Social Security reform won’t harm seniors

To the editor:

I am surprised at the lack of understanding shown by my fellow senior citizens anytime there is a mention of making any change to the Social Security program. They start to act irrationally, carrying signs and protesting to anyone who will listen. But if and when the system is changed, those now receiving benefits would not be affected.

We have heard rumblings of increasing taxes in order to keep the program solvent and increasing the age at which someone might start to receive benefits, but these changes would not affect those currently receiving benefits.

Please recall that the changes proposed a few years back — to partially privatize Social Security — would not have affected the retirees receiving a monthly check. The changes would have been felt by those at a much younger age, who would have been able to self-direct a portion of their retirement. I wish I would have had that option when I was younger — if so, I don’t think I would have had to wait until I was 55 to retire.

What brought this to mind was some elderly folks reacting (irrationally) to something said by GOP Senate candidate Sharron Angle with regard to eliminating Social Security. Again, if this were to happen, your benefits would continue and would be phased out only when you die. The thing you should be most worried about is that the system is bankrupt, or very close to it, and with people like Sen. Harry Reid in control, the spending will continue until the nation is bankrupt.

But maybe you can look for your Social Security check to come from China. I’ll see you in the bread lines hoping for a fortune cookie.

Bill Dirkse

Las Vegas

District leader

To the editor:

Jim Rogers is more than capable of heading the Clark County School District — he brings much in terms of financial, educational and operational skills. Plus he has offered to work for three years with no compensation.

Meanwhile, the district is forking over $50,000 to a head-hunting firm that has never had a client as large as Clark County School District. Is it any wonder why Nevada is one of the worst states in terms of test scores, graduation percentages and on and on and on?

Get a clue, folks. Why would we allow this set of district personnel to decide anything?

Suzan Armstrong

Henderson

Back to work

To the editor:

Experts agree that Nevada’s economy will not improve significantly until the construction industry begins to recover. The Legislature acknowledged this fact during the last special session, when it voted overwhelmingly to remove the sunset on a one-eighth percent sales tax, approved in 2003 to fund road construction.

According to a Review-Journal article published last week, the money raised by the removal of the tax sunset will put around 2,000 construction workers back to work. It is critical that we take steps to ensure that those workers are Nevada workers. It is time we put aside our petty differences about whether the jobs are union or non-union and work together to ensure that all Nevadans have jobs, regardless of union affiliation.

The Associated Builders and Contractors Nevada Chapter represents the non-union construction industry, which employs around 85 percent of all Nevada construction workers. We pledge to work with our friends in organized labor to ensure that when dirt starts moving on those Regional Transportation Commission projects, it is being moved by Nevada workers, not just Nevada companies.

Clara Andriola

RenO

The writer is president of the Associated Builders and Contractors, Nevada chapter.

Police shooting

To the editor:

The police shooting of Trevon Cole — by all accounts so far an unlikely target for shooting since he owned no gun and was known as a positive, non-threatening man — raises serious questions that must be addressed. The fact that this is this police officer’s third shooting with troubling circumstances makes this an even more alarming occurrence (Monday Review-Journal).

I do not believe a young man with no criminal history and so much to look forward to would risk his life over a possible marijuana charge. I hope we will see a real investigation by Las Vegas police and the department will make sure it is not continuing to empower an ongoing threat to its citizens.

Frank M. Beaty

Las Vegas

Reid vote

To the editor:

A well-known Las Vegas Democratic political consultant properly stated that the 60 percent of the voters in the Republican primary who didn’t vote for Sharron Angle does not translate into disapproval for the successful nominee.

That same consultant, however, downplayed the significance of “none of the above” in the Democratic primary, where an astounding 11 percent of voters statewide opted out of preferring Sen. Harry Reid or any Democrat. Even on Sen. Reid’s own home turf, Clark County, 9 percent chose “none of the above” — surely some sort of voice of non-confidence. The final statewide vote for incumbent Reid was only 77 percent.

These are astounding figures — in his past primary performances for various offices since 1970, he has garnered a healthy 87 percent to 94 percent of the vote, excepting the year 1992.

A huge money edge over a challenger seems not to be all that advantageous this year.

Stanley Paher

Reno