Letters to the editor for Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018

Term and other limits

As I understand it, the U.S. Supreme Court can “arbitrarily” change the number of the sitting justices at any time and the result does not have to be an odd number?

Since politicians can “arbitrarily” switch parties after being elected, decide to, or not to, pay their taxes or even be audited by the IRS, do we really need any disclosure questions regarding tax returns?

Since governing is not totally dependent on anyone’s sexual activity, preference or historical time frame, including voters, could we disregard that altogether?

Anyone can display themselves on social media and use any SS# they want, “arbitrarily.”

If unproductive and costly interference with the results of a POTUS election is to be the “norm” from now on, perhaps a sitting president or “the people” should be able to “arbitrarily” change the number of terms that a president can be re-elected for as compensation for wasting the “people’s time” as well?

None of this would interfere with ethnics, race, color, gender, financial status, sex, or whatever else anyone did in their formative high school years.

It has been some time since anyone “UP THERE” has qualified for throwing the first stone.

Just a thought, or two, or three; assuming some might “arbitrarily” think, occasionally.

Pete Bachstadt

Carson City

The continuing hypocrisy

Living in Trump’s bizarro world, where up is down, pathological lying is the norm, and only alternative facts are allowed, let’s take a stab at the truth.

The Watergate investigation cost $47 million some 40 years ago. A presidential resignation, a numbskull Ford pardon, and more than 40 Republican officials indicted and/or jail time resulted. Americans love to shout out the phrase “No one is above the law.” But the worst president besides the present resident decided to tell the world that, indeed, a criminal in the White House was above the law. Big time screw up, Gerald.

The Whitewater investigation into the Clinton folk totaled more than $83 million. The hatred started a long time ago.

And then Benghazi. Trey Gowdy and his horde of Hillary haters went all apoplectic on us. Two and a half year congressional committee investigation. Close to $8 million taxpayer dollars. The result was a total shutdown and zero indictments, zero convictions, zero guilty pleas. Ladies and gents, this was the original “witch hunt,” the original “hoax,” all perpetrated by the Republican Party to bring extreme damage without any evidence to someone they absolutely hated. Lackey congressman McCarthy from California was quoted afterward of their failed mission, “At least we damaged her poll numbers.” Wonderful public servants.

And now Mueller. Justice Department criminal investigations. Gowdy, you could learn something from this guy. Thirty indictments, foreign and American. All five Americans have either been convicted in a court of law or pleaded guilty to felonies, all with cooperation. I call that batting a thousand. The cost so far around $17 million. Ahh, but here’s the rub. The forfeiture of all the Manafort assets to the federal government could total close to $40 million. That means the Mueller investigation has paid for itself maybe two times over. Brilliant. And the irony of all ironies ... the U.S. government now owns Manafort’s $3 million apartment in Trump Tower. OMG. I think bookings at Double T may start to dry up a bit knowing that some G-Men might be setting up shop on the 27th floor.

Rick Van Alfen

Carson City

Supes roundabout way wrong way

It was recently reported that a majority of supervisors approved approximately $114,000 for an outside firm to design a roundabout to be installed at the intersection of Carson and Stewart streets. The city engineer made a statement that a roundabout could act as a gateway to downtown. He obviously sees this as a positive.

In my opinion, there is nothing positive about traversing a roundabout as one travels along Carson Street. I question the rationale, the necessity, or the benefit. With the planned narrowing from 5th to Fairview, a roundabout would only serve to further inconvenience residents and visitors. I fail to see the logic in creating a problem where absolutely none exists.

Andrea Fischer

Carson City