Ballot question on
special legislative sessions opposed
Please examine Question 1 on the 2012 ballot closely. This is the question that asks voters to approve a Nevada Constitution amendment to allow the Legislature to convene a special session outside their regular 120 day session.
Yes, the special session is limited to 20 calendar days, but there is no limit to the number of special sessions that could be convened. Yes, the amendment specifies "extraordinary occasions," but such circumstances includes not only matters of impeachment but also allows the Legislature to reconsider bills vetoed by the governor.
Yes, this bill requires a petition to be signed by two-thirds of the Legislature, but two-thirds of the senators represent Clark County alone and more than two-thirds of the Assembly represent Clark County. Northern and rural Nevada could be completely outnumbered.
There is no reason for Nevada to do so just because other states do it. We don't need more legislative sessions with more laws passed. The last time this proposal was on the ballot it failed. I urge you once again to vote no on Question 1.
Vicki Hargrove
Gardnerville
Criticism of CC1 library proposal defended
In a recent letter to the Editor of the Nevada Appeal, Marilee Swirczek denigrated all folks like me who feel that any proposed project's benefit to the community must be weighed against the costs, especially when those costs will be born by our posterity, as is the case with CC1.
Many good Carson City citizens believe that although a parking garage may be a worthwhile addition to our downtown core, the proposed, very expensive library is unneeded, would not serve the economic development goal, cannot justify the proposed tax increase and could preclude future bonding in the event of a real emergency.
"Grandmas and Grandpas" who believe it irresponsible to saddle their grandkids with this irresponsible debt should be able to express their viewpoint without being subjected to such infantile tirades.
John Vettel
Carson City
Thomas blasted for playing 'race card'
Well, Bob Thomas finally exposes his true colors, throwing down the race card in his latest so-called column, stating that President Obama was only elected because he speaks well and is "half-black."
Speaking as your basic, over-50 average white guy, I'm proud and pleased to have voted for the president because of who he is, not what color. He has done his best, kept us out of another depression, passed fair pay for women, health care, got Bin Laden, and many other things I don't have space to list here. All while facing some of the most hateful attacks ever launched at a president, including a Republican party whose sole and publicly stated goal for the last four years has been to not help the country, but only work to defeat the president.
On the other side, Mr. Romney has proven clueless to the point of being downright dangerous on foreign affairs and his so-called record shows that he only knows how to help the rich, ship jobs overseas and worse.
He left his state with one of the worse records of job creation in the country.
If you're rich, by all means, vote for him. You'll get richer while the poor and middle class suffer.
So again, for the record, this white guy here voted for a man, not a speaker, not a color, race or religion.
Time for old white guys like Bob to pack their bags and go back to the 1950s.
Sean Mick
Carson City
Dean Heller criticized
for campaign ads
Shame on you, Dean Heller. Your current attacks on Shelley Berkley are not just demagogic and false, they are scurrilous. They go beyond the limits of decency and truthfulness.
One of the most egregious is your assertion that Ms. Berkley is profiting from homeowners' losses by buying the homes they have lost. You certainly know that these properties have been foreclosed before their resale, and it is the banks' actions that have hurt the former owners, not Ms. Berkley.
And your "bobbing heads" portrayal of her in another TV ad "approved by Dean Heller" is a new low for a political attack. If Ms. Berkley is guilty of the things you allege, present the documented facts instead of computer-generated trash.
To quote a distinguished lawyer's question of Sen. Joe McCarthy many years ago, "Have you no decency, Sir?"
Bo Statham
Gardnerville
Is Obama right
for the country?
Would you run your family budget the way Obama has, by putting us trillions of dollars in debt? I don't think so.
While parading his Obamacare as being good for us, he has forced Christians who do not believe in abortion to pay for them. He has apologized to the world for mistakes he claims we have made when our men are fighting and dying all over the world to protect it.
If Obama is given another four years as president, he will finish the job of destroying our economy and our God given rights as Americans.
If Obama was born in Hawaii, why hasn't someone stepped forward to confirm it so we would not have to rely on a document that could very well be forged?
I for one think his religion could be Muslim, so in case of a war in the Middle East he could very well take sides with the Muslims instead of the Christians.
Please be careful with your vote this November because your life may depend on it.
Neil Powers
Carson City
Writer urges votes
for Republicans
Food, clothing and shelter are required to live. Work is required to produce these commodities. Increased productivity provides larger quantities of these items and enables production of other quality of life enhancing products. Worker productivity increases with increasing rewards.
Redistribution of wealth increases the standard of living of lower-income citizens in the short term. However, redistribution decreases everyone's incentive to work. At best, productivity increases much slower and may even decrease. The result is a lower standard of living for everyone, including the poor in the long term.
A safety net is important to protect those unable to work, but it should not include those that just don't feel like working. Currently, more than 30 percent of the population receive government aid, exclusive of Social Security and Medicare. This rate is too high to maintain the current standard of living for lower-income and middle-class citizens in the future.
In recent decades, the political system has supported a steady march toward improved lifestyles for non-workers with resulting reduced rewards for workers. Democrats, with the exception of defense and NASA, have never seen a spending program they don't like. Republicans generally try to hold the line on spending. The result is that citizens can vote to speed up the march to lower productivity and a lower standard of living for everyone or they can vote to resist this march. Vote for prosperity and freedom. Vote against increasing Socialism and government control. Vote Republican!
