Don’t like Congress? Then do something about it

The 110th Congress has the lowest favorable rating in history, yet Republican and Democratic members waste their time on character assassinations and trying to gain political advantage, feeding a media frenzy.

Their time can be better spent on an honest debate about Social Security, our educational system, our failing Medicare and Medicaid entitlements, and a crisis in our criminal justice system fueled in part by illegal immigration and Congress’ inability to honestly address the issue.

If you are tired and disgusted with their political pandering, Republicans and Democrats, let them know by phone and mail. If they don’t hear from us, they will continue to neglect the people’s business.

Political activism is good citizenship.

FRANK PERNA

LAS VEGAS

 

Death penalty

To the editor:

In response to your Tuesday article, "State’s high court stays execution of Castillo":

William Castillo is the convicted killer of Isabelle Berndt, an 86-year-old woman. He was hired by Ms. Berndt to repair her roof. A short time after, he came back with an accomplice to burglarize her home and attacked her with a tire iron as she slept. She died as a result of this attack. This happened in 1995.

Now the Nevada Supreme Court — at the urging of the ACLU — has postponed the execution to consider an issue regarding lethal injections. Castillo now says he is ready to die and is disappointed. I say, where is justice for the victim? Where is justice for the relatives who want closure?

As it is said, "Justice delayed is justice denied."

A judge says, "Where is the fire?" My answer is, "The fire is the pain of the relatives who have been waiting since 1995 for justice. They also need closure for themselves." A judge says, "Where is the fire?" My answer is, "The fire is the pain of the relatives and their loss."

I didn’t know the victim, but I feel her pain — and so should we all.

Rebecca A. Braverman

LAS VEGAS

 

Fair share

To the editor:

So Robert Opp (Wednesday letter, "Illegal students") thinks the teachers association should "go after" the federal government? How does he propose they do that?

If Mr. Opp is not satisfied with the country’s immigration policy, he should write his local congressman. It’s not the role of educators to set immigration policy. It is their job to teach the students who enroll in their classes. Period. They do not determine the factors that led that student to their door. And they shouldn’t.

The fact that businesses, such as gaming, have not paid their fair share of taxes in Nevada is not the fault of the teachers. It’s the fault of poor leadership in our state government.

So many companies can set up shop in Nevada from out of state and then take all their profit back home without paying any taxes here, while still expecting Nevada to pave the roads, build the infrastructure and educate their employees’ children. It is ridiculous.

Mark Olson

LAS VEGAS

 

Lessons for Nevada?

To the editor:

I noted with extreme interest a recent article in The New York Times about merit pay and pension reform in the New York City school system. It appears Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the United Federation of Teachers have come to an agreement to allow merit pay in schools that have a high proportion of poor students.

In the same article, Mayor Bloomberg discussed pension plan changes for New York City teachers that will be cost-neutral in the near term but save money in the long run.

Pension reform, merit pay for teachers … is it possible that the Democrat-controlled, crushing tax-burden, liberal wasteland that is New York City has something to teach the libertarian utopia that is Nevada?

Clifford W. Schindler

LAS VEGAS

 

Glue factory

To the editor:

I’m surprised that there are any wild horses left at all in the Nevada. Every recent article regarding the "management" of Nevada’s wild horse population is tragic. The Bureau of Land Management considers the horses an invasive species, while security guards on the Nevada Test Site bet on how many horses will die of poisoning.

I’m sure that the problem will be solved when the BLM rounds them all up and they’re sent to France to be steak au poirre.

ELIZABETH COOK

LAS VEGAS

 

No sympathy

To the editor:

I read Randy and Rochelle Clayton’s housing tale of woe in Sunday’s newspaper ("Payments were manageable until health, work situation changed"). To be honest, I find it difficult to be at all sorry for them.

In fact, I can only cry crocodile tears for them. They bought a no-money-down house where the initial mortgage payments were 36 percent of their income. Who knows what other debts they had (car, credit card, etc.), since they did not have to list these debts on their mortgage application. Surely this should have raised a red flag with them.

Most honest lenders want to know what other debts you have.

The fact that they did not have to pay any money down on the house suggests that they had no money to put down. They probably went further into debt to buy stuff for their new home. They apparently did not realize that an adjustable-rate mortgage means that your rate might go up in the future.

They ignored the fact that income from a construction job is cyclical and is not guaranteed.

Not unexpectedly, their mortgage rate did go up, and based on their original income (which Mr. Clayton no longer makes), their mortgage payment would be an unacceptable 45 percent of their income. But based on their current income, their mortgage payment is 100 percent of their income. So they walked — doing their bit to bring down the value of their former neighbors’ houses.

Why should the bank bail them out from their lack of any intelligent planning? Why should the government do so? The 4,000-square-foot Summerlin house with a pool that they plan to rent at $2,500 per month is still more than they can afford, at 50 percent of their current $60,000 income.

It is not the bank’s job to think for them. Their excuse that "it’s the lender’s fault for making it too easy" is pure hogwash.

Bottom line is that they got what they deserved and should not be bailed out. Let them buy a $20,000 single-wide trailer.

Donald Schoengold

LAS VEGAS

 

Bad apples

To the editor:

I found your Tuesday editorial, "Class-action nonsense," pathetic.

I found the facts in the piece about trial lawyers who engaged in criminal activities most newsworthy. I’m glad they are getting their comeuppance.

But is there really a connection to that news and the fact that Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards was a trial lawyer?

And then you go on to state that there are more dishonest, corrupt and law-breaking trial lawyers lurking out there. Sure there are. Just like there are dozens more CEOs and other corporate officers who are defrauding their shareholders.

There are bad apples in every profession, but that’s not a reason to condemn everyone who practices that profession.

Michael Dimmick

LAS VEGAS