Only 12 years until Super Bowl LV
To the editor:
Time for the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce to start lobbying the NFL to have Super Bowl 55 played in Las Vegas. It could be the biggest financial bonanza in the history of Las Vegas. Why? Because Super Bowl 55 will forever be known as Super Bowl LV.
The International Olympic Committee selects a city 12 years in advance to allow the winning city enough time to build the necessary facilities, and 12 years is surely enough time for Las Vegas to plan and build the 75,000-seat stadium which would be required for Super Bowl LV.
Further, Super Bowl LV will be the first of many Super Bowls awarded to Las Vegas.
GENE CIRILLO
GOLD RIVER, CALIF.
Free speech
To the editor:
In a surprising move, the Review-Journal editorial board aligned with op-ed columnist Geoff Schumacher to oppose property rights in Sunday's edition. Both take to task District Judge Susan Johnson for ruling against disgruntled Tower of Jewels customer/picketer/trespasser Diana Bickel. Each cites free speech concerns and the fact that the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and U.S. Supreme Court have ruled against other private sidewalk owners, such as The Venetian and quasi-private owner Fremont Street Experience, in similar cases.
As if the judiciary is the final arbiter of right and wrong.
There is no such thing as a right to free speech without property rights. If the Review-Journal editorial board chooses to print this letter, it is not because I have a right to free speech (or a right to have this letter read), but only because they -- as employees of Stephens Media, the owner of the Review-Journal -- decide it is worthy of publication.
This illustrates the late Murray Rothbard's point: "For not only are there no human rights which are not also property rights, but the former rights lose their absoluteness and clarity and become fuzzy and vulnerable when property rights are not used as the standard."
Even ardent free speech defender Justice Hugo Black recognized that free speech must be grounded in property rights. "We have a system of property in this country which is also protected by the Constitution," Justice Black wrote. "I realize the freedom of people to make a speech against the Supreme Court, but I do not want him to make it in my house."
Of course Mr. Schumacher and the editorial board will argue that Ms. Bickel wasn't protesting in the living room of Tower of Jewels owner Jack Weinstein, but on a public thoroughfare.
But just as Review-Journal Editor Thomas Mitchell defends "Freedom for speech we hate" (Sunday column), those who believe in liberty must defend property rights first and always, because all other rights depend upon it.
Doug French
LAS VEGAS
Romney campaign
To the editor:
Really, Jim Day? Do you think that Mitt Romney's presidential campaign was spike-stripped by bigotry over his religion (editorial cartoon, Feb. 8)? Well, I give you credit, his campaign was spike-stripped, but Mr. Romney was the main culprit.
His inconsistency on issues and his changes in campaign themes ended his campaign. People couldn't trust Mr. Romney. They found him to be a sleazy politician. That perception was affirmed by negative ads he used against the other candidates.
Before we start blaming intolerant Americans for derailing his campaign, let's follow the rope of the spike-stripped to the main culprit.
EMMANUEL CAUDILLO
LAS VEGAS
Reid performance
To the editor:
Many thanks to the Review-Journal for a fine editorial Saturday regarding Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the stimulus package.
It was right on target, and it illuminates that which most of us already know about how much our elected officials really care. As your editorial states, this was indeed not Sen. Reid's finest hour.
That having been said, it begs the question: When was Sen. Reid's finest hour? Finest half-hour? Finest 10 minutes? Five minutes? Maybe these are not fair questions.
Perhaps Sen. Reid has been overshadowed by the brilliant statesmanship of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and his time has yet to come.
AL CIRICILLO
LAS VEGAS
Government assets
To the editor:
It was interesting to read the Feb. 8 article, "State controller reports on fiscal 2007 revenue," in the Review-Journal. The article reported on a section of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, known as CAFR, but failed to comment on what the state's assets are.
Readers might be interested to know that most government entities, including Clark County, Las Vegas, other cities and the federal government, all have to issue one of these annual reports.
According to information provided by the folks at CAFR1.com, the combined assets of all governments in the United States exceed $110 trillion. That's more than $350,000 for every person in the country.
Keep that in mind when Uncle Sam sends out those pitiful "rebate" checks to help stimulate the economy.
BRUCE FEHER
LAS VEGAS
