Use computer program to draw district lines

To the editor:

In answer to your editorial on the redistricting panel (July 14), why leave a political decision to politicians? They can’t help but be extremely partisan and self serving. That’s who they are. Even judges are biased.

Why not use a simple computer program? Divide up the number of people without any reference to party affiliation into however many districts are needed and then the computer will draw up square/rectangle districts. These districts would be much more representative of the whole population’s political philosophy than the gerrymandered districts that are the product of a current system that perpetuates hyper-partisanship.

This should be done on every level, including the federal districts. Zealots such as Nancy Pelosi and Barney Frank couldn’t get re-elected if they had to gain the support of all types of people instead of the ones in their contrived districts containing only like-minded people.

This would also soften the tone in Carson City and Washington, D.C., because the elected would be more in the middle instead of extreme left or right. They would be more representative of the American people and would likely be able to push through meaningful legislation without the bitter partisan battles.

Sounds like a win for the American people.

Mike Murphy

Pahrump

What’s the deal?

To the editor:

Last week I saw both Sen. Harry Reid and President Barack Obama make the claim that if the debt ceiling is not raised, there would be a possibility that Social Security checks may not go out. I may have my facts wrong, but I thought the following was true:

First, FICA taxes will not be suspended and those taxes are going to continue to be collected and sent to the Social Security Administration monthly. By law, those funds must be used for making Social Security payments and any surpluses may be “borrowed.”

Second, Sen. Reid has told us on numerous occasions that there is a $2.5 trillion “Trust Fund” that may be tapped into if the receipts of the SSA fall short of the obligations of the SSA. Are Sen. Reid and President Obama now telling us that there is not, in actuality, a Social Security “Trust Fund”? It sure seems as if that is the case.

This pathetic attempt to scare seniors is beneath the dignity of the majority leader’s office as well as the presidency. The only way that seniors will not get their checks would be the administration deciding to break the law and use Social Security receipts to fund other programs.

I would like to know if the senator and the president have that in mind … and I’ll bet the seniors of Nevada would like to know, also.

Joseph Schillmoeller

Las Vegas

Foreign aid

To the editor:

As an 83-year-old senior veteran (Korea), who has paid into the so-called entitlements now being considered for cuts, I wish to call the attention of Sens. Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell to the fact that they and their cohorts do not look at foreign aid as an immediate source of debt savings.

We have paid out money since 1947 and World War II to assist these many recipients. That is 70-plus years of giving.

Time to fixate on these giveaways vs. America’s needs.

Andren J. McGee

Las Vegas