Letters for October 18, 2012

Where are the third parties?

Biden pretty much kicked ass last week. Series tied, 1-1. It’s really kind of frightening that our system, and the media, stifle the voices of third party candidates. Frightening and infuriating. And let’s try to keep Israel from changing the subject, which should really be about the war crimes they have committed as the Goldstone Report states. They all need to smoke a bowl of California green bud and put on some of their favorite music. Getting sick of all the saber rattling. Maybe we should allow this sequestration to go forward. The Department of Defense would be hit the hardest, as that is where the bulk of our tax dollars are going anyway. It seems to me that is the main difference between the Democratic and Republican leadership: The Republicans want to cut spending on social programs and give it to an already bloated police state. And the Democrats … I don’t know what they really want to do. They are not much better. I wanted to see a Ron Paul/Ralph Nader ticket, but this society is still living in the Stone Age.

Jon Obester
Reno

For the pets

Re “Kitty time” (Letters to the Editor, Oct. 11):

Diana Culp’s letter was a cynical attempt to confuse readers about the breadth of efforts to protect animals. Adopting homeless pets from animal shelters is a core value of the humane movement, and the Humane Society of the United States and our partners launched the largest public service campaign in history to promote pet adoptions, resulting in tens of millions of dollars of free advertising for local shelters and rescue groups. Billions of animals are also at risk outside of shelters, and we are there to help them, too. This either-or approach is a divisive effort to undermine our work. In Nevada, HSUS helps fight animal cruelty by engaging citizens, supporting animal welfare legislation and working with local animal shelters. Culp works for notorious Washington PR man Rick Berman, who has raked in millions of dollars from agriculture, alcohol and tobacco companies to run campaigns against public health and animal welfare groups. An estimated 20,000 groups work to safeguard animals. Together, we are an unstoppable force for good.

Holly Haley
Nevada director for the Humane Society of the United States

Harry up

Re “Reid thriving” (Upfront, Oct. 11):

Good for Harry. If he retires, Nevada will sink to the bottom in Washington. He’s done a lot of good things for the state.

G.J Thomas
Sparks

Bad word?

Re “Elect Shelley Berkley” (Editorial, Oct. 11):

You have managed to work in the word “intransigent” three times in one short editorial. Would you consider this excessive or am I just being intransigent?

Steve Pawlowski
Reno

Sleep like babies

Re “Elect Shelley Berkley” (Editorial, Oct. 11):

Shelley Berkley for Senate? C’mon? Was that hard for the RG-J to support her just because of the Senate seat? How do you sleep at night without pharmaceuticals? Will there be a mass apology from your godless progressives for the last four years of this Barack Obama farce on the United States? Geez!

John Lane
Carson City

Editor’s note. Red wine. And actually, the RG-J endorsed Dean Heller—not Berkley—in that race. Because, you know, there aren’t enough rich, intransigent, middle-aged white guys speaking for independent Nevada citizens.

Endorse the party line

Re “Elect Shelley Berkley” (Editorial, Oct. 11):

Does RN&R ever get tired of having to say sorry for endorsing a “moderate” Republican only to find that, once in Washington, there is no such thing? I’ll admit that I’m biased. I’m liberal, progressive and don’t have much faith in any Republican, but I also know that the national Senate and the House function with a near lockstep march when it comes to Republican voting, filibusters, and opposition to bipartisan legislation. Why would we expect someone like Dean Heller to have been any different once he is in the machine? Local politics are one thing, but national politics has its own personality, and if you’re looking for independently minded Republicans to endorse there, I suppose I’ll just get used to hearing you say, “I’m sorry” when they disappoint.

Felix Polanski
Reno

Vote for good

Being barraged with negative political rhetoric all day and all night for the last year (at least) has left me looking for a way to revolt. I know I can’t stop or influence “the machine.” I have found an outlet. Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart (Comedy Central) effectively demonstrate the absurdity of what is taking place. Their satire is not only entertaining and funny, but their assessment of the situation is accurate. They take to task the people and media groups that are causing so much dissension. President Barack Obama too has a way of rising above the obvious deceit of the nation. His “zingers” are funny and accurate. Mitt Romney comes across as a personality-less puppet with a smug and condescending demeanor reminiscent of Bush and Sons Inc. In the presidential, senatorial and congressional races, I steer away from anyone endorsed either openly or covertly by the Bush crime family. I will vote hoping there is an outside chance that my vote will count.

Rhonda L. Whiteside
Sun Valley

Tax purchases, not income

Re “The man who would be president” (Feature story, Sept. 13):

There is one thing that would, for certain, jump-start the U. S. economy and create many jobs. Expect career politicians and congressional lobbyists to resist it mightily. The reason: Its adoption would adversely affect all their pocket books and seriously diminish congress’s power over and control of American citizens. It’s called the Fair Tax.

The Fair Tax is a “consumption” tax; a national sales tax. The IRS would be annihilated; nobody pays income tax anymore and no payroll taxes paid by businesses or employees. Every earner keeps all they have earned! The price of all American made goods would drop by an estimated 22 percent. That is the figure researchers estimate the income tax and the payroll taxes add to the cost of everything produced in America. The national sales tax rate would be 23 percent. So there’s no increase in cost-of-living for Americans. But economists estimate that in the first year after the Fair Tax becomes law, the economy will grow over 10 percent, exports will grow by 26 percent and capital spending will increase over 70 percent. There are many additional advantages of the Fair Tax. Then ask your congressional candidates about the Fair Tax and insist they support it!

Glen Terrell
Arlington, Texas