LETTERS: Ambulance decision disservice to public

To the editor:

So now Las Vegas Fire Chief William McDonald wants to up the number of patient transports by the Fire Department’s ambulances. Just what the overpaid firefighters need: more overtime and more money (“Ambulance workers irritated,” Thursday Review-Journal). They are shameless.

It’s not enough that they make $150,000 or more a year; they need more. Now, instead of paying a flat fee to a private company, the taxpayers get to pay the firefighters’ exorbitant salary plus gold-plated benefits, including retirement for life starting at age 50. Of course, Chief McDonald says he can handle up to 50 percent more calls without adding additional personnel — that comes later. Swelling the union ranks is no boon to the taxpayers.

Why is the chief allowed to make this kind of decision? Why is Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Doug Gillespie allowed to decide if his officers will respond to car accidents without injury? These people are supposed to serve the public, not the other way around. The taxpayers must foot the bill for their extravagant salary and benefits packages, so why do police and fire departments get to decide what services they feel like doling out? They have the unions in their corner. Who speaks for the taxpayers’ interest?

MIKE MURPHY

PAHRUMP

Judge Jones

To the editor:

I keep reading that we should rid the bench of Family Court Judge Steven Jones (“Another chance to bounce Jones,” March 4 Review-Journal editorial). I appeared twice before Judge Jones when my ex-wife returned me to court trying to obtain a larger child support settlement.

My case wasn’t settled to 100 percent satisfaction, but in all instances, I felt Judge Jones listened, behaving in a professional and committed manner, and I went away proud of our judicial system. During my case, I arrived early and watched Judge Jones hold court on other cases. I think he is an honorable judge, and I believe with all certainty he would not have let his involvement with a female attorney affect his decision-making process.

Conducting Family Court is a tough job, and I believe we will be ridding the court of a very good judge who has done a great service to the state of Nevada for many years.

ROBERT E. TOLL

HENDERSON

Terrific parents needed

To the editor:

I read the March 5 Review-Journal editorial with great interest (“Real turnaround”). The state of education, not only in Nevada, but throughout the United States, is atrocious. Too many politicians, teachers and their unions, and boards of education declare that all we need is more money to make students excel.

At no point does anybody critique the first and foremost source of blame for poor student achievement: the parents. When a child acts up and the school requests a conference with a parent, and the parent deigns to visit the school when confronted with the actions of the child, the first reaction of said parent is to blame and condemn the teacher, the principal and the entire school.

The problem is not large class sizes — when many parents and grandparents attended public school, it was not uncommon to have 30-plus students in a classroom. It is not the teacher. It is the overall lack of parental demand that their child go to school and behave, and come home from school and do the homework.

The question is: How does society get parents to be parents?

BARRY GOLDMAN

LAS VEGAS

Vote them out

To the editor:

Has Nevada had enough yet? Sen. Harry Reid has yet again embarrassed himself and the state. To go on the floor of the Senate and call all those who have been adversely affected by Obamacare liars is inexcusable, period. Then again, Sen. Reid knows something about liars, supporting President Barack Obama every day.

We must recall Sen. Reid and send a clear message to the rest of the country. We the people have had enough with what’s come out of Washington, D.C., and the White House. We control the government; the government doesn’t control us. Didn’t we already fight a revolutionary war for independence from an overbearing king? Let’s stop King Obama and court jesters Sen. Reid, Rep. Nancy Pelosi and others by voting Republican across the board.

ROBERT THAD MYKOVICH

NORTH LAS VEGAS

Obstructive criticism

To the editor:

I have been watching with great interest the ongoing situations in Ukraine and the reaction of several members of Congress. When asked his views on the issue, Sen. Marco Rubio’s only reply seems to be, “Who in the White House do we need to criticize?” Sen. John McCain’s only remarks have been to blast President Obama for not seeing this crisis a year ago.

I am sure that before this is over, all Republicans in Congress will get in their two cents worth of criticism. My question: Why do congressional Republicans feel that their only job is to ridicule and hamstring the president every chance they get, instead of working with the president to reach a viable solution to this problem?

If this is all that Congress is capable of doing, then the best thing the politicians can do is go home and stay there.

STEPHEN L. ROSIN

LAS VEGAS