Letters to the editor for Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018

Turning U.S-Russia relations upside down

When I was young, my very Republican family hated blacks, Mexicans, Japanese, Democrats, labor unions, Catholics, liberals, homosexuals and “damn pinko commies.”

Because of Russia, at noon every Monday the air raid siren sounded and we had to take cover under desks and tables. By high school, kids were saying, “I’d rather be red than dead,” and parents were horrified.

I can’t see that Republicans have changed much in 70 years, except the ones old enough to remember the “pinko commie” rant are now defending Trump’s admiration of Putin and condoning his attacks on our FBI and Justice Department.

How soon they forget.

Marilyn Madrigal

Carson City

Pot tax won’t meaningfully help education

The Nevada Tax Commission has agreed to refund $26.6 million to AT&T for a “mistaken” overpayment of use taxes. Put in perspective, this single refund to AT&T ($26.6 million) will exceed the total amount of marijuana taxes earmarked for education for the entire 2017-18 fiscal year ($23.8 million) in Nevada.

While media accounts regularly report on bullish forecasts for marijuana industry revenues, they often misinform on the facts concerning marijuana taxes and education finance. The state’s forecast of $23.8 million for the current year is from the 15 percent wholesale tax on marijuana, the sole source of marijuana income to the state’s Distributive School Account. That amounts to less than 1 percent of the $2.9 billion annual state support for education. In reality, marijuana tax money makes no real impact on education — it fails to even “move the needle.”

In fact, all marijuana taxes in Nevada, both retail and wholesale, are unlikely to cover the full public and social costs of legalization — including regulation, enforcement, public health and safety, and substance abuse.

Jim Hartman

Genoa

What to do if you discover illegally dumped trash

After reading Rob Bastien’s article on trash in the Appeal on Jan. 21, I have a few suggestions for those who get out in the back country.

When you see trash dumped on public lands, don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. On two occasions I have recovered identification linking the dumper to his trash.

The first occurrence was two years ago near the Brunswick Mill on the Carson River. What a mess! I retrieved phone bills and other mail and reported it to the Carson City Sheriff’s Office. A deputy took the information and said he would handle it. Several weeks later, I was in the area again and the trash was gone. I think the deputy followed up on his promise and confronted the guilty party with a threat of a substantial fine.

Yesterday I was in the Gold Canyon area and came across more illegal dumping. Again, I picked through the trash bags and found ID to a local business in Carson City.

I went to the business and told the owner of the illegal dumping. I described some of the contents and he admitted it was his discards. He additionally said he paid an employee to take the trash to the dump. I’ll be waiting to see if it is cleaned up (he said he would clean it up).

Bottom line: If you don’t like seeing trash dumped on public lands, do something. It will make you feel good.

Richard L. Tieben

Carson City

Trump is an awful leader, but ‘Trumpy Bear’ is out of line

There’s an ad on TV for a bear resembling Mr. Trump. The bear is brown with odd blonde hair, helmet style, that can be brushed! It has a red tie, and the American flag is stuffed inside. I find this bear to be offensive, insulting and very disrespectful to my flag. Gullible people will buy it. The idea is appalling and people will buy anything. The “Make America Great Again” slogan comes with it.

Guess what? Americans are great, strong, America is great, always was, is now, and always will be with or without Trump.

Mr. Trump is a narcissistic, childish, attention-getter. He repeats himself over and over like he is forgetting or trying to convince people he’s smart and has it all together. He brags about himself too much.

Trump followers should really get their heads out of the sand and take a good look at the manner of man they elected. He has brought fear to many who wonder what the future holds with this phony, non-compassionate man who is full of insults for the poor people and countries. His comments are too obvious.

Mrs. Trump is a lovely lady who stands back with a stoic face, says little or nothing and when she does speak it sounds like she is reading from a script. She is arm candy for the POTUS, the only thing he has going for him.

His family needs to keep out of the White House. They may be hurting the whole scene. It’s a presidency, not a dynasty.

Phyllis Skamel

Carson City

Trump derides third world countries with good reason

So, the president of the United States, Donald Trump, has uttered the word “s***hole” while referring to some of the third world countries and has ruffled the feathers of some of the politicians in the U.S. and abroad.

Do you think he is the first president of the U.S. to use vulgar language while conducting business in the White House? I bet not.

Do we see immigrants living in the United States demonstrating and protesting to return to their native countries, or are they happy to be here?

Think about it ... maybe some of those third world countries have earned that title.

I wish my father was still alive. I would like to thank him for coming to the U.S. as an immigrant, becoming a U.S. citizen and giving me the opportunity to live here.

Don Gurney

Carson City