Letters for September 29, 2016

The first Bush

As many differences as I have had with George H.W. Bush’s opinions over the years, I have to give him props for several reasons.

He was a U.S. naval aviator during World War II and after flying in combat, landed planes on very small runways that were traveling at 20 knots in 20-25 knot winds. Naval aviators are the best pilots in the world because they have to be. As president, he did not have the most successful term ever, but he did manage to bring Saddam Hussein firmly under control in one week with minimal U.S. casualties—thanks also to Colin Powell—in 1991. He stood up to the National Rifle Association and resigned as a lifetime member when he thought that they had gone too far to promote assault rifles among the general public.

Since leaving office, he has done extensive humanitarian work, which has helped countless thousands of sick and needy people around the world. Now I am not sure if this attached story [Politico: “George H.W. Bush to vote for Hillary Clinton”] will come true, but even if it doesn’t, the conduct of this president tells me that he is not owned and that he should be respected by people from both parties.

Lew Dawg Cloninger

Plantation, Florida

Lobbyist praises Heller

Thanks to Sen. Dean Heller’s support for the Energy Storage Tax Incentive and Deployment Act, new investments in clean energy, jobs and lower utility bills are coming to Nevada.

Previous rules allowed a limited tax credit for energy storage when installed alongside wind or solar. This bill extends investment tax credits for all applications of clean energy storage including consumer-owned and on or off-grid generators. Tesla is finishing its Gigafactory near Reno to meet demand for lithium-ion storage units, and expects full capacity by 2020, when it’s also projected to produce more batteries annually than were produced worldwide in 2013. Energy storage technology would allow Nevadans to store locally sourced geothermal and solar energy and has created hundreds of local jobs. Over 6,500 new onsite jobs are expected in the next four years. In June, a Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions survey showed 73 percent of likely Nevadan voters viewed exploration and development of renewable energy as a high priority. Over eight-in-ten respondents said it’s time to update our energy infrastructure for safer, more efficient delivery of traditional energy.

Heller promotes renewable energy that’s good for Nevada, and deserves credit for seeking to build bipartisan support for technology that benefits renewable energy providers and consumers alike.

James Dozier

Washington, D.C.

Editors note: Dozier is executive director of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions.

Instructions for Kaepernick

Colin Kaepernick, raised by white parents and making big money, should stand up and walk into the communities where he thinks people have it so tough and use his millions to help those he feels are in need.

Black athletes make up 68 percent of National Football League players, and these athletes worked hard to get there and make the big money. But now it is time to give back to the communities they came from, like graduates from good colleges give back to their colleges.

So sitting does nothing but show disrespect to the flag of the nation where they have been rewarded so nicely for playing a game on TV. So, Kaepernick, get off your butt and do something helpful like the parents who raised you did. How about you adopting a couple of kids from a tough area and spend time raising them and showing them the opportunities they have in this country instead of how to disrespect this country like your parents did?

Ted Bandaruk

Reno