Dog gets more empathy than toddler

To the editor:

Ken Winters’ letter defending Onion the dog is absurd (“Court should give Onion second chance,” Friday). When did animals become equal to humans? Mr. Winters expressed more empathy toward a dog than the 1-year-old boy who was tragically killed in front of the grandmother.

The family of this catastrophe wanted the dog (which they owned) put down, and that should stand. All this over one canine, when how many unwanted dogs are born every year? Mr. Winters, your concern is better placed with human babies being abused, human prostitute trafficking, etc.

ROBERT LEPORE

LAS VEGAS

Politics as usual

To the editor:

I just received a postcard from first-term Assemblyman Andy Eisen, advising his constituents on “our goals.” I’m left to believe that means the Democratic Party’s goals.

The card lists six items that are part of “our” goals: Reducing class sizes; taxpayer-funded jobs going to Nevada workers; increasing enrollment and support for pre-K and full-day kindergarten; something about enabling businesses to invest in higher education; ending social promotion in schools; and streamlining business regulations. I’ll note that none of these ideas are Andy Eisen’s — he was too busy beating up homeowner associations, like some of those other influential Democrats.

The Democrats have been in control of the Assembly for the past 20 years or so. Are they just now coming to the realization that we as a state are in trouble? Fiftieth in education, on the bottom of every good list and on the top of every bad list. But we as voters keep electing the same people and expecting different results, from the party that gave us disgraced former Assemblyman Steven Brooks.

FREDRICK WILKENING

LAS VEGAS

Bargaining chip

To the editor:

The high-speed train to Victorville, Calif., was a terrible idea from the start, and thankfully, the federal government is considering not funding it (“High-speed rail plan hits spike,” Saturday Review-Journal). A high-speed train system between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles would be a real winner. This system would encourage more tourism all along the line. Beaches in California, gaming in Nevada, fishing and skiing in Utah, and don’t forget about the potential for commuting to work in different cities.

This system could be expanded locally and could save the monorail that runs along the Strip, not to mention relieve the traffic congestion we have. We have the money available for such an undertaking. All we need to do is ask. Yucca Mountain is our big bargaining chip. The federal government has already spent $10 billion on it, and it would spend even more.

Nevada needs a source of water without ruining the planet. We need more funds to make the education bureaucrats happy, and we need better roads and better infrastructure to bring in a more diverse economy.

So allow the government to divert some of the unused water from the Columbia River system into the Colorado River system. Allow the government to upgrade the railway between Los Angeles and Salt Lake, and build some nice stations along the way. Allow the government to double or triple its contribution to our education system, and of course, we would be happy to allow the government to build us a nice light-rail system that ties into the new train line.

We could even allow the government to stop collecting some taxes from the citizens of Nevada. Why not? All of this is going to be paid for by private utility companies anyway. They’re the ones who have the problem. With today’s technology, this is really not a problem. With all the potential positives for Nevada, it’s time to switch gears and get the best deal we can, before the government shoves this stuff down our throats and we have nothing to show for it.

NICHOLAS P. GARTNER

HENDERSON