LETTERS: Democrats get just deserts in Supreme Court battle

The death of Justice Antonio Scalia leaves the Supreme Court in a 4-4 tie on remaining conservative (i.e. Republican) and progressive (i.e. Democratic) judges. Republicans are uniting on a premise of not allowing a new judge to be approved until the next president is elected and takes office, roughly 11 months from now.

And oh, the outrage from the Democrats, crying foul and stating that President Barack Obama should immediately nominate a replacement and the Senate should vet and confirm that nominee, hoping to tip the balance in the progressives’ favor. In July 2007, with President George W. Bush still having 18 months in his final term, Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer said on tape that if the court had any more vacancies, the Democrats should not allow the president the chance to fill them.

Can we forget our own Sen. Harry Reid’s unprecedented use of the “nuclear option” to blatantly bypass congressional norms and ram through President Obama’s appointments of numerous lower-court judges, while Sen. Reid also prevented untold pieces of legislation from even reaching the Senate floor for discussion? And of course, there’s President Obama’s famous dismissive statement to then House Whip Eric Cantor in 2009: “Election have consequences, and at the end of the day, I won.”

Yet now, the Democratic hierarchy is accusing Republicans of essentially not playing fair? Give me a break. Remember, as the Democrats’ partisan shenanigans were unfolding, many Republican lawmakers warned the Democrats to be careful of overreaching, lest the day come when the tables may be turned. That day has come for President Obama and Sens. Schumer and Reid.

J.J. Schrader

Henderson

Zakaria lecture

Jane Ann Morrison’s column on Dr. Fareed Zakaria’s outstanding Barrick Lecture Series presentation should be compulsory reading for all presidential hopefuls — Democratic and Republican alike (“Barrick’s legacy alive in lectures,” Feb. 11 Review-Journal). Ms. Morrison captured the essence of Dr. Zakaria’s message: the U.S. is not broken. It is only the talking heads of the media and the presidential wannabes who shout that the sky is falling.

Dr. Zakaria spoke with poise, humor and an encyclopedic rattling off of facts that will stand the test of Politico’s fact check, unlike the trumped-up rhetoric of our presidential candidates. Though his message was directed toward the value of a rounded education, rather than a STEM-focused curriculum, he made the case eloquently that the U.S. is the world leader in every metric of importance, including economic growth, research and development, defense, technological innovation and freedom.

At the conclusion of his remarks, one could ask: Is the U.S. in a parallel universe? One is grounded in factual success and world leadership, as Dr. Zakaria states, and the other is in a downward spiral, soon to self-destruct if we don’t drink the Kool-Aid being poured by our politicians. His message resonated with the audience of more than 1,800, as evidenced by the standing ovation he received.

Sadly, the audience appeared to be comprised of the over-50 set. UNLV students were noticeable by their paucity, an opportunity squandered, but not wasted by those of us who walked out encouraged and energized by a remarkable speech from an incredibly knowledgeable and articulate spokesman for American greatness.

Stacy Standley

Las Vegas

Stay off Strip

It is so heart-warming that MGM Resorts is not “tone deaf,” but will continue to put in place a fee for having the privilege to park my car at one of its properties (“Murren: MGM not ‘tone deaf’ to reaction on ending free Strip parking,” Jan. 23 Review-Journal).

If I were coming to the Strip, it might be to eat in one of the overpriced restaurants, until realizing that there are some pretty fantastic restaurants off the Strip that aren’t so high-priced. Or it might be to pay a month’s rent for the privilege of seeing an entertainer, but there are some really good entertainers in many of the hotels off the Strip.

Or I might even gamble a few dollars. But wait a minute, there are plenty casinos off the Strip. To MGM Resorts CEO Jim Murren, I say, “Been there, done that, ain’t doing it again.” At least not at an MGM property.

Carole Fishman

Las Vegas