We should be leaders on high-tech rail

To the editor:

Ross McDonald’s Saturday letter regarding high-speed rail travel in the United States reflects the predictable and reactionary sentiments of those who are seriously uninformed regarding train travel.

First, trains have always been an important part of transportation here. However, as a result of the emergence of the interstate highway system — which was inspired by Germany’s autobahn — and the improvement of commercial air travel, trains and high-speed rail technology were put on the back burner. Compare that to what happened in France, Japan or Switzerland, where they continued to develop safe, fast and efficient train travel from inner city to inner city.

Corporations don’t invest in enterprises that are not likely to turn a profit, even if they are important to individuals and the country — and that is why “private industry” is not interested. If the government were to create a product, however, that consumers valued, private industry would become very interested.

Mr. McDonald refers to Amtrak as a loser that subsidizes rides from New York to Washington. In fact, Amtrak’s high-speed Acela between Boston and Washington pays for itself. What the government has been subsidizing is long-distance train travel between New York and Los Angeles. And even on conventional rails, these cross-country trains are almost always full.

The plan to invest in and continue to develop high-speed train technology is not only desirable, it is smart. There is no reason why the United States should not take the lead in developing and investing in high-tech rail transportation.

Mr. McDonald’s letter is yet another tired criticism from the right of the president’s forward-thinking agenda.

John Esperian

Las Vegas

Heck’s sleepovers

To the editor:

Last month, you had an article about a complaint that was publicized against Rep. Joe Heck and other members of Congress for sleeping in their offices. If it were the responsibility of taxpayers to house our members of Congress while they were in D.C., I would applaud him. But it isn’t. There are even rules that say official resources can’t be used for personal use.

I do not think someone elected to represent us does that best by wandering the halls in sweatpants (as the article mentioned). I also cannot believe that with Rep. Heck making more than $170,000 a year he cannot afford to pay to sleep somewhere that isn’t supposed to be used only for the official business of Nevadans.

This seems like another example of a politician taking advantage of the perks of office for his own benefit and forgetting about us back in Nevada. I look forward to seeing Rep. Heck rectify this.

William Mathis

Las Vegas

Rich guys

To the editor:

Vishnu Subramaniam, of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union Local 4041, says the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce is trying to make public employees “the bad guy” (Tuesday Review-Journal). Maybe so, maybe not.

But with pay and benefit packages for public employees from 5 percent to 27 percent higher than private-sector counterparts, it’s clear the taxpayers are making public employees “the rich guys.”

James Gates

Las Vegas

School choice

To the editor:

Gov. Brian Sandoval’s plan for school vouchers is terrific. Imagine the rewards for parents and children to choose their school.

My parents paid for my grammar school education. I paid for my high school education. Along with it came a 20-mile hitchhike each day because the public sector would not pay for transportation.

My wife had to go on a waiting list to get in her high school. We both went on to graduate from a fine university.

I never understood why going to a private school required my parents to pay for a public education I never received. How about imagining the ability of a child from modest means to attend a school across town for a better education (like me). It would create competition between schools to attract students. The weak schools would close down and the strong schools would prosper. Weak teachers would disappear and strong schools would attract more talent.

Vouchers are not a new concept. They are prevalent in Europe and Asia. They actually have to hold lotteries because of the limited amount of seats available in the terrific schools. I would say that is a good problem to have.

Anthony Berkley

Henderson

Nero fiddled

To the editor:

When reading about the testimony of the state worker who cried about how she had her income decreased by $600 and how she and her husband were struggling, I was sympathetic (Review-Journal, Feb. 24).

Then a few days later I read your editorial in which you revealed how her husband makes around $93,000 a year and she makes $70,000 a year. I was completely flabbergasted. She expects most people to be in her corner? Well, as the budget woes continue, we’d better all get out our violins and start playing.

Joseph Harrison

Las Vegas

Funny numbers

To the editor:

In response to the Wednesday letter, “Flawed argument,” by Stan Vernooy:

Mr. Vernooy dismissed any relationship between high taxes and high unemployment as “factually incorrect.” You can “run the numbers” all day long and still reach a biased conclusion — and I suspect he did just that. How many thousands of jobs in the northeast have been lost to Texas, Arizona, Florida and other low-tax states?

David Christenson

Boulder City