LETTERS: Snyder, UNLV merit community’s support
To the editor:
In response to former Chancellor Jim Rogers’ criticism of Don Snyder:
Las Vegas is fortunate to have a most dedicated citizen in Don Snyder, who takes on one dynamic project after another. He was involved in the Fremont Street Experience and The Smith Center, which are both fabulous assets to our entire community.
Now that he has taken on two major tasks at the same time — chairman of the UNLV stadium board and acting UNLV president — every citizen of Las Vegas should be thankful we have such a great, dedicated community leader. The only thing he ever needs or wants is the support of the community, and he has certainly earned the respect of every person in Clark County.
We all need to get behind the university and the stadium proposal. They are both projects that will benefit every citizen in Las Vegas and Nevada.
DON DAVIDSON
LAS VEGAS
Water woes
To the editor:
If the supply of water is as dire as it has been reported, then will someone please tell me why the powers that be still allow new houses to be built? Why hasn’t a moratorium been placed on new construction?
DOTTIE HANSEN
LAS VEGAS
Death penalty
To the editor:
Regarding the Boston Marathon bomber brief in Friday’s Review-Journal:
Does anyone remember the Oklahoma City bombing and the person responsible, Timothy McVeigh? Well, he received a death sentence, and it came to fruition.
Consequently, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the Boston Marathon bomber, deserves the same sentence.
RICHARD DEMUNDA
HENDERSON
Debt ceiling blame
To the editor:
After reading Jim Graham’s letter concerning the debt ceiling, I feel compelled to make a couple of points to rebut some of the partisan nonsense contained therein (“Republicans perpetuate debt ceiling lie,” Saturday Review-Journal). The first has to do with Mr. Graham’s assertion that the debt ceiling has nothing to do with spending. Without spending there would be no debt, and therefore no need for a debt ceiling, limited or otherwise. It doesn’t take an advanced degree in economics to figure that out.
The second point concerns Mr. Graham’s claim that federal debt is being driven primarily by unfunded mandates from the George W. Bush presidency. In reality, the largest part of federal spending goes to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Anyone not woefully ignorant of history knows which party was in power when those programs were started.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to blame only the Democrats. There is plenty of blame to go around on both sides of the aisle.
The real solution to this problem will be some combination of more taxes and less spending. Unfortunately, no one from either party is willing to make those hard choices. The politicians seem more concerned with getting re-elected so they can hang on to their power and position. I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for the same old politicians in Washington, D.C., to solve the debt ceiling problem anytime soon.
PHIL BULLINGER
LAS VEGAS
Beer ads and cigarettes
To the editor:
I have never been a smoker, nor do I drink much, but I really had to laugh at the Sunday op-ed in the Viewpoints section (“Beer ads should keep flowing freely”).
One of the major points the writer made was that advertising didn’t increase the use of the products. Another point was that alcohol advertisements are not intended to convert nondrinkers; rather, they aim to steer drinkers to different types of products than those they currently consume.
My question is: Where was all this great logic when the tobacco companies were advertising Camel or Lucky Strike? It seems to me the logic could be applied to both alcohol and cigarettes.
ROBERT E. SMITH
LAS VEGAS
