Eminent domain will bring the pain

To the editor:

I read Robert Hockett’s commentary, “Eminent domain: All gain, no pain,” in Sunday’s Review-Journal, and it made me wonder where Mr. Hockett’s head is.

Laws vary from state to state. If Mr. Hockett had read Nevada’s laws, he would find his statements are incorrect regarding eminent domain. The Nevada Revised Statutes clearly state that eminent domain can only be used if it is in the public interest, not for a select few. I highly recommend that Mr. Hockett read NRS Chapter 7.

And even if we could bundle for sale a bunch of loans owned by the city of North Las Vegas, who would buy them? This city has no credit; in fact, it runs further in debt each month, meaning the rest of the residents will be on the hook for mortgage payments until a group of investors could buy the loans. If there is anyone out there who thinks these loan sharks are going to restructure these loans at a rate low enough to keep current owners in their homes, they are dreaming.

Right now, homes in this area are increasing in value monthly, the result of a free system that’s been allowed to work — the same plan Mitt Romney suggested and everyone shot down. But it’s working, and we must allow the system to work. When you buy a house, it’s a gamble. You could lose your job at some point. Values could take a hit at some point. It’s no different than the stock market. If you buy stocks and the market goes down, is anyone going to bail you out?

If North Las Vegas follows through with this ill-fated program, it will be the kiss of death for this city. I trust new Mayor John Lee, being a businessman, will see through this and kill it.

As for Mr. Hockett, he needs to read the laws.

GERRY MCNULTY

NORTH LAS VEGAS

Despicable conditions

To the editor:

Kudos to the Review-Journal for revealing a dirty secret that the medical profession has always known about: the deplorable conditions in Nevada nursing homes (“Nursing homes criticized,” Aug. 13).

Last year, when my wife was released from a hospital, it was recommended that she have two weeks of rehabilitation. We thought she’d get great physical therapy and attention. Wrong.

She was sent to Clearview Health and Rehabilitation, a nursing home in Henderson, because the insurance covered it. Sure, the staff there gave her the medications she needed, but they ignored her the rest of the time. And there were other patients screaming, “Help me, help me,” 24/7.

My family members and I had to beg the therapy people in the gym just to give 10 minutes of time to my wife. There’s no therapy on the weekend, because the therapists don’t work weekends. The nurse call light in my wife’s room didn’t work. The so-called ombudsman assigned to her never answered the phone. She almost lost her mind there. I got her out after only three days. Clearview hated to give her up (for the money, you know). We had to fight to get her released with medical approval.

The Review-Journal article noted that Clearview was on the state’s hall of shame list. That didn’t surprise me. Two nurses I know said they worked there for one shift and never went back. They told me that the hospitals know what’s going on, but nothing changes. Maybe the article will wake someone up.

JERRY GORDON

HENDERSON

Watch where you walk

To the editor:

Thanks for Sunday’s Viewpoints section in the Review-Journal. I read every single word and studied each cartoon. It was fabulous, and I therefore hesitate to pick a favorite.

That said, Richard Depaso’s letter (“Pedestrians must pay more attention to traffic”) really hit the mark in my book. I would never, ever hit a pedestrian and would avoid one to the best of my ability, but sometimes accidents happen.

Some pedestrians have attitudes. They almost dare you to hit them, and it doesn’t do them any good to have the right of way if they are dead. It would be great if all our local media would hammer home those ideas. Again, thanks for a great Opinion page.

ESMAEL CANDELARIA

HENDERSON

Obama deflated

To the editor:

In the years since Barack Obama became president, I have noticed a marked difference in his demeanor. Back in the early days of his presidency, Mr. Obama was always pictured smiling, with his head tilted slightly back, giving the appearance that he was looking down his nose during photo ops.

Now, however, he has a worrisome, dejected, sometimes stooped look. I am sure he has a hard time believing he has become so unpopular and unloved, just because he has proven to be an ineffective leader. With those pictures in mind, I visualize a cartoon, with one frame of Mr. Obama’s smiling face, and another of him bewildered and confused, looking over his shoulder and saying: “I should have quit while I was ahead.”

KATHLEEN GIBBONS

HENDERSON