Harry’s world is a wonderful place to be

To the editor:

After reading the Nov. 17 editorial, “Harry’s world,” I would like to debunk a few of the arguments presented.

Pickings must be pretty slim for champions when a newspaper laments the plight of a corrupt enterprise such as Bank of America. Bank of America is shedding jobs not necessarily because of Dodd-Frank, but because it cannot earn money by issuing bogus securities to an unsuspecting group of investors. The jig is up on that game.

As the bank continues to be sued by bilked investors, both big and small, it will have to retrench. As citizens, we can only hope that the retrenchment eventually puts them out of business.

Calling the surge in the foreign policy fiasco known as the war in Iraq a success is like saying a vampire cured a leukemia victim by removing bad blood. By the time the “surge” took place, most of the neighborhoods in the Sunni triangle had ethnically cleansed themselves. The civil war had essentially solved the problem.

And lastly, in response to Sen. Reid’s comment that regulation causes no economic harm: Of course regulation imposes costs. However, did the benefits of those regulations outweigh the costs? Let’s not forget that before the EPA was created, a river in Cleveland caught on fire due to the excessive amount of chemical dumping by the industries surrounding Lake Erie. They were not internalizing their costs; ergo they were creating a negative externality.

I implore the opinion writers from the Review-Journal to educate themselves so we are no longer subjected to such pure, unmitigated journalistic garbage.

Paul Ruth

Henderson

No grain

To the editor:

In your Monday editorial, you point out that marketing budgets for the state economic development authorities rose from $5 million a year to $7.5 million, and a $10 million “catalyst fund” will help pay for businesses to relocate. I would call it a “bribe” fund.

Giving tax deferments, tax abatements, land, utilities and money is a clear sign of weakness. We need to operate from a sign of strength — a well-educated workforce. Businesses would be glad to come here and pay their own way. When — if ever — have you heard a politician promoting Nevada’s highly educated workforce?

For decades, Nevada’s politicians, Clark County school superintendents and school boards have failed. All have supported a watered down curriculum. The teachers union has failed. The union should organize and support protests at school board meetings to get rid of disruptive, disinterested students.

I lay no blame on the teachers. All those who are supposed to be representing us are nothing more than “bushels and bushels of chaff and not an ounce of grain.”

Norris Inman

Las Vegas

Job-getter Harry

To the editor:

In response to Jane Ann Morrison’s Monday column:

The upcoming appointment of a Henderson city attorney points out how nepotism governs our great city.

We have two finalists for a position that pays between $126,639 and $199,471 annually.

One candidate is Christine Guerci-Nyhus, with 21 years of experience and eight years at public agencies, including seven years at the attorney general’s office. She is now the interim city attorney after the August resignation of Liz Quillin.

The other candidate is Josh Reid, who has just 10 years in private practice after graduating from the University of Arizona law school in 2000. Mr. Reid could not meet the necessary qualifications for the position, so they were lowered. Why, you ask? Because our job-building Sen. Harry Reid made a few phone calls — including contacting our integrity-driven mayor, Andy Hafen, stating to him that his son Josh was the most qualified applicant.

And where does Mr. Hafen come into the picture? His daughter worked for “job getter” Harry Reid for eight years. Might be some kind of payback there?

If some of you readers missed Ms. Morrison’s column, please read it. I often disagree with her, but she points out the blatant cronyism and nepotism that exist in our valley. Even in these weak economic times, we are a thriving city. Let’s not be blackmailed by a senator who has promised thousands of jobs, produced none, but sure as hell is trying to get one for his unqualified son.

David R. Seyler

Henderson

Cheap shot

To the editor:

I’m guessing most of us laypersons have no idea of the stress and pressure associated with coming up with ideas to write a column three times per week. Writing an interesting, relevant story that readers will not simply pass over but spend a few minutes perusing is obviously a challenge.

Jane Ann Morrison’s column in Saturday’s Review-Journal clearly illustrates that, at times, it results in reaching down deep into the dredges of the proverbial barrel.

Shrouded among dubious tales, the point of her column is realized: An opportunity to take yet another cheap shot at Herman Cain.

I am not a Herman Cain supporter, but I do acknowledge him to be a worthy candidate to the highest office in America. At times it is apparently expedient to ignore certain constitutional rights such as a presumption of innocence. Mr. Cain has not only never been convicted but never been charged.

But let’s not let some technicality impede meeting one’s deadline. Being a left-wing ideologue at times allows the side-stepping of rights and dignity. This is a cheap shot and a low dose of yellow journalism.

William C. Dwyer

Las Vegas