LETTERS: Smith’s take on Trump misses mark

I am a big fan of columnist John L. Smith, so maybe that is why I am quite disappointed with his Donald Trump epistle (“Trump putting on huge act as conservative,” Tuesday Review-Journal). Mr. Smith said Mr. Trump was a fascist Fabian, a comb-over Mussolini, outrageous, foul-mouthed, thrice-married, bigoted and a Mr. Say Anything. I’m surprised he left out comparisons with Lenin, Stalin, Mao, Attila the Hun and Satan himself.

My politics are far to the left of Lenin and far to the right of the John Birch Society. As such, Mr. Smith needs to understand many of us simply do not care what he or anybody else thinks about Mr. Trump — in the same way the Democratic Party does not care about Hillary Clinton’s questionable past. No one, including Mr. Smith, knows whether Mr. Trump would make a good president, but many are obviously willing to give him a chance. We know what we are going to get from Mrs. Clinton and the rest of the Republican Party candidates — more of the same old politics-first garbage we have been fed by both parties for many years.

We don’t know what we will get from Mr. Trump, who, regardless of how Mr. Smith pictures him, is a very successful businessman. Maybe with some of that knowledge, he can bring that same success to the White House.

This country is very much on edge as it watches its history denied and its future being designed for a world we do not want. I cannot stand either political party and have been so disgruntled, knowing we were in line for the same old, same old, that I had decided to stop voting. Then Mr. Trump arrived, and I decided to back him. Call him my candidate for hope and change.

Kelso Sturgeon

Henderson

Out with caucuses

My wife and I arrived at the Republican caucus at Shadow Ridge High School about 5:15 p.m. Tuesday. There was a very long line outside, so we left, had something to eat and went home. My wife could not have survived such a line, so I went back alone. I then stood in line for more than an hour to get checked in and get my ballot. I voted and left. I saw no sign of anybody caucusing. The next day, I had trouble walking the next day, as I’m over 80 years old.

The caucus is an abomination. It is a disgrace to the Nevada Republican Party. It is a disgrace to the state of Nevada. Many people are disenfranchised, including those who are disabled, senior citizens, people with no transportation and those who work or have other obligations during the narrow time allotted the caucus.

This sort of thing might work in places that are lightly populated, but there’s no way a caucus can work in heavily populated areas. We need a primary.

Arthur Hambacher

North Las Vegas

Replacing Scalia

There has been much debate over when to nominate and approve a replacement for deceased Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. The Republicans have taken the stance to not hear any recommendations regarding a replacement for Justice Scalia until after the presidential election in November. The Democrats disagree.

I recommend that when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell next talks to the Democrats about this issue, he states to them this partially modified adage, “Do unto others as you have done to us.” This would fit right in with the Democrat tactic used when President George W. Bush was working to get Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito confirmed.

Clarence Lanzrath

Las Vegas