Government unions are blocking progress

To the editor:

I believe most people could agree that in state, city and county governments, employee payrolls have been increasing. And we can see the fiscal problems that swollen public employee ranks have caused in many states, including Nevada.

For months our media have been reporting the wails of government groups being threatened by cuts in budgets and personnel. Apparently, the budgets of all government entities and functions are already so lean that no reductions can be made.

But is that so? I think not.

Much of the media reporting on cost-cutting traumas centers on education. We have heard a lot about why we should spare our schools drastic cuts: Our kids will suffer. We are reminded how poorly our schools score in national rankings, and that less funding will make that worse.

The University of Washington has done a study considering public school employment and funding. It turns our that from 1970 to 2005, with inflation adjustments, our spending per pupil doubled, but standard test scores were flat. In about the same time frame, school employment per pupil also doubled.

Why can't government bodies and our schools streamline their operations to achieve anything like the productivity increases we have seen in private-sector farming and manufacturing? Could it be that the SEIU and NEA have blocked progress?

If it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck ...

Richard N. Fulton

Henderson

Market spikes

To the editor:

Sunday's commentary on gasoline price myths by Robert Rapier brought up some interesting thoughts, but one was glaringly missing. Why no mention of Wall Street commodity traders being the real problem?

Perhaps if these greedy individuals were made to actually buy and store commodities until they could be resold, we wouldn't have these spikes in the market.

David Lyons

Las Vegas

Nuke dangers

To the editor:

Despite the best efforts of the government to play down the dangers of radiation poisoning, once again, we are reminded in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan of the extreme dangers of nuclear energy. Not to mention the volatile state of nuclear facilities such as Fukushima.

Over how many decades will we suffer from the effects of Fukushima? Why must we continue to produce nuclear power, when it has proved to be not only dangerous, but dirty as well?

In light of all Japan has just experienced, you would hope that our government would rethink the many options available. Instead, President Obama has included $36 billion in taxpayer giveaways to the nuclear industry in his proposed budget to Congress. I'm no genius, but I can suggest much better things to put that $36 billion of taxpayer money toward.

Put the 36 billion reasons aside for a minute and consider the additional reasons that we should not fund the nuclear industry. Consider the cost of the damage caused to our planet and the health and safety of our people.

Can we really afford President Obama's proposed budget? The $36 billion may be the least expensive cost to America if Congress approves his budget.

MICKI WILSON

LAS VEGAS

Libya plan

To the editor:

Not that I favor Moammar Gadhafi, but I wonder what President Obama would do if 10,000 poor and homeless people stormed the White House demanding better care and living conditions?

I think we should let the people of Libya solve their own problems. It matters not what side we take. There will be many civilian casualties. We will be blamed by one side if we do, by the other side if we don't.

If we are sure as to whose side we're on, we should quit pussy-footing around and get it over with.

NORMAN SIEGRIST

LAS VEGAS

College talk

To the editor:

Why the confusion over what to cut from the university system? With UNLV and UNR offering credits for unscholarly programs, the confusion might be in calling them universities.

The "university," traditionally, was a place for scholarly teachers and educated students to gather for mutual edification and discourse, to learn more for teaching and research: in literature, the fine arts, sociology, psychology, sports, history, the sciences, mathematics, engineering, pre-law, pre-medicine, philosophy and others. To what grand purpose? So those persons mutually educated would remain and become the masters, the degreed professors and researchers for the enlightenment of the next generation.

The universities in Nevada must consider removing their trade school credits and remedial courses from the curricula and concentrate on instilling a love of learning, with higher tuition and fees. The two-year colleges and tech schools offer associate certificates -- training for general employment -- with lower tuition and fees.

Raising grade-point average requirements for enrollment into a university is also a necessity. And we must stop granting admission to those who cannot read with understanding or write coherently. Passing tests is key -- from elementary school, from middle school, from high school. Social promotions, in time, can only result in arrested development and phony self-esteem.

Imagine universities of higher learning in Nevada, famous for having students and teachers who value the mind and education for its own sake, truly earning master's degrees and doctorates.

MARGIE McAVOY

HENDERSON