Obama inauguration deserved more space
To the editor:
I was disgusted by the small amount of front-page space the Jan. 22 Review-Journal gave to the inauguration. The Review-Journal is the voice of conservatism in this community, and to give more space to a story and pictures about a football game than to a major event that will live on in the history books forever is stupid and projects a shallowness only equaled by drunken Europeans rioting about soccer.
A year from now, more people will remember that Barack Obama was elected president of the United States of America than will remember who went to the Super Bowl.
Conservatives are forever bellowing about how patriotic they are, but the disrespect shown by the Review-Journal's treatment of the inauguration proves this to be false. It also makes too many Americans look like fools because of the way people seem to lose their sanity over football.
If Mitt Romney had been elected president, this would have wiped everything else off the front page.
NADIA ROMEO
LAS VEGAS
They earned it
To the editor:
I response to Victor Moss' Monday letter: Social Security checks aren't a handout from a benevolent government. Seniors have paid into a retirement fund their entire lives. Because the government has chosen to loot these funds instead of leaving them in the account which was specifically set up for pensioners, future generations will no longer have the security of knowing that they will receive a small stipend after they retire.
If Mr. Moss considers Social Security to be a handout, what then does he propose to do with the millions of senior citizens who have worked diligently over so many years, contributing to this fund, who can no longer hold a job due to their advanced age?
Not everyone can be a greeter at Wal-Mart. Perhaps we should place them on an ice floe to freeze to death so they are no longer a burden on society.
Yes, an extra $18.50 per month is a "meaningless handout," but previous letter writer Sarah H. Guarino has earned this money and more. Social Security is basically enforced savings to ensure that old people don't starve to death during their golden years.
I don't know Mr. Moss' age, but let's see if he's singing a different tune 30 years from now.
JEAN BRANDT
LAS VEGAS
Pay their own way
To the editor:
Here we go again! It seems like every few months someone wants to build a new stadium in Clark County. They come up will all sorts of reasons why this is a good idea, but there's always a catch: How much will the taxpayers be forced to pay?
The UNLV plan also "needs" taxpayers' "help." If these projects are so worthwhile, let the developers pay the full cost and reap the profits. But keep your hands out of my pockets.
BRUCE FEHER
LAS VEGAS
Safely disarmed
To the editor:
In response to Dale Quale's Jan. 25 letter ("More guns only make us less safe"): If an armed "bad guy" kicks in his front door while he and his family are watching TV, what's he gonna do? Throw a shoe at them?
Open your eyes and read the statistics.
JOHN DiGIACOMO
LAS VEGAS
Mount Rushmore
To the editor:
Concerning the Jan. 21 Steve Benson cartoon showing President Barack Obama on Mount Rushmore:
It's absolutely clear that President Obama is a logical and deserved choice for this tribute.
The presidents immortalized on Mount Rushmore were selected because of their stunning contributions to the advancement and protection of our country. President Obama not only exemplifies the traits and accomplishments of these men, he has been successful despite the most concerted and hateful obstructionism our Congress has ever demonstrated.
President Obama orchestrated our economic recovery and, in the course of this, literally brought about the successful recovery of the auto industry in a manner that drove them to becoming self-sufficient.
While he did not get the single-payer, final solution for health care that we need, he has established a beachhead on this and has already brought about cost reduction and health care security for tens of millions of our citizens.
Obama has redeemed our image in global politics and, at his own political peril, led in the capture and demise of Osama bin Laden.
JIM CASSIDY
HENDERSON
Credit card fees
To the editor
The plan to have merchants charge credit card fees to the card users will correct the most grievous aspect of swipe fees, which is the regressiveness of these fees. Lower-income consumers often cannot qualify for these cards, but must pay for these fees anyway through the added costs of goods and services charged by the merchants.
To add insult to injury, they also pay for the rewards programs that provide kickbacks to the card users.
A fairer plan is this proposal to charge only the card user for these fees, which they're using for their convenience.
Twenty years ago, manufacturing composed 20 percent of GNP and financial services were 10 percent. Currently these are reversed, with financial services accounting for 20 percent. The average annual interest for cardholders is $1,000. These swipe and interest costs are money not spent on goods and services, which can account for part of our jobless recovery.
HENRY SCHMID
LAS VEGAS
Whose rights?
To the editor:
Anti-abortion zealots, crusaders or fanatics, as letter-writer Ron Lowe refers to them ("Who's next?" Sunday), aren't about taking away a woman's right to do with her body as she pleases. They're about the unborn child's right to live the life the woman created.
Abortion should be used in cases of medical necessity or the crime of rape, not as a form of birth control. In most cases, the woman chose the action that led to the unwanted pregnancy.
The life she helped create is a result of that choice. She should live with the consequences of that choice and make the best of it. There are so many better options that allow that child its right to life.
These religious folks aren't trying to force their will on others. They are asking everyone to be accountable for their actions.
DUANE MATTOX
LAS VEGAS
