For the sake of future generations, let’s jump
To the editor:
From the perspective of a retired senior, I say let's go over the finical cliff. A continuation of the Bush tax is of no value for seniors who now are forced to spend down their capital because of low CD interest rates resulting from the government printing money. Seniors are now living mainly from their Social Security benefits and pay no taxes.
The payroll tax holiday also is no benefit for seniors. The estimated $2,000 more taxes which persons will pay in 2013 is about what they pay each year for their smart phone access charges. The middle class never had it so good, and our politicians are just pandering to them.
Congress will never meaningfully cut spending and the reconsideration act represents the only way for doing it. For the sake of future generations, let's jump off the cliff.
HENRY SCHMID
LAS VEGAS
Scrooges
To the editor:
The abrupt closing of the Bruce Scher tire stores was obviously a slap in the face to their employees. Owner Bruce Scher passed away and for whatever reason his heirs decide to immediately close all stores.
One can only hope that the workers find jobs at other tire repair dealers. But that isn't likely to happen quickly. Happy holidays to these workers out of a job at Christmas time. And to the Scher family: Enjoy counting your inheritance.
TODD WHEELAN
NORTH LAS VEGAS
Death traps
To the editor:
The Department of Transportation and EPA released the finalized, new fuel-efficiency standards for cars and light-duty trucks, which will require 2025 model year vehicles to have an average fuel economy of 54.5 miles per gallon. The new standard comes close to doubling the current CAFE average of 29 mpg.
Obama issues his edicts like Zeus from Olympus. Why not 150 mpg? That is his way of enforcing the global warming hoax that he was unable to do through legislation. At 54.5 mpg the new cars will be just motorized tricycles -- really death traps.
Already our lighter cars have caused the average annual death rate on the roads to jump to some 31,000 from the 20,000 in the years before Carter. Let us estimate the number of unnecessary dead in the last 30 years: 35 x (31,000 minus 20,000) = 385,000 more dead Americans sacrificed on the altar of political correctness. This method of murdering Americans is much more effective than all the terror attacks the jihadists could produce.
MARC JERIC
LAS VEGAS
Paroled
To the editor:
Two more killings that could have prevented. ("N.Y. shooting similar to 2009 Las Vegas incident," Dec. 24) Any human being who kills his grandmother with a hammer deserves life in prison without parole. Instead, a judge in Webster, N.Y., or wherever he lived at the time, paroled William Spengler Jr. after he served 17 years for this murder.
Now he has killed two innocent firefighters, maybe his sister and destroyed seven or more homes. Very sad.
MARY MISTRETTA
HENDERSON
Hypocrites
To the editor:
In the wake of the Newtown massacre, the NRA as well as most other pro-gun advocates have once again proven they are hypocrites on the Bill of Rights. They care about only one half of one amendment.
As a person who has nothing against law-abiding citizens owning firearms of any kind, I would respect the NRA more if they actually defended the rest of the Constitution. As for those of you who have issues with the ACLU, just remember they've been defending the other nine-and-a-half amendments in the bill.
It should be noted that most of these people screaming against any more gun control laws (and mostly rightfully so) seem to have no problem thinking some piece of legislature called the "Patriot Act" is going to really protect us from terrorists hell-bent on attacking us, and crying that repealing it would make us less safe.
Most of them also have been championing and cheerleading the failed war on drugs, which has done more to destroy our personal freedoms and constitutional rights then anything else. The Drug War hasn't done anything to curtail drug use and sales, but it's responsible for the lion's share of gun-related deaths in our country. (Of course, those happen in the inner city, meaning to most on the Right they don't count.)
They argue we need guns to fight against tyranny in this country. Well, where were these tyranny-fighters when the drug war was enacted? The Patriot Act? The Military Commissions Act? Tax hikes? The bank and auto company bailouts?
Oh, wait! Most of those are Republican ideas or favor Republicans. More proof from my standpoint that most tyranny in this country comes from the Right.
When organizations like the NRA and their backers start defending the other nine-and-a-half amendments, and also realize big government passing laws against everything else doesn't help the problem any more than gun control, then I'll be happy to listen to them.
JONATHAN LENTZ
LAS VEGAS
Drunk driving
To the editor:
The horrible rampage at Sandy Hook will continue to haunt the families who lost loved ones, but there is little doubt that we continue to permit drunk drivers to murder as many young children every week.
At least with drunk drivers we have a choice: Take away their cars, take away their licenses, lock them up for long periods so they lose jobs if they have any, and make the penalties so severe that they will think before they drink.
Fine the bars that serve them when they are obviously three sheets to the wind, and/or have the bars pay for the taxis to take them home so they aren't on the road.
With New Year's Eve arriving next week we can only pray that good sense will prevail and let the innocents live to see 2013.
EILEEN SCHENCK
LAS VEGAS
