Reid trying to protect Nevada, the nation
To the editor:
Your Monday editorial arguing that keeping the Senate in session during the holidays would accomplish little was dead wrong. Sen. Harry Reid's decision protects Nevada.
The law requires the president to nominate Democrats Sen. Reid recommended to boards such as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Ensuring bipartisan representation as review of the Yucca Mountain license application looms is critical to Nevada. Sen. Reid recommended two Democrats to the NRC, in April and September, yet the president has failed to nominate either.
Sen. Reid recently told the president he would confirm nominees he sought if Mr. Bush would commit to moving Democratic nominees forward. The president responded that he would recess appoint his nominees, rather than act on the Democrats. Keeping the Senate in session prevented the president from making his appointments and ignoring Democratic nominees.
It should help ensure that commissions such as the NRC have the bipartisan representation required by law.
That's good for Nevada and the nation.
Gary Myrick
WASHINGTON, D.C.
THE WRITER IS SEN. REID'S CHIEF OF STAFF.
Car pools
To the editor:
On my daily trips home from work, I always take the Summerlin Parkway to U.S. Highway 95 north. Until they opened this "high-occupancy vehicle" lane, I hardly ever had a problem. However, now that it's open, the traffic backs up onto the onramp.
Every single night, it's not only backed up there, but also the onramp from Rainbow Boulevard to U.S. 95 north. It has never been this congested.
Maybe five out of 100 cars are able to use the HOV lane, and they speed right on through while the rest of us sit in traffic. Don't take my word for it, send the traffic people out there around 5 p.m.
I would love to be able to ride with someone and save the gas, but I have to use my car for work and it is simply not workable for me -- and obviously not workable for most.
KRIS REITER
LAS VEGAS
Where's Oopsy?
To the editor:
In regard to Virgil A. Sestini's Tuesday letter on the Democratic debate:
He is mistaken concerning Bozo the Clown and Clarabell running for president of the United States. They have been in office for the past seven years.
JAMES ANDREWS
HENDERSON
Hate crimes
To the editor:
In response to your Tuesday story, "FBI: Hate crimes rose in 2006":
The term "hate crimes" is truly ambiguous because every crime is done out of hate. The criminal kills, steals, rapes, etc., because he hates something about the person or place against whom or where he is committing the crime.
They hate the way you look, the way you act, your skin color, your religion, the car you drive, the money you look like you have, those $200 shoes you're wearing, that $400 leather jacket you're wearing, the nice house you're living in, or they simply hate life and feel their victims must share their pain.
Trying to legislate "hate" is impossible because we cannot read people's minds. There are already laws against crime. Specifying "hate" as part of the crime is ridiculous and a waste of time.
We don't need "Thought Police." We simply need police to catch the bad guys and put them away. Simple as that.
Joseph Ford
LAS VEGAS
Good news
To the editor:
Congratulations on Jennifer Robison's Monday article about Channel 3's John Fredericks, "Sunny and hot with a chance of barking: Meteorologist and his dog forecast together." It was a positive and uplifting report of a fantastic local celebrity that made both my wife's and my day.
Too often, it seems, there is very little "good stuff" printed about not only our community but our world. Ms. Robison brought a ray of sunshine into a lot of folks' world when she picked Mr. Fredericks as a subject.
Thank you for positive journalism, which not only brings love and light to our eyes, but also hope, based on the knowledge that there are some decent, honest and loving role models who have honor, respect and -- most of all -- a love of animals and a sense of humor.
Gary Saffell
Pat Saffell
HENDERSON
