Let the politicians answer the questions

To the editor:

It's one thing to go to a town hall or some such public meeting with our elected officials, ask questions and voice concern -- even anger or outrage. It's quite another to use shout-down tactics to prevent a dialogue from ever taking place. That's what's been happening on health care.

To act like these are simply citizens asking questions and then voicing their concerns or disapproval is farcical. Funny how these "concerned citizens with questions" never let the elected official actually answer the questions. To act like these folks who break up informational meetings are the great guardians of our First Amendment rights of free speech and assembly is, I think, fatuous and disingenuous.

You know, there are probably a lot of people at the meetings anxious to hear the answers.

Greg Grant

LAS VEGAS

Comfortable pols

To the editor:

I am appalled that Congress wants to spend more than $500 million on passenger jets for congressional travel.

It is hypocritical for Congress to delete air superiority fighters from the defense budget but then spend more than $500 million on passenger jets for senior government officials. Is this Congress's way of telling America that the comfort of traveling politicians is more important than what the U.S. Air Force needs to carry out its missions?

This Congress is despicable and a disgrace -- and this is another example why every self-serving member of Congress should be thrown out of office next election.

S.G. Hayes

LAS VEGAS

Hot air

To the editor:

I wonder how much Harry Reid's campaign coffers are being enhanced by his new buddy, T. Boone Pickens ("Energy summit will help create jobs," Sunday). Their commentary would have us believe that natural gas is now a renewable energy source, like wind and solar power.

It was only a year ago when Mr. Pickens was a huge proponent of wind power. Now he has found there is no money to be made there, and he is pushing natural gas, which earns him a fortune.

If this country wants to cease its dependence on foreign oil, all it has to do is let the oil companies develop domestic oil resources. Alternative energy can replace coal and natural gas if we want to pay for it, but it will not solve our oil problem any more than the hot air from these hucksters can.

Tom Keller

HENDERSON