LETTERS: GOP gets it right by removing Fiore

To the editor:

The Republicans in the state Assembly finally grew a backbone and did what was right by removing Michele Fiore from a leadership position that was given back to her after her “war on women” comment (“Fiore loses Assembly post again,” Friday Review-Journal). Elected Republicans need to get a grip on the morality we expect from them and do what we as voters elected them to do.

And now I read that Assemblywoman Fiore wants to sue over her ouster (“Removal may bring litigation,” Tuesday Review-Journal). The Republicans need to stop fighting each other like first-graders and take advantage of the position they’re in to do things for the citizens of Nevada.

My husband and I are among the conservative right and were ashamed that state GOP leaders initially fell for her comments. Because she is a legislator, she should be held to a higher standard and pay her taxes like the rest of us do. She refuses to show proof that a bookkeeper is at fault and said she only owes what she claims, instead of what has been reported.

Many of us are tired of politicians — no matter what party they represent — thinking they do not have to play by the rules.

BEV PERDEW

LAS VEGAS

Failed administration

To the editor:

Regarding Gerry Hageman’s letter (“Successful presidency,” Dec. 12 Review-Journal), it is ironic how anyone can consider the Obama administration anything but a failure, based on a few criteria.

The point that gasoline is less than $3 per gallon fails to reflect that in the week ending in January 2009 (the records closest to Obama taking office), average domestic gasoline costs averaged $1.73 per gallon, according to the Department of Energy.

As for the auto industry’s improved performance, readers should be reminded that the administration’s claim of “saving” domestic production — likely in reference to the GM bailout — cost taxpayers $11.2 billion.

The stock market had a good year, largely due to cutting expenses, and should reflect in our investments, but recent weeks have shown its fragility from an oversubscribed situation being vulnerable to low energy costs. This is largely due to OPEC dumping petroleum on the market and talk of possible interest hikes.

When praising Obamacare, we must remember that it was conceived in deceit and supported by lies, such as being able to keep your doctor and your current plan. I prefer to carry a health plan suitable for my family, not one designed by Jonathan Gruber and others containing coverage I don’t need. Those who benefit the most are those receiving premium subsidies or the 50 percent who pay no income tax.

What about the wasted billions in federal loan guarantees to companies such as Solyndra, Beacon Power and others? And what sense does it make granting amnesty to those in the country illegally when jobs are already scarce? Or how about spending billions on preschool programs, rather than allowing parents to raise their children? We deserve better.

ROBERT LATCHFORD

HENDERSON

Immigration and education

To the editor:

James Waller’s letter stated that “no one really cares about the state of education in Nevada” (“Students starving for education funds,” Dec. 14 Review-Journal). Well, the vanishing middle class cares, but because they have to be responsible for their own family’s bills, health insurance, food and college educations for their kids, they can’t keep paying their “fair share” for families who aren’t responsible.

Why does the Clark County School District have such dismal national rankings now, and what has changed over the decades? The simple answer is the Latino school population. CCSD has almost a 60 percent Latino student population. Every year it goes up, and as long as the district continues to have so many children that it can’t afford to educate, and as long as our borders remain unsecured, the problem with underfunding for CCSD and districts in other cities and states will continue.

The district says it needs 26 new elementary schools right now. In a few years, then, it will need 26 new middle schools and then 26 new high schools. After that, because our borders remain open and immigrants keep coming, the 26 new elementary schools we built years earlier will be overcrowded again, and we’ll start all over again. This isn’t rocket science.

Just look at much of Mexico, or Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. These third-world countries are overpopulated, broke, and their schools and social services are terrible. There are many school districts like CCSD all over America, underfunded and overcrowded. In 2013, federal, state and local governments paid $423 billion for services for undocumented immigrants and their children. That is taxpayers’ money. Is it any wonder why the middle class is vanishing?

Closer to home, University Medical Center continues to run at a huge deficit. Congress just passed a trillion-dollar budget. President Barack Obama, the Democrats and plenty of Republicans just don’t care about the debt they are leaving to our children and grandchildren.

Mr. Waller summed up by saying, “The hundreds of thousands of children in Nevada’s public schools need quality education, now.” Well, it’s not going happen, and it’s only going to get worse. We have almost 50 million people on food stamps and almost 50 million people living in poverty in this country. It makes no sense to continue to let millions more undocumented immigrants come to the U.S. Does it make sense to you?

KEVIN ALEXANDER

LOGANDALE