Gary Ratekin
Gardnerville
Support urged
for Roberts in
Lyon County race
Chuck Roberts deserves to be re-elected to Lyon County Commissioner District 1. He has worked hard over the past four years to get this county through these tough economic times. Hard decisions had to be made in order to keep the county budget balanced and provide required services while building a strong county team including commissioners and county employees.
Economic development has been hard in Lyon County. Businesses are sitting on trillions of dollars in cash, and banks aren't lending due to the economic and political uncertainty that exists today. The county will turn around with Chuck Roberts leading.
Chuck Roberts' opponent has lived here for only seven years and sounds like the pied piper from South San Francisco. He has promised aggressive economic growth and fast-tracking projects through the commission without care about any adverse impact to the county. He has accepted $10,000 from Comstock Mining, which is over 50 percent of the campaign cash he has collected. Comstock Mining has plans for Lyon County, and Bob Hastings is who they are betting on to get their needs through the commission.
Re-elect Chuck Roberts, who will represent business and residents of Lyon County and not special interests.
Sandy Marshall
Dayton
Alcohol and Nevada Day
I understand that everyone likes to have a good time on Nevada Day, which is expected. However, what is unacceptable is people getting drunk on the parade route.
This is an event that people from all over the state come to see and most bring their children. This should be a family event and I believe that alcohol should not be part of the celebration on the parade route. Not only are those who drink too much setting a bad example for younger generations, it puts a bad light on our state capital.
Everything in moderation is OK. However, when people drink too much, some become belligerent and uncooperative. Once this happens, law enforcement is usually called. No one should need to have a mark on their permanent record because they were having a good time. I'm not in any way saying that alcohol should be banned on the parade route or regulated; I just ask that everyone take it easy and respect others around them.
Furthermore, if you are with someone who is drinking, keep them in check so that they don't cause unwanted attention from others around you and from law enforcement. This is a celebratory event, so let's keep it that way and stay away from turning it into a drunken masquerade. The only reason I bring this up is because Nevada Day is beginning to near. I hope my voice will be heard and not seen as outlandish.
Ian Carl
Carson City
Reader says Romney
can turn things around
I just read the opinion letter from Robin Christy. Yes, I agree that the man's demeanor was uncalled for and rude, but maybe he lost everything in the last four years or a substantial part of it.
I was reading the other day about business permits and they are down 2,000 or more permits from 40 months ago. The people that were involved in construction are now working in different jobs from building houses. They're working at the casinos, Walmart, anything but building homes.
The ads against Gov. Mitt Romney are meant to instill fear in our seniors and women, and I feel it is unfounded. You need gasoline to run a car and you need jobs to run the country.
I feel if Mitt Romney is elected, things will start turning around right away with confidence in the government again.
By the way, you must have watched Joe Biden in the debate and learned something from him to come up with such a dignified response to your biker friend.
Don C. James
Carson City
More criticism of
library proposal
Ms. Myler was insistent that we follow the example of Helena, Mont., and build a "showcase" library.
In a good economy I might be persuaded to agree with her, but unlike the state of Montana, we do not have a positive balance on the books to fund something that looks to be an eventual black hole for funds when we can least afford the luxury. I know, as a private citizen eking out a living and not as a government employee, I can ill afford a new Hyundai Elantra, much less the highly desirable Audi Q7 that would be my personal showcase.
We really need to tighten the belt economically if we are not to be taxed out of house and home. I can easily see this white elephant of a project heading to a property tax roll close to you, and they are already too high. Let's get through this dark period of financial woe and when the state finances come back, then we can buy the "showcase" products we all love and enjoy.
It is a commonsense thing. Too bad it is so uncommon.
John Wood
Carson City
Critic opposes ballot question on special legislative sessions
Nevada has been well respected because, unlike most states, Nevada has a part-time legislature with a very limited legislative session which has served the people of our state quite well.
The Legislature meets every two years for 120 days. Question 1 is a dangerous move toward a full-time legislature. Question 1 would allow the Legislature to meet in special session "on extraordinary occasions" upon a petition signed by two thirds of the Legislature. Who knows what two-thirds of the Legislature might deem an "extraordinary occasion?"
Question 1 is the proverbial "nose under the tent" toward an eventual full-time legislature. Don't be fooled. Vote no on Question 1.
David Thomas
Gardnerville
American women shouldn't be insulted over words
I think women who have been insulted should pile into a plane and take a field trip to the Middle East where women have no rights at all!
Babe, here in America you are someone with rights to go after me for calling you 'babe,' with the choice to marry the man you want or woman, depending. Along with getting an education, job and even your own business, the right to complain and vote, where a woman in the Middle East had tried to stand up for all these things the American women take for granted!
This woman in the Middle East was shot for these things she may only dream about, only to wake up and never get. Yet the American women are insulted over words. Bite the apple babe, and be thankful you are a great part of a great country! Binders, notebooks, or even little black books filled with women's names that could do the job should feel proud to be chosen.
Imagine the women that didn't make the binder, like Sandra F. or Joy Behog of The View?
Kenneth L. Christenson
Carson City쇓
