who we want to become the next Democratic nominee.

The national media has already decided who they want to be the Democratic nominee, but they forget that not a single caucus or primary has occurred yet -- and not a single person has actually put their vote down on paper.

Nov. 15 gives us an unfiltered opportunity to make our own decision. I urge my fellow Nevadans not to miss this opportunity.

STEPHANIE PICKETT

LAS VEGAS

Spend, spend, spend

To the editor:

Gov. Jim Gibbons, the chief executive officer of Nevada, requested a proposal for budget reductions from his employees in case there is an income reduction. What does he get for his request?

He gets Chancellor Jim Rogers refusing to propose any reductions for "his" education system. He gets Clark County Commissioner Rory Reid stating that he will not cut the children's programs, even though no one asked him to cut them. He gets Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio and Mr. Rogers stating that they want tax increases on all Nevadans. This way, when income recovers, they will have more of our money to spend. Speaking of which, whatever happened to the excess $400 million in the last budget?

Here we go again with the spend-until-you-drop politicians and their friends. Heaven forbid these people should face reality and tighten their spending belts like those of us in the real world have to do when our income is reduced.

I wonder what would happen to Jim Rogers' private-sector employees if he told them to give him spending reduction proposals, they refused, and then told him to put more money in the coffers for them to spend. Do you think that he might fire these employees? I do.

Now is the time for a reality check. Do we Nevadans want to pay for the spendthrift politicians' desires or do we want to live within our means, as the governor is asking us to do? I think this is the time for Nevadans to stand up and let the governor know where we stand. Call or write him and let him know which direction you want this state to follow.

Bob Dubin

LAS VEGAS

There are no wackos

To the editor:

On Sunday, Review-Journal columnist Geoff Schumacher made the most outrageous statement of his career, I'm guessing. Let's take a look at it:

"I'm an environmentalist, but not of the self-hating ilk who detests any and all human effects on the earth. Eco-diehards are automatically opposed to most forms of development, industry, technology, large scale agriculture."

He thinks there are environmentalists who do not want any human action that affects nature in any way. I've never heard of such a person, and neither has Mr. Schumacher. Anyone knows that humans can also improve nature as well as damage it. The cutting of trees and planting of trees, the diversion of waterways, the creation of lakes, farming in general can improve the quality of land, the entire science of horticulture, the control of floodwaters, the protection of coastal areas, the concept of arboretums, the designation and care of parks and wooded areas of federal and local governments, etc., etc.

With regard to the environmentalist who is opposed to most forms of development, industry and technology, Mr. Schumacher has never heard of one and never will. Such an environmentalist exists only in the mind of his fellow Review-Journal columnist, Vin Suprynowicz.

Herman Gordon

LAS VEGAS

Help for hops

To the editor:

Terror struck my heart when I read the small headline at the top of the Review-Journal's front page Saturday: "Hops shortage might send beer prices higher." Rational thinking set in and I calmed down.

If the governments -- state and federal -- are considering bailing out all those who, on their own, made bad decisions in the past few years when buying a home, surely they will help the millions of innocents who had nothing to do with this shortage. Perhaps a new farm subsidy?

Phil Mlynek

LAS VEGAS