Letters for May 9, 2019

Fortune teller

Fortune Magazine, as conservative, Republican and pro-business a publication as you will ever find, just published (May 2019) its “WORLD’S 50 GREATEST LEADERS” list. Bill and Melinda Gates came in first, Robert Mueller came in third. Donald Trump didn’t even make the list. Enough said.

Alan Alfers

Reno

Reporter

After reading the redacted Mueller report, one thing is clear to me: our president is a 6-year-old child in what has been up to now a suit of armor made from wealth and celebrity charisma. His biggest fault seems to be an ability to create a fantasy in his head and then convince himself of it. The image that comes to my mind is that of Calvin from the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes. The Mueller report seems to indicate that the president’s motive for all his obstruction was based on his ego and how damaging it all would be for his presidency and legacy. So our “Calvin” put his big brain into action, and here we are with the Mueller report. I think the Republican establishment sees this as well. And Republicans have convinced themselves that propping up one’s own ego isn’t a bad enough motive to do something. But Republicans I know tend to feel a personal responsibility for the Constitution. So, where’s their creativity in finding some way to stop the 6-year-old’s temper tantrum while still getting their courts packed, cronies installed, etc? Mike Pence is one possible out for them. All McConnell would need to do is sit the child down in a room and state in no uncertain terms that if he didn’t behave, he would do the impeachment thing and let all the world see that that Emperor Calvin is, in fact, naked as a “jail bird” and that the man standing behind him with the perpetual grin will be handed the keys to the playroom. I personally hope that scenario doesn’t play out because Mike Pence scares me to my soul, but I wonder why the Republican adults in the room aren’t finding some way to stop what they obviously know to be a 6-year-old mentality who is currently driving the bus. Maybe they’re as scared of Mr. Pence as I am?

Michael Rottmann

Virginia City Highlands

Seniors in chains

Most citizens do not realize that Medicare Advantage Plans (MAPs) are exempt from State regulations. MAPs are the fastest growing segment in seniors’ medical help. MAPs answer only to Medicare. The problem with that is Medicare depends on the MAPs to deliver medical care. Medicare will not touch them. In the 2018 membership meetings, Senior Care Plus made a few statements that were not entirely true. I called this to their attention. The exchange of letters became heated. They finally told me if I mentioned my grievance again on social media, by email or letter that they would eject me from their plan. It was a vicious letter. I wrote to every state representative: the governor, the DA and the state senators, but no one responded for my call for help. I decided to picket-protest at age of 74 years until I die. I have a schedule. I bought professionally made signs. I protest two times a week at various places in Sparks, Reno and Carson City.

Charles Wayne Barnum

Sparks

Human being

Re “What’s your problem” (Notes from the Neon Babylon, May 02):

Overpopulation?!? Bruce thinks Earth is overpopulated with humanity. Not with cockroaches, rats, fleas, worms or sheep but with humanity. Has this guy not looked out the window in an airplane lately? The vast majority of Earth’s land surface is uninhabited by us! The entire human population of the globe could fit in the Grand Canyon. He thinks an ideal number is 50-100 million. The United States, a relatively sparsely populated country with a lot of wide open space, has 350 million. He wants less than a third of that for the entire planet! Insane. As for our “Sex Itch,” there’s an invention called birth control!

Don Manning

Reno